Mike Phelan's reign as permanent Hull City manager got off to a nightmare start this afternoon as his side were on the wrong end of a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Bournemouth.
The hosts ran riot at the Vitality Stadium to make it three consecutive home wins in the Premier League for the first time ever, moving into the top half of the table in the process.
Bournemouth had only won one of their last 12 league games against Hull heading into today's match, but they made a perfect start when Charlie Daniels opened the scoring after just five minutes, volleying the ball into an unguarded net after Junior Stanislas had fired a free kick against the woodwork.
Phelan finally put pen to paper on a full-time deal as Hull boss earlier this week, but the new certainty surrounding the managerial situation at the club failed to inspire the players as Bournemouth came within inches of doubling their lead when Callum Wilson's effort came back off the crossbar.
Jordon Ibe was the next to come close shortly after the half-hour mark when his powerful effort was just too high, but luck appeared to be on the visitors' side when they equalised moments later through a heavily deflected Ryan Mason strike.
Parity would last only seven minutes, though, as poor marking from a free kick allowed Steve Cook to climb highest in the penalty area and restore his side's lead with a well-directed header.
Hull were the architects of their own downfall again as Bournemouth made it two goals in four minutes before half time, with Robert Snodgrass recklessly lunging in on Wilson inside the penalty area to leave Lee Mason no option but to point to the spot.
Stanislas stepped up to take it and kept his cool from 12 yards, firing the ball down the middle to make it three first-half goals for the Cherries - the first time they have ever managed that in a Premier League match.
Things got even better in the second half when Stanislas doubled his personal tally for the afternoon, this time sweeping the ball home at the back post after Adam Smith's low cutback had gone all the way through.
Bournemouth, now with just one defeat in their last six league outings, smelled blood and Wilson soon got in on the act to pour more misery on a lacklustre Hull side, nodding Joshua King's cross in from close range for his third goal in his last five league games.
The rout was completed two minutes from time when Daniels fed a low pass in to Dan Gosling on the edge of the box, allowing the midfielder to curl his left-footed finish into the corner and cap off a memorable win.
The result lifts Bournemouth up to ninth in the Premier League table, while Hull - now winless in six and with the worst defensive record in the league - remain 15th having picked up just one point from the last 18 available.
Barney Corkhill
