Hull City 3 Bournemouth 1: Abel Hernandez double inspires Tigers to massive victory

After cancelling out Junior Stanislaus' third-minute penalty, the Uruguayan restored parity with a clinical 32nd-minute header, the prelude to a wonderful second five minutes after the break, when he went solo and curled home a beauty.

An own goal from Tyrone Mings a few minutes after the hour mark made it 3-1 as the Tigers ended their nine-match winless streak in the league in impressive fashion - ahead of a daunting quartet of top-flight games against Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

The win was just reward for the hosts, who produced a stirring response full of character after going behind and being dominated early on.

Poor start for Hull

After a dreadful first half an hour which saw a well-polished Bournemouth side almost exclusively dominant, Hull grabbed a lifeline on 32 minutes and finished the half strongly and with intent.

Trailing early on, Hull were forced to dig deep and levelled from their first moment of quality on 32 minutes when Andrew Robertson's lovely cross from the left picked out Hernandez for a classic centre forward's headed goal.

Hull had the Cherries on the ropes for the rest of the half, with the visitors looking as flustered at dealing with crosses as they looked accomplished in the opening thirty minutes.

Penalty count

Bournemouth were full value for their lead, given to them on three minutes with Stanislaus emphatically blasting home from the spot after Harry Maguire's needless challenge on Ryan Fraser - the tenth penalty that the Tigers have conceded in 21 games.

It could have got worse for Hull, with Bournemouth, playing some enlightened football, going close with a shot from Harry Arter, which whistled just wide and Benik Afobe.

The former Huddersfield loanee had too much power and pace for Michael Dawson after latching onto Mings' punt, with Eldin Jakupovic, preferred in goal to David Marshall, thankfully saving the day with a key block.

Hull hit back

No doubt mindful of one of their most important second-halves of the season coming up, Hull commendably took the hint and carried on from where they left out at the end of the first half to pin back the visitors on the resumption.

The urgency and tempo and crucially belief was there and it yielded a wonderful second on fifty minutes.

Hernandez went solo in majestic fashion, cutting inside Mings on the left and bamboozling him with several step-overs before firing home a classy second goal with an effortless left-footed curled finish.

Bournemouth looked visibly rattled and Ryan Mason went close to a third with his rasping drive, before City afforded themselves a heaven-sent two-goal cushion on 62 minutes when Mings diverted in Tom Huddlestone's half-volley past his own keeper Boruc.

Hull saw out the final half hour in relative comfort, with the stuffing knocked out of the visitors.

Jakupovic did have to make one excellent save to deny Wilshere, but little else came his way.

ANALYSIS - BY LEON WOBSCHALL

"An excellent and much-needed response from the Tigers following a poor opening half hour. Displayed conviction and character in ultimately one of their best performances of the season in arguably their biggest seasonal fixture thus far - with the return to goalscoring form of Abel Hernandez being a reassuring and welcome sight."

Hull City: Jakupovic; Maguire, Dawson, Davies, Robertson; Diomande, Huddlestone , Mason (Livermore 86), Clucas; Snodgrass (Evandro 76); Hernandez (Niasse 83). Substitutes unused: Marshall, Weir, Tymon, Bowen.

Bournemouth: Boruc, A Smith, Cook, Mings, Daniels; Surman, Arter; Stanislaus (Pugh 69), Wilshere, Fraser (King 55); Afobe (C Wilson 55). Substitutes unused: Federici, B Smith, Gosling, Ibe.

Referee: M Atkinson (West Yorkshire).