Over the last 102 years Sunderland have played Hull City 46 times and have secured 22 wins, 10 draws and 14 defeats. The Tigers have had some good games with the Lads over the years…
SUNDERLAND 6-2 HULL CITY - FA CUP - 1920
Let’s start with the first ever meeting between the two clubs, and what a meeting it was. On Wednesday 14th January 1920, Robert Kyle’s SAFC were gearing up to take on David Menzies’ Hull City at Roker Park. Needless to say, it was a Charlie Buchan masterclass. Buchan opened the scoresheet in the 18th minute, to put Sunderland 1-0 ahead. However, Sammy Stevens equalised for the Tigers seven minutes later, the goal gave the underdogs some hope. Their hope didn’t last long because Barney Travers put Sunderland 2-1 up just six minutes later. The Lads went into half-time 2-1 up, and I’m sure Kyle would have been satisfied with his team's solid first half performance. The second half is when Sunderland really blew the Tigers away. Charlie Buchan scored his second in the 54th minute, a goal that would have more or less killed off Hull. But he wasn’t done there, Buchan scored another two goals in the 66th and 70th minute to put the Lads 4-1 up. The Englishman scored a whopping four goals this game. One minute after Charlie’s 4th goal, Barney Travers made it five and ended all hope of a Hull City comeback. The Tigers showed character and Sammy Stevens scored a consolation goal in the 80th minute. The game finished 6-2 to Sunderland, it was a really dominant display from the Lads.
HULL CITY 4-0 SUNDERLAND - FA CUP - 1971
From one battering to another, now let’s talk about a time when Sunderland were mauled by the Tigers. On the 9th of January 1971 Alan Brown’s Lads travelled down to Boothferry Park to take on Terry Neill’s Tigers. In this game Chris Chilton tore Sunderland to pieces. Hull went 1-0 up in the 23rd minute courtesy of a Chris Chilton goal, they then doubled their lead in the 40th minute when Chilton scored his second. Things weren't looking good for the Lads; they went into half-time 2-0 down. I can’t imagine Alan Brown would have been pleased with his team's lacklustre first half performance. The second half wasn’t much better for Sunderland, with Chris Chilton completing his hat trick in the 65th minute. Just as you thought things couldn’t get any worse, Ken Wagstaff finished the Lads off in the 83rd minute. The game ended 4-0 Hull, definitely a game to forget for Sunderland fans.
HULL CITY 1-4 SUNDERLAND - DIVISION 2 - 1976
Now let’s get back to some positive results, this is the time when Sunderland smashed Hull in their own backyard. It was the 17th of April 1976, Bob Stokoe’s Lads travelled down to Boothferry Park to play John Kaye’s Hull City. Bryan Robson scored Sunderland’s first goal in the 23rd minute, Stuart Croft equalised for Hull in the 35th minute and Gary Rowell made it 2-1 Sunderland five minutes later. An Ian Dobson own goal killed Hull City off right on the cusp of half-time and the Lads went into the break 3-1 up. A fantastic first half display from Stokoe’s RAWA. The Lads cruised through the second half, and a Mel Holden goal secured the victory in the 81st minute. The game finished 4-1 to Sunderland, it was a really promising performance.
HULL CITY 1-4 SUNDERLAND - PREMIER LEAGUE - 2008
Four is the magic number when it comes to this fixture. Let’s dive into the Premier League era. On the 20th of December 2008 Ricky Sbragia’s Lads travelled down to the KC Stadium to take on Phil Brown’s Hull City. Considering Sunderland were in a relegation battle, this result was massive for the Blackcats. It was Steed Malbranque who put Sunderland 1-0 up in the 10th minute, but the Tigers bit back and Nick Barmby equalised nine minutes later. The first half finished 1-1, and I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during Sbragia’s halftime team talk. It was the late show for Sunderland, with a Kamil Zayatte own goal putting the Lads 2-1 up in the 78th minute. Kenwyne Jones made it three six minutes later, and just as you thought everything was done Djibril Cisse made it four in the 90th minute. A fantastic end to the game for Ricky Sbragia’s Lads, a result that played a huge part in Sunderland’s survival.
SUNDERLAND 3-0 HULL CITY - PREMIER LEAGUE - 2016
Finally let’s talk about one of the few good moments from the David Moyes era, ironically Sunderland did the double over Hull in the 16/17 season. It was the 19th of November 2016 and David Moyes’ Black Cats were gearing up to take on Mike Phelan’s Hull City. Jermain Defoe opened the scoresheet in the 34th minute, the goal put the Lads 1-0 up going into half-time. It was Defoe's 150th Premier League goal. David Moyes would have been pleased with his side's solid first half display. Despite the lights going out, and a lengthy stoppage in the second half as Ellis Short scrambled to pay his electricity bill, the Lads were not done yet because Victor Anichebe scored his second goal for the club in the 62nd minute, Anichebe then secured his brace in the 84th minute. This was his final goal for the club. The game ended 3-0 Sunderland, and the Lads had won two games on the bounce. Some fans thought that Sunderland were finally turning a corner under Moyes, but it just wasn’t to be in the end.
