Hull's dream start continues, Tottenham lose again

Hull City gatecrashed the Premier League's top four again yesterday with a 1-0 home defeat of West Ham - their fifth win in eight league games in their debut season in the top flight.

Stoke City, another of the promoted clubs, beat Tottenham 2-1 later to leave the London club rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points.

Tottenham ended the game with nine men after Gareth Bale and Michael Dawson were both sent off while a third Spurs defender, Vedran Corluka, suffered a head injury and was carried from the field unconscious.

Michael Turner headed Hull's winner from an Andy Dawson corner after 51 minutes to make it three consecutive wins against London clubs after away victories at Arsenal and Tottenham before the international break.

Hull, favourites for relegation before the season, are now behind only Chelsea and Liverpool (20 points) in the league with 17 points.

It is the best start for a promoted club since the Premier League began, although West Ham should have earned at least a point.

They wasted several good chances including Wales striker Craig Bellamy firing over the crossbar from in front of goal just before the break.

Carlton Cole also squandered the chance to equalise when his close-range shot bounced off the underside of the bar.

Tottenham's afternoon began miserably when Bale was sent off after 17 minutes for tripping Tom Soares in the area and Danny Higginbotham buried the penalty low into the corner.

The visitors played some tidy football in response and Darren Bent equalised six minutes later.

Stoke went back in front after 53 minutes when Rory Delap converted a low cross and things soon unravelled for Spurs.

Corluka was caught in the head by the knee of his own goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes and was carried off after a seven-minute stoppage.

Ricardo Fuller then missed another penalty for Stoke before Dawson was harshly sent off for a tackle on Mamade Sidibe.

Stoke remain in the relegation zone with seven points while Tottenham are now five adrift of safety.