Newcastle United 2 Hull City 3: Hull are rewarded by Aluko’s touch of brilliance

More like good riddance, if truth be told, to a 26-game winless away streak in the Premier League which stretched back to March 2009.

Just as importantly, the Tigers announced their arrival on the big stage and if Premier League aficionados across the land did not know too much about the likes of match-winner Sone Aluko and Robbie Brady beforehand, they most definitely will now.

St James’ Park has been kind to the Tigers, who have now won on their last three visits and at least one Geordie was happy on Saturday evening, namely Steve Bruce, who had a grin as broad as the Tyne following the game.

The smile was one of pure contentment and after seeing his side claim moral ‘victories’ of sorts in away-day losses at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad, the sight of the Tigers claiming something a lot more tangible at a venue that was not exactly kind to him last time out was so sweet.

No one could say it had not been coming.

Pilloried during the game and when getting off the Tigers’ team bus, boyhood Magpies fan Bruce – whose Sunderland side were hammered here 5-1 just under three years ago – had the proverbial last laugh.

For that, he had to thank Aluko, a player he has consistently said can light up the Premier League and whose majestic 76th-minute goal was worthy of winning any game.

On his stunning strike, which had the effect of ramming the taunts of the Toon Army towards Bruce back down their throats, Aluko said: “It is up there as being one of my best goals.

“I’ve scored some good ones, and I always say I want to score more tap-ins and cheaper ones, but it’s up there.

“It’s a big goal, my first Premier League goal and one I won’t forget for a long time.”

On a joyous day for his boss, the one-time Rangers striker – whose sister Eniola made it a perfect weekend in the Aluko household by netting in England women’s 6-0 win over Belarus – added: “He got a lot of stick when he came off the bus.

“It was quite funny. I was coming off behind him, but I didn’t want to laugh too much.

“When we arrived, Harps (Steve Harper) came off the bus and there was a big cheer and I was like, ‘oh okay’ and then the gaffer came off next and the noise and the abuse was unbelievable.

“It was back to the Rangers and Celtic days, so it was interesting.

“He needed that win, to be fair. We have started well this season, he’s doing a very good job and to get a win here was great for him.”

All had seemed set fair for the hosts – seeking a hat-trick of top-flight wins for the first time since 2011-12 – earlier in the piece with Auf Wiedersehen stars and big Newcastle fans Tim Healy and Kevin Whately making a pitch-side appearance in the build-up to kick-off to further galvanise the Geordie ‘nation’.

Frenchman Loic Remy showed a predatory prowess akin to some of the revered Magpies’ centre-forwards of yesteryear with a neat 10th-minute opener, latching onto Papiss Cisse’s skewed cross to nip in front of James Chester and nod home.

Hull regathered themselves in terrific fashion and despite Tim Krul making a fine reaction save to block a point-blank header from Gateshead lad Danny Graham, they did not have to wait long for a leveller.

A flowing move involving Stephen Quinn and Aluko ended with Brady firing in his third goal of a burgeoning campaign, low under the body of Krul.

On top for the rest of the half, it was against the run of play when Remy struck once again on the stroke of half-time, with a cool finish after a speculative shot from Yohan Cabaye ricocheted fortuitously into his path off Chester.

It took just two minutes of the second half for Hull to provide the perfect riposte, a deft header from unmarked former Sunderland man Ahmed Elmohamady following Brady’s dangerous free-kick.

It provide some karma for the Egyptian, a member of the Black Cats side managed by Bruce who were swamped at St James’ in October 2010.

His strike had the effect of deflating the hosts, with Aluko’s golden moment, a technically perfect controlled volley following substitute George Boyd’s cross, settling the issue deservedly in the Tigers’ favour.

Bruce’s troops’ only moment of alarm came when Remy spurned a great chance to clinch his hat-trick in stoppage time. He used his right foot instead of his left and spurned a heaven-sent opportunity, but Hull fully merited that moment of fortune.

On a breakthrough win for the Tigers, Tom Huddlestone, once again at the heart of all things good – he could easily have been plying his trade in the North East this term but opted to reject the overtures of Sunderland to head to Hull instead – said: “I think we have shown in the first few games of the season that we are not one of those newly-promoted teams who will just lump it forward.

“We have good footballers and that is what the manager has always said he wants to bring in. All of the players here are comfortable on the ball.

“The winner was an unbelievable goal. If it was Ronaldo or Messi it would be rerun again and again. It was especially good considering it was a winning goal, which added spice to it.”