Mohamed Diame's second goal in three games and second-half strikes from Sam Clucas and Tom Huddlestone gave Hull City a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough at the KC Stadium this afternoon.
The result sees the Tigers extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to 10 games, and keeps them top of the table on goal difference.
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The clearest opening of the opening period came when Diego Fabbrini picked out the run of David Nugent, but with only Allan McGregor to beat, the Middlesbrough striker fired tamely wide.
Nugent hammered a similar chance straight at McGregor just a few minutes later, but his blushes were spared as the assistant referee had already raised his flag for offside.
Clucas and Diame then combined to tee up Ahmed El Mohamady, but the Egyptian midfielder failed to adequately test Dimitrios Konstantopoulos with his shot.
He made amends, however, when he crossed to the far post on the stroke of half time, where the waiting Diame prodded home to put the Tigers ahead.
Steve Bruce's side should have doubled their lead 10 minutes after the restart when Michael Dawson met a Clucas free kick, but the former Tottenham Hotspur defender placed his header straight at Konstantopoulos.
The lively Diame then skilfully controlled a falling ball before cutting inside and drilling an effort over the top of goal from 12 yards.
However, Hull had McGregor to thank for keeping them ahead as he somehow clawed away George Friend's back-post effort just after the hour mark.
Buoyed by McGregor's heroics, Hull then scored the crucial second goal when Clucas diverted David Meyler's low drive into the back of the net.
Tigers fans then saw substitute Huddlestone wrap up the win late on with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
Joe Sharratt
