Hull City 3-0 Cardiff City: Tigers seal comfortable win over Bluebirds

Hull City have beaten Cardiff City in five straight Championship games

Hull City moved into the Championship play-off places with a comfortable home win against a lacklustre Cardiff City.

The hosts found the breakthrough they deserved when Aaron Connolly met Liam Delap's low cross for an easy finish.

Hull doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half, Scott Twine's free-kick finding the top corner.

And the Tigers scored their third three minutes later as Ozan Tufan chipped the ball over Jak Alnwick into the back of the Cardiff net to seal victory.

After a disappointing loss to Queen's Park Rangers last weekend, the Tigers have since bounced back with back-to-back wins which have moved them up to fifth in the Championship.

For Cardiff, it is a fourth defeat in five league games, as they have dropped to 12th in the Championship.

Connolly almost put Hull ahead early on after rounding Alnwick on four minutes, but Dimitrios Goutas got back to clear the shot off the line.

Alnwick then denied Delap from close range before Cardiff had their first chance of the game, Rubin Colwill firing just over from Yakou Meite's cross.

That was a rare moment of attacking intent from the visitors, who did not have a shot on target in the first half at MKM Stadium.

Hull eventually found the breakthrough when Delap's low cross across the face of goal was tapped home by Connolly at the back post.

The Tigers' dominance continued after the break and Twine's free-kick from 20 yards out beat everyone to double Hull's lead.

And moments later the game had got away from the visitors, as a simple long shot over the top of the Cardiff defence was collected by Tufan, who took two touches before lofting the ball over Alnwick for Hull's third.

The Bluebirds finally found some momentum late in the game, Mark McGuinness' heading Perry Ng's cross over before substitute Kion Etete forced a smart save from Ryan Allsop.

That save from former Cardiff goalkeeper Allsop was the visitors' first shot on target of the contest, with just 14 minutes left in the match.

That was as good as it got for the Bluebirds, who have dropped off the race for the top six after their worst run of results under manager Erol Bulut.

Hull, however, are now three points clear of Sunderland in seventh place but still way behind the Championship top two of Leicester and Ipswich - who opened up a 10-point lead on the teams in the play-off places on Saturday.

Hull boss Liam Rosenior:

"The performance was probably similar to a lot of games we've played this season, but we had a ruthless side to us.

"It was a really pleasing day but we have to maintain this way of playing and in this vein of form.

"I really enjoyed the way we saw the game out. I wanted a clean sheet and it was complete professionalism.

"I always want more but the way we went 2-0 up in the second half and continued to press was magnificent."

Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut told BBC Sport Wales:

"I don't think we need to speak a lot of things, the quality difference we saw was clear.

"In the past when I made the statement that we want to be around the play-offs, maybe this put too much pressure on the players.

"We see the level we need to be at when we want to be there, I know what we can reach and we are working hard for that.

"We are trying to build something here at Cardiff City. This is not an excuse, but we are starting to build something and it will not change from today to tomorrow."