Cardiff City have lost four successive away games at Hull for the first time
Bachir Belloumi scored twice as Hull City celebrated their 120th anniversary with a 4-1 win that keeps Cardiff marooned at the bottom of the Championship.
The managerless Bluebirds – who are enduring their worst ever start to a campaign - had taken the lead for the first time in the league this season thanks to Callum Robinson’s firmly struck opener.
However, Belloumi's cross evaded everyone and crept home to level the score and a lovely chip over goalkeeper Jak Alnwick ensured the Tigers led at the interval.
Oscar Zambrano's deflected effort after 51 minutes made things comfortable for Hull, who added a fourth in added time when Chris Bedia slotted home from the penalty spot.
The winning margin might have flattered Hull, but there was no doubting they deserved to win on what was a special occasion for the club.
On paper, Cardiff seemed to be the perfect opponents for Hull City to host on their 120th birthday.
A host of former fan favourites including Dean Windass, Peter Taylor and Brian Horton were paraded before kick-off as Hull prepared to host a side with just one point and one goal to show from their difficult season so far.
Hull usually enjoy themselves against the visitors from south Wales, having won each of their last six league games against them, their longest winning streak against any side in the Football League.
However, Cardiff – who were led by interim boss Omer Riza following the sacking of Erol Bulut – did not read the script as they took the lead for the first time in the Championship this season thanks to Robinson's ferocious finish after he raced clear down the right following an incisive counter-attack.
Cardiff were certainly set up in a more attacking manner as Riza made four changes to the side beaten by Leeds United in Erol Bulut's last match in charge, with Jamilu Collins, Alex Robertson, Anwar El Ghazi and Robinson all handed starts.
Hull had already won five points this season from losing positions – including their 3-1 win over Stoke last time out – and they were behind for only three minutes as Cardiff conceded cheaply when Belloumi’s dangerous cross evaded everyone in a crowded penalty area and drifted into the bottom corner of the net.
If there was a touch of fortune about Belloumi's opener, there was nothing fortunate about the goal he scored to put the hosts in front as his sumptuous chip beat Alnwick after Marvin Mehlem's pass split Cardiff’s defence.
The hosts might have been further ahead before half-time, but Bedia's effort was brilliantly tipped over at full stretch by Alnwick.
Cardiff did not manage to re-group during the break as Hull looked much the brighter side after the restart with Zambrano firing over and Alnwick producing a fine save to deny Belloumi a hat-trick.
However, there was nothing Alnwick could do when Zambrano's shot took a big deflection and wrong-footed him to give Hull a 3-1 lead after 51 minutes.
Cardiff did all they could to try and get back into the game and were the better side at 3-1 down, with Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur forced to save from Robinson and El Ghazi as the visitors pinned the hosts back.
However, no goal arrived for the blunt Bluebirds and it was Hull who added to the scoring in the final moments when Bedia sent Alnwick the wrong way from the spot after Perry Ng hauled down Abu Kamara.
Hull City boss Tim Walter told BBC Radio Humberside:
“We tried to show that we can win, especially at home and especially on such a day, it is a big birthday and we tried to celebrate together with our fans and we showed we can win together and we want to do it even more.
“It was a good game, we had great moments in the offence, but we also had a few moments in defence where we can press and defend better. We tried to create chances and play forward.
“We showed our mentality after conceding the first goal, after last week [against Stoke] we did it again which is really brilliant and showed everyone that we have a good mentality and the players really trust in our philosophy.”
Cardiff City interim boss Omer Riza told BBC Radio Wales
“I am disappointed, we approached the game in the right way, tactically and strategically we wanted to hold their unorthodox builds and I think we did that, we won the ball high up the pitch on numerous occasions, but lacked the final pass to score, although we got our noses in front.
“I think 4-1 is a harsh result, but if you don’t do the little things properly you get punished and that is something we need to clean up.
“The plan was to press and cause a problem, to make them uncomfortable and we did that, we did create chances, we did play with a different system to play more advanced with forward men.
“We caused them a lot of problems today. We worked hard and showed good intent, but at the end of the day we’ve lost 4-1, it’s not a good result.”
