Harry Toffolo’s 79th-minute winner saw promotion hopefuls Huddersfield eventually overcome stubborn 10-man Hull 1-0 at the MKM Stadium.
The Tigers had been a player down since first-half stoppage time when striker Tom Eaves was shown only the second red card of his 12-year career for two bookable offences.
But it took a vital tap-in from Toffolo to move Carlos Corberan’s men into third place in the Sky Bet Championship table and the left wing-back’s decisive strike also condemned Hull to a club-record equalling sixth straight home defeat.
The Tigers had earlier shown the most attacking enterprise during the opening exchanges, with a fifth-minute Regan Slater effort deflecting wide of Lee Nicholls’ near post off Jonathan Russell.
Keane Lewis-Potter then bent a menacing shot just wide of the far upright after cutting in from the left and the newly capped England Under-21 international went closer when his 25-yard free-kick was clawed away from his top-left corner by Nicholls at full stretch.
The Terriers eventually mustered their first opportunity in the 20th minute when Toffolo’s ball in from the left fell to Duane Holmes but Matt Ingram was quick off his line to smother the visiting midfielder’s 10-yard drive.
A couple of Sorba Thomas corners went on to trouble the Tigers’ defence, with Levi Colwill heading the first wide and Ingram reacting smartly to punch the second away as the left-wing delivery threatened to sneak inside his near post.
Josh Koroma’s header was also caught comfortably under his own crossbar by Ingram before the hosts were reduced to 10 men in first-half stoppage time when Eaves, who had already been cautioned for an 11th-minute foul on Colwill, picked up a second yellow following a clumsy challenge on Lewis O’Brien as the busy midfielder charged down the right flank.
The last action of the half then saw Ollie Turton guide a free header wide from Thomas’ subsequent free-kick.
Huddersfield looked to press home their numerical advantage quickly after the restart, with Koroma curling an edge-of-the-box attempt into Ingram’s arms before testing him more severely with a fierce 15-yard drive that the home keeper pushed behind for a corner.
Jordan Rhodes also shot wide on the turn from just inside the penalty area while Ingram only had to make a routine save at his near post from O’Brien after he had made inroads through the left channel.
Another Thomas corner was then diverted straight at Ingram by Russell while Rhodes headed off target from a Colwill cross as the one-way traffic continued unabated.
The breakthrough finally came when Tom Lees’ header from a Danel Sinani free-kick on the right flank was parried by Ingram and Toffolo pounced from three yards to grab his second goal of the season.
His effort also saw Huddersfield, who were without leading marksman Danny Ward due to illness, avoid a third straight league match league without scoring for what would have been the first time under Corberan.
But the visitors still had to survive a scare in the fourth minute of stoppage time when substitute Allahyar Sayyadmanesh guided a free header wide.
