Hull 3-0 Middlesbrough: Ruthless Hull see off promotion rivals

Mohamed Diame, Sam Clucas and Tom Huddlestone scored the goals to keep Hull top of the Sky Bet Championship table with a 3-0 win over promotion rivals Middlesbrough at the KC Stadium.

Hull opened the scoring just before half-time when Diame finished with a pinpoint half-volley for his third goal of the season.

They increased their lead midway through the second half when Clucas also scored his third goal of the season with a clinical finish.

Substitute Huddlestone crowned the performance with a fine left-foot shot as Hull maintained their unbeaten home run for the season.

Abel Hernandez tried his luck from outside the area and the striker, normally deadly from close range, was just off target with his rising shot as Hull started the game brightly.

Patient build-up from the home side presented right-back Moses Odubajo with a chance after 13 minutes but his volley was well over.

The visitors hit back through David Nugent, whose shot across goal was just wide of the far post after good work by Diego Fabbrini.

The same pair linked up again but Nugent was flagged offside as he went for a ball which goalkeeper Allan McGregor cleared with his feet.

There were 23 minutes gone when Clucas forced Dimi Konstantopoulos to tip over his free-kick as Hull enjoyed another period of pressure.

Ahmed Elmohamady then made it easy for the keeper when played in on the overlap by Clucas and Konstantopoulos gathered his shot low to his right.

Hull continued to press as half-time approached and Elmohamady was just wide with a header from a Clucas corner.

Hull got the goal their pressure deserved after 43 minutes when Diame, starting in place of the benched Chuba Akpom and playing as a second striker, hit a half-volley into the bottom corner from an Elmohamady cross.

Diame's rising shot over the bar in the early stages of the second half showed Hull did not intend to rest on their lead and he should have done better shortly after with a shot over after showing good control in the area.

McGregor saved with his legs from full-back George Friend, who came in at the far post to shoot from close range as Middlesbrough finally roused themselves almost 20 minutes into the second half.

But Hull were not to be denied and added a second goal midway through the half when David Meyler's shot from distance was steered into the far corner by Clucas for his third goal of the season.

Huddlestone sealed the victory with a rising left-foot drive into the far corner with seven minutes to go as Hull showed why they are fancied for a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.