Nathan Tella has scored five goals in his past two appearances for Burnley
Nathan Tella edged Championship leaders Burnley closer to an immediate Premier League return with a hat-trick in their win against Hull City.
Victory moved Vincent Kompany's team 19 points clear of Middlesbrough in third spot and means the Clarets need just three wins from their final nine matches to seal promotion.
A well-crafted and coolly taken finish into the bottom corner from Tella put the high-flying visitors in front with the game's first shot on goal late in the first half.
Malcolm Ebiowei twice tested Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric for a more industrious Hull after the break, but Tella's second goal from a leaping volley and an opportunistic third - for his 19th of the season - ensured Burnley made it 17 games unbeaten in the league with another outstanding victory.
With the last meaningful moment of the game, Ozan Tufan pulled a consolation goal back for a Hull side that remain 15th in the table.
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Burnley's latest victory comes only days before one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of Kompany's tenure as Clarets boss, with Manchester City awaiting them in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
It will be the first time the four-time Premier League winner and City captain has come up against his former club since leaving them to go into management at Anderlecht in 2019.
While the cup tie has thrust Burnley further into the limelight, they had demanded significant attention this week after being put under a transfer embargo by the English Football League for submitting their accounts late.
Despite the action taken against them, the club have said they are confident the issue would be "resolved swiftly".
With a focus on promotion Kompany stuck with the starting line-up from Saturday's win against Wigan Athletic.
Hull boss Liam Rosenior made three changes following their draw at Coventry City, and Mali midfielder Adama Traore squandered a big chance to mark his first Tigers start with a goal when he sent a free header off target early on.
In a first half of few opportunities for the hosts, an excellent challenge from Sean McLoughlin denied Ashley Barnes as he shaped to shoot in the box, while penalty shouts for handball - after Lewie Coyle's arm was struck by a cross - were waved away.
Tella was off target with an audacious flick in the 35th minute, but he struck in style soon after.
The Southampton loanee spun to meet a long ball on the edge of the area, ran into the box, and chopped the ball back on to his left foot before beating Karl Darlow at his near post.
Hull wasted inviting chances either side of the break, with Dimitris Pelkas sending a header off target in first-half injury-time while Ebiowei failed to connect with a header early in the second half before Traore swiped unsuccessfully at the loose ball.
Ebiowei called Muric into action twice in search of a leveller, but Tella's second-half double put the result beyond doubt after 73 minutes.
Muric, whose string of second-half saves saw him keep out Oscar Estupinan and Tufan, was eventually beaten by the Turkey midfielder three minutes into added time.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsHull
Formation 4-4-2
12Darlow2Coyle5Jones17McLoughlin3Elder10Ebiowei24Seri27Slater9Sayyadmanesh18Traoré20Pelkas
- 12Darlow2CoyleSubstituted forDochertyat 53'minutes5Jones17McLoughlin3ElderSubstituted forGreavesat 63'minutes10Ebiowei24Seri27Slater9SayyadmaneshSubstituted forLongmanat 74'minutes18TraoréSubstituted forTufanat 63'minutes20PelkasBooked at 39minsSubstituted forEstupiñánat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Greaves6Figueiredo7Tufan8Docherty16Longman19Estupiñán32Lo-Tutala
Burnley
Formation 3-4-1-2
49Muric18Ekdal36Beyer29Maatsen22da Silva14Roberts24Cullen7Gudmundsson10Barnes23Tella19Zaroury
- 49Muric18EkdalBooked at 57minsSubstituted forTaylorat 70'minutes36Beyer29MaatsenBooked at 82mins22da SilvaSubstituted forCorkat 70'minutes14Roberts24Cullen7GudmundssonSubstituted forFosterat 87'minutes10Barnes23TellaSubstituted forObafemiat 78'minutes19ZarourySubstituted forManuelat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Taylor4Cork12Foster15Peacock-Farrell17Manuel30Dervisoglu45Obafemi
Referee:Tim RobinsonAttendance:17,271Match StatsHome TeamHullAway TeamBurnleyPossessionHome40%Away60%ShotsHome14Away9Shots on TargetHome6Away3CornersHome3Away3FoulsHome8Away14Live Text Post update
Match ends, Hull City 1, Burnley 3.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Hull City 1, Burnley 3.
90'+3'goalGoal!
Goal! Hull City 1, Burnley 3. Ozan Tufan (Hull City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Greg Docherty.
90'+2'Post update
Josh Cullen (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+2'Post update
Foul by Regan Slater (Hull City).
89'Post update
Josh Cullen (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89'Post update
Foul by Ryan Longman (Hull City).
87'Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Lyle Foster replaces Jóhann Gudmundsson.
86'Post update
Jordan Beyer (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'Post update
Foul by Ozan Tufan (Hull City).
86'Post update
Attempt saved. Greg Docherty (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Ryan Longman.
85'Post update
Attempt blocked. Ryan Longman (Hull City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Greg Docherty.
82'Booking
Ian Maatsen (Burnley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
81'Post update
Foul by Ian Maatsen (Burnley).
81'Post update
Greg Docherty (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
81'Post update
Attempt saved. Óscar Estupiñán (Hull City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jean Michaël Seri with a through ball.
80'Post update
Attempt blocked. Jack Cork (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Michael Obafemi.
79'Post update
Attempt missed. Alfie Jones (Hull City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ozan Tufan with a cross following a corner.
78'Post update
Corner, Hull City. Conceded by Ashley Barnes.
78'Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Michael Obafemi replaces Nathan Tella.
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Source: bbc.com