Goals from Markus Henriksen and Harry Wilson have given Hull City a 2-0 lead over the Blues at Portman Road at half-time.
Luke Hyam, Grant Ward, Jordan Spence, Jonas Knudsen, Tristan Nydam and Freddie Sears all started as Mick McCarthy made six changes to the team which drew 0-0 with Sheffield United on Saturday.
Cole Skuse missed out, presumably due to injury, as did Dominic Iorfa, having suffered a groin problem at the weekend, while Adam Webster, Martyn Waghorn, Callum Connolly and Myles Kenlock all dropped to the bench.
The Blues switched to what looked to be a 4-1-4-1 system with Stephen Gleeson the deeper midfielder with Hyam and Nydam ahead of him in the centre, Bersant Celina on the left and Ward on the right.
Joe Garner, whose wife gave birth earlier today, was due to be on the bench but was a late drop out, although apparently due to injury. Aaron Drinan took his place among the subs.
Hull made three changes, Fraizer Campbell came in for Abel Hernandez, who only recently returned from injury, Michael Hector for Ondrei Mazuch and Allan McGregor returned in goal for David Marshall.
Neither side threatened until the eighth minute when the Blues came within an inch or so of going in front. From Celina’s corner from the left, the ball was nodded on to Spence, whose flicked header across goal struck the post and bounced safely for the visitors.
But Hull quickly began to create chances. First Nydam got back to make a brilliant challenge to dispossess Markus Henriksen, who had been found in space in the area on nine, then three minutes later Bialkowski saved well from Jackson Irvine after he had been found by Jarrod Bowen.
Wilson struck a shot from distance which Bialkowski claimed at the second attempt on 13, but visiting fans had only another four minutes to wait for their side to take the lead.
Following a corner, Jackson Irvine stabbed the ball back to Henriksen 25 yards out and the Norwegian hit a well-struck low effort which beat Bialkowski across to his right and crept just inside the post.
The Tigers almost went two ahead in the 28th minute when Nydam gave the ball away to Bowen midway inside the Blues half and the former Hereford man unleashed a powerful shot which fortunately for Town struck the outside of Bialkowski’s right post.
The Blues had shown little attacking threat aside from a couple of Ward crosses from the right but on 38 they weren’t too far away from levelling.
Ward fed Sears to his right before breaking into the area and powerfully heading the former West Ham and Colchester man’s cross towards goal, McGregor reacting superbly to tip it over.
But two minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead. Ola Aina crossed deep from the right and the totally unmarked Harry Wilson volleyed low past Bialkowski at the far post.
The second Hull goal was the trigger for chants of ‘Mick McCarthy, your football is s–t’ from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.
Celina was booked for a dive shortly before the half-time whistle was greeted by loud boos which increased in volume as manager McCarthy made his way to the tunnel.
Hull fully deserved their lead at the break, having been in control for most of the half. After Spence had hit the post, the Tigers had created two decent openings prior to Henriksen’s strike.
Frustrated Town had looked bereft of ideas with too many aimless long balls punted towards Sears but eventually began to make some impact. Ward, who presented the Blues’ greatest threat throughout was unlucky not to score with his header, but Town were made to pay for poor defending as Wilson added to the visitors’ lead.
The Blues, who seem certain to make changes ahead of the second half, have a lot to do if they are to claim anything from the second of their two home games having drawn the first 0-0 with Sheffield United on Saturday.
Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Carter-Vickers, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Gleeson, Hyam, Ward, Nydam, Celina, Sears. Subs: M Crowe, Webster, Waghorn, Drinan, Connolly, Kenlock, Morris.
Hull City: McGregor, Irvine, Hector, Larsson, Bowen, Dawson (c), Henriksen, Clark, Campbell, Aina, Wilson. Subs: Marshall, Grosicki, Meyler, Dicko, Keane, Tomori, MacDonald. Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancashire).