Updated at 18.50
AARON CONNOLLY WAS on target once again as Hull extended their unbeaten run to seven league games with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Stoke, while former Ireland U21 star Mark McGuinness starred in Cardiff’s 1-0 win against Sunderland.
The Tigers leapt back into the play-off places thanks mainly to a quickfire double after the half-hour mark.
Republic of Ireland international Connolly opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season after good work from former Potters loanee Jaden Philogene.
And the shell-shocked hosts fell further behind a matter of seconds after the restart when Adama Traore notched his first goal since April.
Regan Slater’s shot led to a Lynden Gooch own goal in the second half as Hull coasted towards a third successive Championship away victory for the first time since April 2013.
Stoke notched a late consolation through the returning Andre Vidigal, but he could not prevent their winless run stretching to five league games.
The tone for the home side was set inside 13 minutes as Tyrese Campbell limped off to add to the Potters’ injury woes.
Despite their early setback, the first clear chance fell to Stoke but Daniel Johnson dragged his effort wide in what would prove to be a costly miss.
At the opposite end, Philogene – who spent six months in the Potteries in 2022 – overpowered Ben Wilmot to tee up Connolly for a simple finish as Hull took the lead.
CONNOLLY GIVES HULL THE LEAD! 🐅
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 24, 2023
Jaden Philogene causing problems for his former loan side... 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oywcbcDUIB
And the bright Connolly was instrumental as the Tigers raced to double their advantage almost immediately after the restart.
The Galway forward advanced dangerously from goalkeeper Ryan Allsop’s long pass and his blocked strike popped up invitingly for Traore, who drilled a first-time effort on the swivel into the corner.
Vidigal, who had missed a month through injury, tried to rouse a comeback with his free-kick forcing a stop from Allsop.
Yet Stoke nearly fell further behind in a calamitous first half when a downward Connolly header was cleared off the line by an alert Johnson.
Sead Haksabanovic, like Vidigal minutes earlier, came close to halving the hosts’ arrears from a free-kick but again Allsop was on hand to save.
And it was a similar story after the interval with the Hull stopper twice thwarting Wesley, with the second a miraculous instinct save from point-blank range.
The visitors took advantage and soon added a third with a long-range Slater strike deflecting off Gooch and looping over a helpless Mark Travers.
The Potters’ shining light Vidigal then offered his side a lifeline as he marked his return with a fifth goal of the season.
After skipping beyond the challenge of Jacob Greaves, the Portuguese forward finished accurately low into Allsop’s far corner, but it was too little, too late.
Stoke searched desperately for a late reprieve, but Hull held on for a first league victory in the Potteries since January 2006.
Cyrus Christie also started for Hull, while Sean McLouglin was a second-half substitute. Mark Travers and Luke McNally played the full game for Stoke City, while Jack Bonham and James Furlong were unused subs on both sides.
Connolly and team-mate Jean Michael Seri clashed at half-time, but boss Liam Rosenior paid tribute to their attitudes.
He added: “They were arguing and they want to win. I’ve been asking for that from them for the whole year that I’ve been here.
“You need to be demanding with each other; they argued and then they hugged and made up and they’re best mates again.
“You need to fall out with each other at times because it makes you better and makes you successful; it’s perfect and that’s the mentality I want.”
Elsewhere in the Championship, former Sunderland academy player Jak Alnwick kept his old club at bay before McGuinness headed home a late winner to snatch a 1-0 victory for improving Cardiff at the Stadium of Light.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper, who left the Black Cats to join Newcastle in 2008, made a string of fine saves to frustrate Tony Mowbray’s men.
And with three minutes remaining centre-back McGuinness headed in the only goal of the game to make it four wins from five for the Bluebirds.
That was enough to bring an end to Sunderland’s five-match unbeaten and they remain fifth in the Sky Bet Championship standings.
Cardiff, who move up to seventh, had a couple of earlier half-chances but this was a fixture when they were thankful to Hexham-born Alnwick for keeping them in it.
Mowbray named an unchanged team in a bid to continue the excellent run of form but Cardiff, under former Fenerbahce boss Erol Bulut, have enjoyed recent positivity too after a slow start to the season.
Cardiff were set up to frustrate, with the home side quick to enjoy plenty of possession in the opposition’s half.
But chances were few and far between early on at the Stadium of Light, where Friday’s England Women’s Nations League win over Scotland pushed back this fixture by 24 hours.
After Karlan Grant had fired over from distance for Cardiff, Sunderland started to get more joy at the other end and should have taken the lead 22 minutes in.
Just minutes after Jobe Bellingham had headed into the arms of Alnwick, the goalkeeper looked beaten when Alex Pritchard side-footed towards the bottom corner.
But Cardiff defender Dimitrios Goutas’ touch was enough to take the effort inches wide of the upright after some clever play from Abdoullah Ba and Bellingham down the left created the opportunity.
Even though Sunderland had to be aware of Cardiff’s counter-attacks, Jack Clarke was next to go close when he skipped past two men and forced Alnwick into a low stop before half-time.
The flow of the game continued that way after the restart. Alnwick was again on hand low to his right to stop Pritchard’s drive from the edge of the area after a lovely move also involving Mason Burstow and Clarke.
While goalless the door was always open for Cardiff and Ike Ugbo turned and shot over after the visitors created a promising opening when Burstow was dispossessed on halfway moments after he was cautioned.
Sunderland kept pressing and Clarke’s excellent run and pass was followed by Alnwick saving from Patrick Roberts’ first-time effort, while fellow substitute Adil Aouchiche’s rebound was blocked by a defender.
Cardiff’s Kion Etete forced Anthony Patterson into a stop after a mazy run through the Sunderland backline with 10 minutes remaining as the game suddenly opened up.
And the ideal away performance was complete when McGuinness arrived at the back post to nod Ryan Wintle’s corner inside the bottom corner late on.
