Hull City 2 Stoke 1:HULL MANAGER Phil Brown breathed again as Seyi Olofinjana and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink fired his side to a priceless win over 10-man Stoke yesterday.

The struggling Tigers had been heading for yet another damaging defeat – and Brown possibly for the sack – after Matthew Etherington’s first-half strike at the KC Stadium.

But Hull were rewarded for their greater endeavour as Olofinjana levelled against his former club and substitute Vennegoor of Hesselink won it in the final minute, moments after Abdoulaye Faye was sent off.

Berbard Mendy was found wanting as Etherington raced onto a long ball from Ryan Shawcross down the right and burst into the area to give Stoke the lead after 30 minutes. Etherington was unchallenged as he ran through and beat Matt Duke at the near post.

Olofinjana claimed a superb equaliser just after the hour that made amends for earlier profligacy. Collecting the ball from Stephen Hunt, the Nigerian turned two Stoke players on the edge of the area and then clipped a curling shot over Sorensen and into the top corner.

Stoke were left hanging on after Faye was dismissed with eight minutes left as a late challenge on Nick Barmby earned a second yellow card.

The decisive moment came with time almost up when Vennegoor of Hesselink, who had just come off the bench, was on hand to score the winner after a Jimmy Bullard shot was beaten out by goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.