AFRICAN internationals Sone Aluko and Yannick Sagbo scored second-half goals to earn Premier League Hull City a 2-0 win at York City.

Nigeria striker Aluko and Ivory Coast forward Sagbo proved the difference on the night but were aided by mistakes from returning keeper Michael Ingham and centre-back Keith Lowe.

Michael Coulson also hit the bar for the hosts during an entertaining second period.

Earlier, Tigers' summer signing Robert Snodgrass had the ball in the home net after eight minutes but his six-yard effort was ruled out after Ahmed Elmohamady's right-wing cross was deemed out of play before Robbie Brady retrieved it at the far post.

It was Hull's Alan McGregor, though, who made the first save of the evening, plucking Lindon Meikle's rising 30-yard drive out of the air after David Meyler's poorly-directed header.

Marvin McCoy's highly-ambitious, 40-yard attempt was then gathered by McGregor before it bounced wide of his goal.

At the other end, Meyler stooped low to head a Snodgrass corner over the crossbar of Ingham, who was back in goal for the hosts after missing both of City's friendlies in Scotland due to a groin injury.

Brady also curled a 25-yard free kick far too high after McCoy had bundled over Shane Long as the Republic of Ireland international looked to latch on to Snodgrass' through ball.

Hull ended the half with greater purpose but Paul McShane went on to lift over another attempt from distance seconds before the break.

Steve Bruce's men went on to make the breakthrough on 50 minutes after freshening up their ranks with nine substitutes at the interval.

Striker Aluko, one of those half-time replacements, tried his luck from 30 yards and his hopeful effort squeezed under the body of Ingham to give the visitors the lead with their first on-target shot.

The Minstermen responded with a firm, edge-of-the-box Jake Hyde strike that thudded into McGregor's chest and went behind for a corner.

Meikle also volleyed off target from 15 yards before Alex Bruce headed wide for the Tigers following a Tom Huddlestone corner.

England international Huddlestone went on to effortlessly send Tom Ince clear through the right channel but the former Blackpool midfielder drove straight at Ingham.

Curtis Davies headed another Huddlestone flag kick over on 63 minutes before Ryan Jarvis' excellent searching pass sent Coulson sprinting in on McGregor's goal.

The home forward's angled 15-yard shot beat McGregor but flicked off the top of the Hull keeper's crossbar.

Anthony Straker (twice) and Lewis Montrose then both drove wide with attempts from distance but, after Ince's shot on the turn was caught at a comfortable height by sub keeper Jason Mooney, Sagbo doubled the Europa League hopefuls' advantage on 76 minutes.

A stretching Lowe could not cut out Ince's right-wing cross and Aluko drove past an exposed Mooney from ten yards.

Worthington's men continued to press for a consolation and Jarvis was only denied by a brilliant Liam Rosenior block after Cameron Murray had teed up a seven-yard opportunity.

But Sagbo went close to extending Hull's lead twice during the closing stages - his second chance clearing a beaten Mooney's bar by a matter of inches following the deftest of lobs.

City: Ingham, McCoy (Morley, 84), Lowe, McCombe (Winfield, 46), Ilesanmi, Meikle (Murray, 67), Penn, Platt (Montrose, 62), Straker, Hyde (Jarvis, 62), Coulson (Rzonca, 84).

Hull: Alan McGregor, Ahmed Elmohamady (Liam Rosenior, 46), James Chester (Alex Bruce, 45) Paul McShane (Curtis Davies, 46), Connor Townsend, George Boyd (Joe Dudgeon, 67), David Meyler (Tom Huddlestone, 46), Stephen Quinn (Jake Livermore, 46), Robert Snodgrass (Tom Ince, 46), Robbie Brady (Sone Aluko, 46), Shane Long (Yannick Sagbo, 46).

Attendance: 2,301 (696 from Hull).