Hull City 2 Stoke City 0: Tigers' star duo see City close in on top six

Hull City's Jarrod Bowen celebrates opening the scoring.

The Tigers, showing three changes, sealed the points thanks to a goal in either half from star men Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki.

The victory extends Hull's good record at the KCOM Stadium where they have lost just one of their last nine.

Stoke's James McClean fluffed a golden chance to open the scoring inside five minutes when he completely miskicked when put through on goal.

Bowen came close when his header went into the side netting from a Grosicki corner, whilst the Pole shot straight at Jack Butland soon after.

Bowen then broke the deadlock in fine style just before the interval.

The forward bent in a free-kick from the right-hand side of the box that Butland could not keep out despite getting a hand on it.

Almost immediately the visitors were handed a golden chance to restore parity, when a penalty was awarded after Sam Vokes was deemed to have been pulled down in the area.

The Welsh international, making his Stoke debut, then stepped up but saw his spot-kick kept out by the legs of David Marshall in the Hull goal.

Tom Edwards almost caught out Marshall just after the restart with a cross-shot that the 'keeper spilled but a backtracking City defender hacked away the danger.

Danny Batth, another Potters' debutant, nodded against the bar as Stoke upped the ante.

Down the other end Frazier Campbell couldn't quite connect to a hanging Bowen cross, instead slicing a shot into the side of Butland's goal.

No mattter though, as the Tigers' advantage was soon doubled.

Bowen and Campbell both played accurate, fast passes and it led to Grosicki finishing decisively and calm to stroke the ball past Butland from inside the area.

Nigel Adkins' side were comfortably in control for the rest of the contest as they moved to within four points of the play-off places.

Hull: Marshall, Lichaj, McKenzie, Kingsley, Kane, Stewart, Bowen (Milinkovic 90) Henriksen, Irvine, Grosicki (Pugh 84), Campbell (Martin 89)

Subs not used: Long, Ridgwell, Batty, Evandro.

Stoke: Butland, Edwards, Williams, Batth, Indi (Afobe 76), Etebo, Allen, Clucas, McClean, Vokes, Bojan (Ince 60)

Subs not used: Federici, Bauer, Shawcross, Woods, Berahino.