Drinks ordered at the last chance saloon, but an early Sunderland goal allied to a feckless Jimmy Bullard performance sees the Tigers slip meekly into the Championship without even a drinking song and a fumble in a darkened corner.

Report by James Lockwood.

Unless a 20 goal victory is recorded in next weeks game at Wigan, The Tigers can safely assume that the ( R ) will now appear next to Hull City's name in the Premier League table. Having defied the odds last season to remain in the league, City yesterday dropped through the door marked "Championship this way".

Initial disappointment in the team selection really brought down the realisation that with the Temporary Football Management Consultant's decision to remove some of our worst performers from the starting line-up, the squad really does lack decent quality alternatives.

Already planning where they'll be looking for new housing for next season, City lined up

Duke
Mendy Mouyokolo Gardner Dawson
Barmby Boateng Bullard Geovanni
Folan Altidore

Yet again City's pre match routine of playing the "Great Escape Theme" in an attempt to raise the crowd. In reality some of the players on the pitch offered a performance that quite frankly was an insult to the fighting spirit of our previous Great Escape team. Could you imagine the likes of Whittle, Whitney, Brabin & Alcide bottling challenges?

As the final notes of "I can't help falling in love with you", in an attempt to generate an atmosphere came through the PA system, City immediately found themselves being pushed back by a vastly superior Sunderland side. Firstly Richardson, sporting a rather ridiculous pony tail, is offered space up the left, allowing him to play in Malbranque in the left hand angle of the box who'd been offered much space with Mendy absent. His cross across the box thankfully evades the Sunderland forwards allowing Dawson to clear. Next Campbell advances up their right, playing a low ball to Malbranque who steers his shot over, despite little pressure from the home midfield.

Following this early pattern of play, Sunderland take the lead. After Mendy concedes a throw-in before the half way line, Richardson proceeds to take the throw about 10 yards further up the pitch. The resulting ball sees a high ball flicked on at the front post by the past Tiger-tormentor Kenwyn Jones, which finds Bent arriving at the back post to steer the ball past Duke

Barmby offers a typically committed Barmby performance, getting useful challenges, but no longer having the legs to either follow up on a loose ball. Having lost possession in such a way in the Sunderland half, Henderson is allowed to advance unchallenged before curling a shot over.

It's a quarter of an hour into the game before City start to offer a serious attacking threat. After Altidore wins a free kick on the half way line, a Bullard kick is passed wide to Mendy. The French full-back advanced to the edge of the Sunderland box before passing across a mixture of players. As the keeper Gordon commits himself, Bullard has an easy opportunity to take control of a loose ball, but presumably seeing Gordon advancing on him, he appears to bottle out of the challenge, allowing Gordon to clear. This clearance immediately puts Jones clear, but he only managed to put his shot high over Duke's bar.

Barmby is offered a few good chances. Firstly after a Dawson cross is dummied by Altidore, Barmby hits a shot on the turn straight at Gordon. Then a long ball forward is diverted by Folan to the former Wizard of Windsor Road, but his shot is deflected for a corner. Bullard corner finds Folan free at the back post, but Caleb dithers too much with the ball at his feet, allowing the defence to cover. So Folan's only option is to pass out to Boateng on the edge of the area, seeing his shot easily saved.

City's next good chance again comes from a corner, won by Geovanni. Bullard's ball in finds Gardner on the edge of the 6 yard box, but his header bounces off the chest of the Scottish goal-keeper. The ball is cleared out to the left wing, allowing Bullard to once again cross into Gardner, but this time he directs his header wide.

With the game opening up, play is very much end to end. Firstly Henderson robs Gardner and evades a Boateng challenge, before shooting over. Oddly a corner is given, which Dawson clears out to Altidore. As the American advances in the Sunderland half, he's brought down by Meyler who in turn has his name taken. Bullard's free-kick is met by the head of Barmby, but he can only softly head over the bar.

After another Sunderland corner is cleared, Altidore once again is fouled on the half way line, this time by Hutton. However as the ball rolls to Folan the referee plays an advantage, giving Folan chance to shoot from 20 yards which Gordon pushed wide for a corner. The result of which is cleared by former Tiger, Michael Turner.

City's best chance to get back into the game sees Geovanni win a penalty after a poor challenge from Turner. A disputed throw-in is awarded to Sunderland, but City regain possession before playing to ball left. The pass to Folan on the edge of the area is played to Geovanni who in turn is felled by Turner. Reminiscent of Geovanni's weak penalty at the Emirates earlier in the season, Bullard looks rather unconvincing in his run up, only to see his penalty hit the upright before being cleared.

