Dan Harding's first goal for Town was small consolation as Blues' travel problems continue.

The left-back smacked in a drive from 25 yards seconds before the half-time break but the damage had already been done by then.

Despite being on top for the opening exchanges, Blues went behind to a Henrik Pedersen header on 11 minutes, the Dane then adding a second on 40 after great work by the influential Jay Jay Okocha.

Former Town defender Wayne Brown made it three with another header before Harding's superb strike gave something for the Blues' fans to celebrate.

David Wright missed out with an infected blister on his heel, Chris Casement coming in for the only change to the Town line-up that beat Coventry so convincingly last weekend.

Blues dominated the early stages and Gary Roberts had a great chance to put Jim Magilton's side ahead on six minutes but Boaz Myhill saved with his feet with the Town winger clear on goal.

Tommy Miller then smacked the post from 20 yards before Hull took the lead, Okocha's cross headed in by his former Bolton team-mate Pedersen.

Blues responded, Miller's shot was parried by Myhill, Pablo Counago, who impressed in the first 20 minutes, dragged a shot wide, then the hard working Owen Garvan's angled drive hit the woodwork again.

Pedersen went close for Hull with a shot over the bar, the Tigers' fans on their feet again on the half hour mark with great skill by Okocha that saw him escape Alex Bruce's challenge but the Nigerian international's shot was crowded out.

Okocha was at the heart of everything that was good in Hull's play in the first-half, displaying a full range of skills that lit up the Premiership for many years, testing Neil Alexander with a series of crosses.

Okocha had a major hand in Hull's second goal on the 40 minute mark, showing a great touch to find Dean Windass, who released Pedersen to beat Alexander at his near post and it needed a Jason De Vos challenge to deny him a hat-trick.

Hull's third followed from the resultant corner though, Okocha's corner was only half cleared, he returned the ball into the box and Brown was left unmarked to guide the ball into the net.

Harding gave Blues a lifeline seconds later though, sending a 25 yard scorcher past Myhill to reduce the arrears at the break.

Another Okocha delivery almost brought a fourth, the ball skimming over Alan Lee's head and just evading the net.

Richard Garcia could have made it four after sloppy play by Blues saw Hull gain possession outside the box before Town made the first change of the game, Danny Haynes - back from suspension - replacing Roberts on the hour.

Haynes was immediately in the action, his cross aiming for Jon Walters, up against one of his former clubs, but Ian Ashbee cleared.

Jaime Peters replaced Lee, Stephen McPhee on for Windass and then Bryan Hughes coming on for two goal Pedersen in a flurry of changes midway through a second-half that was passing by without hardly any activity at either end.

Garcia just failed to get on the end of yet another Okocha delivery while at the other end Haynes' cross failed to match his surging run.

Walters was crowded out at the near post after Counago had left his marker Brown and crossed before the KC Stadium rose to salute Okocha who made way for David Livermore as Hull looked to close the game down with 10 minutes left.

The Tigers' fans were on their feet seconds later when Hughes' header hit the net but the wrong side of the post, fellow substitute Livermore repeating the feat two minutes later.

Sylvain Legwinski replaced Miller for the last few minutes but Town failed to create an opening in a very disappointing second-half display, with now only one win in nine away trips, contrasted to seven wins out of seven at Portman Road

Hull: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Brown, Dawson, Garcia, Ashbee, Marney, Pedersen (Hughes 68), Windass (McPhee 65), Okocha (Livermore 80). Subs not used: Delaney, Duke.