Hull turn on the style to beat Burnley at the KC Stadium
Hull moved up to third in the Sky Bet Championship table with a 3-0 win over promotion rivals Burnley at the KC Stadium.
Jake Livermore, Abel Hernandez and Sam Clucas scored in the second half as the Tigers dominated for long periods against a Burnley side who looked anything but genuine challengers in the battle to reach the Premier League.
Mo Diame brought a fine save out of Tom Heaton after 10 minutes as Hull settled first, latching on to a flick from Hernandez before firing a shot low and hard which the keeper got down to his right to push around the post for a corner.
Livermore's shot was blocked on the edge of the area as Hull tried to wipe out the memory of the disappointing 2-0 defeat at lowly Rotherham in their last fixture.
Diame, restored to the starting line-up by Steve Bruce, tried another shot from distance which this time was easier for Heaton.
Scott Arfield put his cross just above George Boyd as the visitors dominated for a period without really threatening the home goal, their final ball once again letting them down.
Heaton again denied Hull as the half-hour approached, the keeper tipping over a Harry Maguire header from a Clucas corner as Hull searched for an opening goal their first half display deserved.
Livermore fired over as Hull again looked the more likely to score against a Burnley side who were losing the contest in midfield.
The visitors had their first effort on target but a left-footed shot from Joey Barton was straight at Allan McGregor.
Former Hull forward Boyd then shot at the home keeper from distance as Burnley struggled to find a cutting edge.
Heaton punched off the head of Diame as he tried to get to an Ahmed Elmohamady cross as Hull started the second half on the front foot.
Hull took a deserved lead when Clucas crossed from the left and Livermore volleyed low into the bottom corner of the goal a little over 10 minutes into the second period.
Maguire headed over from a Clucas corner as Hull threatened to take a firm grip on the game.
Burnley wasted a great chance when Maguire's block fell into the path of Andre Gray but he shot well off target and they were made to pay shortly after.
Hernandez scored Hull's second after 65 minutes, the striker cutting in from the right side of the area to shoot left-footed into the opposite corner for his ninth Championship goal of the season.
Livermore had a shot which deflected off Barton for a corner and Maguire then saw his shot come off a visiting defender for another flag kick.
The Tigers got a third in injury time when substitute Robert Snodgrass cut the ball back for Clucas to shoot into the roof of the net.
Source: PA
