Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Hull City: Late Connolly brace gives Tigers win at 10-man Rovers
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Aaron Connolly scored his second and third goals of the season for Hull
Substitute Aaron Connolly scored two late goals to give Hull City their first away win of the Championship season at 10-man Blackburn Rovers.
Sam Gallagher capitalised on uncertain defending to fire Rovers ahead from inside the penalty area after 74 minutes.
But their lead lasted less than seven minutes as summer signing Connolly equalised with a delightful 81st-minute strike before racing clear and producing a cool finish two minutes from time for the winner.
Harry Pickering was dismissed for the hosts when he brought down Liam Delap as the last man in the 17th minute, and the visitors defended obstinately until Connolly's late heroics.
The Tigers were indebted to the woodwork a minute after Connolly's first, Niall Ennis hitting a post with a low drive after collecting Adam Wharton's pass.
Lewie Coyle's goal-line clearance also kept Liam Rosenior's side level a minute before Connolly's second, ensuring City ended their four-game run without a goal at Blackburn in style.
Ozan Tufan and Delap were among the City players to go close during the first half as they tried to profit from their numerical advantage.
Blackburn defender Harry Pickering was sent off during the first half against Hull
Tufan, who scored a hat-trick in Hull's 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday a week earlier, saw his scintillating strike kept out of the bottom corner by a diving save from Rovers keeper Aynsley Pears.
Burnley loanee Scott Twine then fashioned space with a flourish of trickery and tested Pears, whose team have not kept a clean sheet since 15 April.
Gallagher's goal gave Blackburn hope of successive home league wins for the first time since March, but their unbeaten start to the season ended as Hull made it successive league wins.
The Tigers are next in action on Friday when they host Bristol City, two days before Blackburn visit Watford.
Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I'm extremely disappointed to lose the game. We didn't deserve that. We can't ask for anymore from the players, playing with 10 men for more than 80 minutes. It was an incredible effort.
"We scored a great goal and conceded two unnecessary goals from straight passes. Just before they scored the second, we had chances. The ball was dancing on the line. I hate losing but when you lose and you go off the pitch and hear the fans cheering, that's always good to see and means you have done something really, really good as a team.
"We created chances even with 10 men. It was good to see Sam get a goal and Niall almost got a goal. When you use a sub in the first half, you only have two left in the second. They did well."
Hull boss Liam Rosenior told BBC Radio Humberside:
"It's a great day for us. They were two absolutely top goals from Aaron, which is why we've brought him to the club. I have to give Blackburn credit because they played magnificently with 10 men. They were so brave in the way that they tried to keep the ball and stick to their way.
"It was a strange game because, with 11 v 11, we looked really good. We started really well and could have been two or three up. After the red card, you take a step off. It's natural in football - I see it all the time, it's not conscious. It's relief and it took us 10 or 15 minutes to get our control back.
"In the second half we came out, dominated, controlled and missed chances. They scored from a break. We have to cut that out of our game and improve. Having said that, now I'm seeing resilience and players believing in what we do. We've got a group who don't give up. If you want to be successful in this league, you have to keep going right until the end."