Impressive Hull move back into play-off places

After last night, those fond feelings will surely only have grown after the claiming of three further vital points which this time do wonders for the Tigers’ hopes of a Premier League return.

Bluebirds defender Kevin McNaughton may have unwittingly set Hull on the road to victory with an early own goal before James Chester and Aaron Mclean settled matters in the second half.

But, in truth, Nick Barmby’s side were full value for a win that means they are this morning once again occupying a play-off place.

Against a well-drilled visiting outfit, Cardiff struggled to make any inroads with an indication of the frustration felt in the stands being the imploring of manager Malky Mackay to bring Robert Earnshaw off the bench long before the game had even reached the hour mark.

Jack Hobbs and Chester were, as has invariably been the case this season, outstanding, while in midfield Corry Evans provided the driving force to which the Bluebirds simply had no answer.

All in all, therefore, a wonderful night for Hull as they tasted victory in Cardiff for the first time since ‘that’ typically predatory strike by Windass kept the East Riding club in the second tier on the penultimate weekend of the 2006-07 season.

Last night’s triumph can not, of course, compare to those three points in terms of importance. But, in terms of firing the belief that this could be the Tigers’ year, it could nevertheless prove crucial.

In fact, the only complaint that could be aimed at Hull was that the game was not over by half-time.

Certainly, the visitors created enough promising situations during the opening 45 minutes to deserve more for their impressive endeavours than McNaughton’s own goal.

The full-back’s blunder came after just six minutes as, in attempting to clear Andy Dawson’s in-swinging corner, he somehow managed to divert the ball past goalkeeper David Marshall.

Visibly lifted by a welcome change of luck in front of goal, the Tigers continued to impress for the rest of the half but were unable to capitalise.

Mclean, preferred up front to joint top scorer Matty Fryatt by Barmby, was guilty of wasting the two best openings.

First, the former Peterborough United striker dragged a shot wide after being played through on the left by Robert Koren.

Then, after this time being released by Paul McKenna’s incisive pass, Mclean tried to flick the ball beyond Ben Turner to create a clear run on goal only for the Cardiff defender to pull off a last-ditch tackle.

Koren also tested Marshall with a stinging 20-yard shot before Hull’s Slovenian playmaker just failed in his attempts to release Evans after a brave header from Mclean had allowed the visitors to break at speed.

Cardiff were largely kept in check by the well-drilled visitors, whose only genuine moment of worry during the first half came four minutes before the break when Turner headed in Peter Whittingham’s corner from close range.

Referee Graham Scott did initially award the ‘goal’ only for the linesman to rightly flag for a shirt pull on Vito Mannone that had prevented the Hull goalkeeper from claiming the ball.

The decision did not go down well with the locals, who spent the remaining few minutes of the half berating the officials.

Seventy four seconds after the restart, the Cardiff supporters had further cause to be unhappy – though this time it was their own players who were the subject of the finger-wagging after poor defending had allowed Hull to double their advantage.

Chester, after being found by Josh King, was the man to capitalise with a low shot under Marshall to net his first goal in 13 months.

Hull then added even more polish to their night on 55 minutes when Mclean fired in a third goal with an acrobatic volley after having his initial shot blocked by Marshall.

Cardiff felt the Tigers striker had been offside when initially played through but that mattered little to the 300 or so celebrating away fans.

The hardy band of travellers had every reason to be happy as there was clearly going to be no way back for the Bluebirds despite Kenny Miller then hitting a post to join Joe Mason in being denied by the woodwork either side of Mclean’s goal. All that was left after Mclean’s strike was for the locals to get their wish and Earnshaw be brought off the bench but, even then, it was Hull who always looked the more likely to inflict further punishment as Koren headed into the side netting and Marshall saved bravely from King.

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Cardiff City: Marshall; McNaughton, Hudson, Turner, Taylor, Whittingham; Cowie (Conway 67), Gunnarson, Lawrence, Mason; Miller (Earnshaw 73). Unused substitutes: Heaton, Kiss, Blake.

Hull City: Mannone: Rosenior, Hobbs, Chester, Dawson; McKenna, Evans; Stewart (Dudgeon 67), Koren, King (Fryatt 87); Mclean. Unused substitutes: Gulacsi, Cairney, Cullen.

Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire).