Town continue to wait for their first win under Paul Hurst after goals at either end of the match saw Hull City to a 2-0 victory at the KCOM Stadium. Jarrod Bowen struck after three minutes, then sub Jackson Irvine sealed the three points a minute from time with the Blues dropping to bottom of the table.
Flynn Downes returned to the Blues starting line-up in midfield alongside Cole Skuse with Jon Nolan taking the more advanced central role behind Jon Walters, who was the lone striker.
Kayden Jackson dropped to the bench where Danny Rowe was included for the first time in the Championship this season. Janoi Donacien was again the loanee to miss out on a place in the 18.
In front of a very sparse KCOM Stadium crowd Hull took the lead from the first attack of the game in the third minute.
Downes dawdled and was caught in possession by Fraizer Campbell midway inside the Town half and the former Crystal Palace man played in Jarrod Bowen on the right of the box from where he dinked the ball over Dean Gerken with Matthew Pennington unable to clear off the line. It was Bowen’s third goal in three games against Town and his first of this season.
After the shock of conceding the early goal it took the Blues a little while to threaten. However, they briefly began to make some headway and on 13 Gwion Edwards worked space to cross from the right and Jordan Graham was just prevented from getting in a shot from the edge of the box.
Town came close to claiming an equaliser in the 16th minute from a well-worked corner. Graham’s deep flag-kick from the right was nodded back across the area by Skuse and Nolan headed wide at the near post when he will feel he ought to have done better.
However, almost immediately the Tigers came close to doubling their lead. Campbell again sent Bowen away, this time down the middle, and only a well-timed challenge from skipper Luke Chambers prevented the former Hereford forward from getting in a shot at goal.
The Blues were unable to get the ball away from their area and on 19 a cross from the left reached Campbell who failed to make contact with an acrobatic attempt at a volley.
Hull continued to put Town under pressure winning a number of corners, one of which Evandro flicked not too far over at the near post.
The Tigers continued to control the game but without creating further chances until the 33rd minute when Campbell headed over from a Todd Kane corner.
Town had made no impact at the other end since Nolan’s header but in the 34th minute Walters won a freekick midway inside the Hull half but Graham’s set piece towards the striker was too long.
The Blues were starting to make more of an impression, however, and a minute later Nolan played the ball into the box from the right to Walters, who turned it on to Graham on the left, from where the on-loan Wolves man curled a shot not too far wide.
Then, on 40, Graham’s cross from the left was poorly cleared by Stephen Kingsley to the edge of the box and Nolan struck a difficult half-volley over the bar. Soon after, Hull were forced to swap the injured Daniel Batty for Kevin Stewart.
Town continued to threaten and on 44 Knudsen’s very deep cross from the left reached Edwards rushing in at the back of the box and the Welshman volleyed powerfully against Kingsley.
Although the Blues had ended the half on top, they had been very much second best for most of the period and were fortunate to be only a goal behind.
The early goal inevitably gave the home side - without a win at home in their previous four games this season - a boost, while the Blues struggled to make an impact aside from the brief spell in which Nolan went close.
However, they might well have created an opening from when they could have grabbed a leveller during their spell just before the break.
Town started the second half on the front foot having most of the ball but without being able to carve out an early opportunity.
The Blues continued to take the game to the Tigers and in the 56th minute a cross from the right reached Graham at the far post but fell the wrong side of the winger and he was unable to get in a shot.
A minute later, a loose ball ran to Downes on the edge of the area but the midfielder scuffed his shot wide.
But Hull gradually began to get back on top and on 58 Gerken was forced into his first save of the second half from Campbell’s strike. The keeper was unable to hold on to the shot but Knudsen was first to the loose ball and showed composure to take his time and clear.
On 65 Campbell was booked following a foul on Downes, however the caution was more for a serious of transgressions rather than just that challenge.
A minute later, Town struck their first shot on target of the afternoon, however, Graham’s effort was too close to David Marshall, who saved comfortably. Hull switched Kingsley for Jackson Irvine in the 69th minute.
The Tigers went close to adding to their lead soon afterwards, Pennington nodding Evandro’s shot away from in front of the line after Bowen’s shot from a tight angle had fallen to the Brazilian.
Town made their first substitution of the afternoon in the 72nd minute, Jackson taking over from Downes. Seconds later, a Graham corner from the left flashed across the Hull six-yard box having been inadvertently flicked goalwards by a Hull head.
But the Tigers, and specifically Bowen, were still looking the most likely scorers of the game’s second goal. On 74 the Hull forward cut in from the right and hit a shot which Gerken did well to save with his foot. Soon after, Stewart was booked for a foul on Jackson.
Rowe took over from Edwards in the 79th minute with the former Macclesfield man on the left and Graham - who had made more of an impression than he had against Norwich - moving to the right.
Bowen threatened to score his second goal of the game once again in the 81st minute having been sent away behind the Blues’ backline but Gerken was out quickly to thwart him with Chambers also playing a part with his physicality.
On 86, with Hull still looking the more likely scorers of the game’s second goal, Ellis Harrison replaced Graham, then two minutes later Hull swapped Campbell for Beccles-born former Canary Chris Martin, who was making his debut for his new loan club.
And in the penultimate minute of scheduled time that second Tigers goal arrived. Evandro chipped a ball behind the Town defence for sub Irvine to run on to. Spence tried to hold off the Australian international but was brushed aside and the former Burton man beat Gerken confidently.
The whistle confirmed the Blues’ fourth away defeat in their first four games and Hull had claimed their first win at home at the fourth attempt.
It was a victory the home side deserved and they might well have had the game sewn up prior to Irvine’s late goal with Bowen in particular regularly threatening. The Tigers caused the Blues more defensive problems in open play than anyone else they have faced so far this season.
Town put in their poorest display of the season but had periods where they were on top however they never convinced that they were going to get anything from the game with Marshall in the Hull goal rarely seriously tested. The best chance was Nolan’s first-half header wide.
The Blues, now bottom of the table by two clear points with three sides ahead of them on five, now have back-to-back home games against Brentford and Bolton - second and 10th respectively - as they look to finally end their increasingly concerning wait for a win.
Hull City: Marshall, De Wijs, Burke, Evandro, Kane, Batty (Stewart 41), Bowen, Henriksen (c), Kingsley (Irvine 69), Campbell (Martin 88), Elphick. Unused: Long, Dicko, Grosicki, McKenzie.
Town: Gerken, Spence, Chambers (c), Pennington, Knudsen, Skuse, Downes (Jackson 72), Edwards (Rowe 79), Nolan, Graham (Harrison 86), Walters. Unused: Bialkowski, Chalobah, Ward, Edun. Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland). Att: 11,650.