HULL City warmed up for the new Premier League season in perfect style with a resounding 3-0 win over Spanish side Real Betis at the KC Stadium this afternoon.
A Danny Graham header after just three minutes and a long-range curler from Sone Aluko on the half-hour mark gave the Tigers a first-half lead they never looked like relinquishing.
Betis, who finished last season 7th in La Liga, were rarely capable of troubling City, and substitute George Boyd added a third with a cheeky finish 10 minutes from time.
In a fixture to celebrate 10 years of service to former defender Andy Dawson, manager Steve Bruce could toast a hugely satisfying end to pre-season in front of 7,991 fans. The Tigers' best had certainly been saved for last.
With eight days to go before City begin their Premier League season against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Bruce selected arguably his strongest starting XI.
Using the same 4-3-3 system favoured during the club's tour of Germany, an attack-minded front three of Graham, Aluko and Yannick Sagbo were supported in midfield by the two Robbies, Brady and Koren.
City's reward was almost immediate. A free-kick from the left wing was whipped in by Brady and nodded in by Graham on the stretch with less than three minutes on the clock.
Real Betis responded with a neat passing game and gave City a useful exercise in playing without the ball ahead of their trip to West London next weekend.
The Tigers passed the test comfortably, however, and Allan McGregor's first outing at the KC Stadium was a serene occasion. A back four of Ahmed Elmohamady, James Chester, Curtis Davies and Maynor Figueroa – the favourites to start at Chelsea – were also comfortable throughout.
City's threat was more dangerous and on the half hour mark it was 2-0. Aluko's trickery in the corner won a free-kick and when he received a short ball from Brady, the forward curled in an excellent second for the Tigers.
Half-time came and went without the routine wholesale changes – another indicator perhaps that the starting XI will be rolled out Chelsea – and City remained comfortable leaders.
Chances were few and far between in a slow second half but the Tigers resisted changes until the final 16 minutes. Six substitutions gave a late opportunity for late impressions and Boyd wasted no time by adding the Tigers' third.
Intercepting a woeful back-pass the midfielder rounded Stephan Anderson in the Betis goal and chipped the ball over the covering defender from a tight angle.
All that was left was to salute the emergence of Dawson. Introduced as an 88th-minute substitute, the popular left-back was given a rapturous reception when replacing Robbie Brady.
After the full-time whistle Dawson took to the microphone and said: "I'd just like to thank everyone of you for supporting me and the teams I've been involved in. It's been a rollercoaster."Hull City
Allan McGregor, Ahmed Elmohamady (Liam Rosenior, 74), James Chester (Paul McShane 74), Curtis Davies, Maynor Figueroa (Joe Dudgeon 74), Robert Koren (George Boyd 74), David Meyler (Alex Bruce 74), Robbie Brady (Andy Dawson 88), Yannick Sagbo (Nick Proschwitz 80), Danny Graham (Aaron Mclean 80), Sone Aluko (Matty Fryatt 74)
Subs: Steve Harper, Eldin Jakupovic