With the 4th official ready to show an additional 5 minutes at the end of the half, a Geovanni break is abruptly stopped, resulting in a free-kick 20 yards out. Geo's resulting free kick is then put over Gordon's crossbar

Henderson is the next to see his name taken by the referee as he wrestles with Boateng near the centre circle. Dawson's resulting free kick is passes towards Bullard, who once again bottle out of a challenge, allowing Sunderland to get the ball clear.

In the final minute of the half, a long clearance towards the left wing sees Altidore and Hutton tussle for the ball, before it goes for a throw. Hutton then picks up the ball, throwing it at Jose's head, which Jose appears to react poorly shoving the Scottish full-back rather hard. The referee has no hesitation in prematurely ending Altidore's Hull City career with a red card. After a short delay, the red card is also flashed in Hutton's face, much to the disappointment of Steve Bruce, who'd ran half the length of the pitch to get involved in the debate.

A number of substitutes were introduced at the start of the second half with Bardsley and Ferdinand replacing Malbranque and Turner for Sunderland, leaving them in a 4-3-2 formation. Meanwhile Cairney replaced the very poor Bullard, with City lining up with 4-4-1.

The first action of the half sees Ferdinand go through the back of Folan to concede a free-kick. Cairney's free-kick sees Mouyokolo gets his head to the ball, but drifts wide of the post.

Soon afterwards, the ground starts to vociferously back the home side, with the occasional breaks to throw abuse at Fraizer Campbell from those who prefer to remember him resisting City's bids over 2 summers, rather than those who remember the 15 goals which helped us get into this division.

After Campbell flattens Cairney near the edge of the area, Geovanni's free kick is hit straight into the Sunderland wall. Soon afterwards Sunderland replace Jones with Cana, allowing the ex-Tiger to move up from the wing to a more central role.

Geovanni received the first booking of the second half. Having thrown himself to the ground after a Bardsley challenge, the referee booking the Brazilian for diving. Soon afterwards Barmby is replaced by Fagan, with City changing to a 4-3-2 formation to match Sunderland.

By this time, Sunderland are taking things more easily but are still threatening by attacking City with pace. Henderson advances up the left, before playing in Richardson whose shot is pushed wide by Duke. The resulting corner is cleared to Meyler before Gardner gets to clear. Next up Richardson gains an advantage up the left wing, having shoved Mendy out of the way. However his poor cross avoids all forwards with the goal gaping.

City however continue to attempts to build attacks much more slowly, with Geovanni stroking the ball to the right, finding Mendy, with the resulting cross easily cleared by a Sunderland defence who have plenty of time to organise themselves.

The forward pairing of Folan and Fagan look rather ineffective. Fagan tries hard as usual, but offers little quality on the ball, whereas Folan's typical languid style offers him a few opportunities to receive the ball, but his slow reactions easily lets Sunderland avoid any attacking threat he offers. This is seen in the attacks when balls crossed into the area to either forward see them either too slow to react, or simply unable to direct a meaningful shot at the Sunderland goal.

Soon afterwards, Cullen is rewarded for his form for the reserves by replacing Boateng.

City next attack sees the young forward released up the left wing by Cairney, before crossing towards Folan. His soft header finds Fagan, but a scuffed shot bobbles out wide to be collected by Cullen, only for him to be flagged off-side. Before play can restart, the referee is called over by the forth official, to send the Sunderland manager Steve Bruce to the stands.

Cullen's next run up the left wing is abruptly stopped by two Sunderland defenders. Cairney's resulting free-kick is then headed wide by Gardner.

Four minutes of time added on are shown by the forth official, as the game peters out. The final action of the game sees Cairney play the ball right to Mendy, who's able to advance to the edge of the Sunderland box before putting his shot straight at Gordon.

Knowing the final result all but relegate City, those who'd chosen to stay until the end of the game applauded the players from the field of play. Whatever the future may hold for the club, it's clear that there'll still be a good solid core of support for the club in the coming years.

HULL CITY (4-4-2): Duke; Mendy, Gardner, Mouyokolo, Dawson; Barmby, Bullard, Boateng, Geovanni; Folan, Altidore.  Subs: Cairney (for Bullard, 45), Fagan (for Barmby, 62), Cullen (for Boateng, 76), Kilbane, Sonko, Olofinjana, Myhill.

Goals: None

Booked: Geovanni

Sent Off: Altidore

SUNDERLAND: Gordon, Kilgallon, Hutton, Turner, Richardson, Meyler, Henderson, Malbranque, Bent, Jones, Campbell.  Subs: Ferdinand (for Turner, 45), Bardsley (for Malbranque, 45), Cana (for Jones, 61), Benjani, Carson, Da Silva, Zenden.

Goals: Bent 7

Booked: Campbell, Henderson, Meyler

Sent Off: Hutton

REFEREE:    L Probert

ATTENDANCE: 25,012