Óscar at the double as City silence Canaries to go TOP!

MATCH-WINNER: Óscar Estupiñán, who bagged a brace to fire Hull City to the top of the Championship. Pictures by Hull City

Hull City 2 - 1 Norwich City

Sky Bet Championship

MKM Stadium

Attendance: 17,028

By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City correspondent

The Tigers sit at the top of the Championship thanks to an Óscar Estupiñán brace in what was a fast-paced, end-to-end contest that belied the stifling conditions at the MKM Stadium.

With temperatures pushing 30C, Norwich made a similarly blistering start as they went on the attack from the off, and the Tigers barely got a look-in in the first 10 minutes.

Kicking off towards an almost-full South Stand, the Canaries were sporting a third kit whose shimmering pink-purple pastels brought back faint memories – for this 40-something, at any rate – of those heat-reactive Global Hypercolor T-shirts from the 1990s.

They won two quick corners inside the opening minute, the second of which resulted in a header from Grant Hanley about 12 yards out that forced a save from Matt Ingram.

Barely a couple of minutes later, Ingram’s goal was more seriously under threat as the Canaries again breached the Tigers’ defensive line. Teemu Pukki’s shot was blocked by an on-rushing Ingram before the rebound from Marcelino Núñez was deflected over the open goalmouth.

In this opening period, Allahyar Sayyadmanesh had shot high and wide from the right a couple of times, but City had yet to string together any real attacking movement to speak of; instead, they were giving Norwich’s forwards just a bit too much space.

In the 10th minute, the ball fell to an unmarked Todd Cantwell, who, luckily for the Tigers, could only shoot straight into the hands of Ingram. Four minutes later, Pukki got behind the defence again and tested Ingram, who held well.

A brief advance moments later from City resulted in Benjamin Tetteh shooting over from the centre of the box, before a bit of pressure in the Norwich area saw appeals for handball waved away by the referee. Shortly after, the Tigers won their first corner, and by now, they’d got more of a grip on the game – but the pace still wasn’t letting up on either side. It was end-to-end as Norwich saw another chance from a corner calmly collected by Ingram.

In the 22nd minute Andrew Omobamidele was booked for upending Ozan Tufan, who had been racing away down the left. Callum Elder lofted it into the box towards the back post, and there was another very slim appeal for handball, but Norwich cleared the danger.

A couple of minutes later, Tufan shot a yard or so over from about 25 yards, before play was halted in the 25th minute for what must have been a most welcome mandatory drinks break for both sides. Meanwhile, for the press and media at the back of the Upper West Stand, whose climate tends to be a season behind the current one, it was pleasantly cool indeed.

Both teams suitably refreshed, Norwich were enjoying the best of the possession, and had looked more likely to break the deadlock. In the 37th minute, though, Tetteh attempted a powering run towards the area, but he was beaten to the ball.

The Tigers fans were less than happy with referee James Linington a few minutes later when he halted play just as City were about to begin a counter-attack inside their own half, due to an injury to Max Aarons, who was down near the halfway line.

However, far from upsetting the Tigers’ momentum, this paved the way for the breakthrough – which came in calamitous fashion for the Canaries.

Lewie Coyle took the free kick midway in the Tigers half, and floated it cross-field towards Tetteh. He played in Oscar, who was racing into the area.

Aarons could only clear the ball square into the chest of Omobamidele, who was poleaxed and powerless to stop the ball coming back into the path of Oscar. City’s Colombian summer signing got there just before Tim Krul and popped it in from six yards. 1-0 City, just two minutes before half-time.

Deep into first-half injury time, Pukki brought yet another save from Ingram. Surely there would be more goals in this game – but could both teams keep up the pace in this sapping heat?

The answer would be yes, and yes. The first chance of the second half fell to Hanley, who headed over from a dangerous position in the 51st minute, before the fans in the North Stand implored Acun Ilicali to give them a wave – and of course he obliged.

A bit of neat passing play with Tufan at the centre of the action further enlivened the atmosphere, and then, as an injured Jacob Sorensen made way for Liam Gibbs, the fans entertained themselves with round after round of “We’re the East/North Stand…”

The volume had risen once more and it seemed like the Tigers had regained the upper hand. On the hour-mark, Tetteh nearly bagged a deflected goal that would have been eerily similar to the one that won the match at the death against Bristol, had it not it gone out for a corner.

Tufan took the kick, and a goalmouth melee ensued. After a touch from Tetteh, it fell to Elder, whose shot was saved, before Alfie Jones’s effort was cleared off the line. Then up stepped that man Óscar, who was yet again in the right place at the right time to poke it in from close-range – and lift the lid off the MKM Stadium.

With the score 2-0 after 62 minutes, it set up a nervy last hour as Norwich continued to press. In the 67th minute they introduced Onel Hernández and Aaron Ramsey for Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell, and in the 70th minute, a shot from Gibbs was deflected behind for a corner.

The Tigers briefly broke away upfield before the Canaries regained possession, and in the 72nd minute Elder was ruled to have fouled substitute Joshua Sargent about 25 yards out.

Núñez stepped up, and hit a perfectly weighted free-kick that flew over the City wall and beat Ingram all ends up. It was a sublime effort, but harsh on the Tigers keeper, who had fielded shot after shot in the first half.

And in the 76th minute it should have been 2-2, but Ramsey, sliding towards the ball just a few yards out, after being played in by Aarons, failed to connect. It was a complete sitter that he won’t want to watch again any time soon.

It was backs to the wall for the Tigers for much of the remainder of the match; a foul on City substitute Vaughn Covil resulted in a free-kick in the 87th minute, but it came to nothing, and Norwich were intent on finding the equaliser – which, again, they nearly did seconds before full-time. Hernandez, in space on the left-hand side of the area, found Ramsey, but his goal-bound shot was headed off the line by Jacob Greaves.

Seven minutes of injury time was announced, but the Tigers hung on – until a foul by Sayyadmanesh (which earned him a booking) gave the Canaries a free-kick in almost exactly the same position as that from which Núñez had scored. Hearts were in mouths as he prepared to step up again.

He unleashed another right-foot effort – but this time Ingram was equal to the task, leaping to his right to deny Núñez, and Norwich anything from the game. It would have been a deserved point for the Canaries had it gone in, but, well, it didn’t – and it left the former Premier League side propping up the table.

Very early days yet, of course – but the New Era at Hull City continues to surprise and delight.