Hull City brought Birmingham City's four-game winning streak to an end as goals from David Meyler and Abel Hernandez gave the Tigers a 2-0 win at the KC Stadium this afternoon.
Steve Bruce's side, who have now not lost to Birmingham in six encounters, struck with two goals in two first-half minutes to secure the three points.
Allan McGregor pulled off a smart save with his feet from Jacques Maghoma's fierce strike early on, before Arsenal loanee Chuba Akpom headed a Sam Clucas corner straight at Tomasz Kuszczak.
The Birmingham goalkeeper then produced another save from Moses Odubajo's volley and Akpom came close to turning the right-back's cross home just a few minutes later.
Despite coming under heavy pressure, the visitors almost took the lead when Maghoma's quick feet created some space in the Hull box, and he drew a diving save from McGregor.
However, Hull made their dominance count when Meyler swept home from Ahmed El Mohamady's knock down after some good work down the wing from Clucas.
Just two minutes later the Tigers doubled their lead as Hernandez controlled Andrew Robertson's cross on the turn and powered a volley beyond the reach of Kuszczak for his fourth goal in five games.
Elmohamady's cross in the final minutes of the first half somehow evaded both Akpom and Hernandez, before Akpom felt he should have had a penalty when he appeared to be pushed to the floor by a Blues defender on the hour mark.
Clucas was within inches of extending Hull's lead when he drilled an effort from inside the box just wide of the upright late on, but Bruce's men had already done enough for the win.
Joe Sharratt
