IT was still early days, but Ian Greaves’s Wanderers were starting to build up a head of steam and Hull City felt the full force of it at Burnden Park.

The Whites had lost their first game of the season at Blackburn but bounced back with three wins on the trot and were in just the mood to give the Tigers a real mauling, which they did in the most convincing fashion to go second in the table.

It was no secret that Greaves was looking for a new striker but the manager wasn’t complaining as his front line pairing of Neil Whatmore and Steve Taylor made light of gale-force winds and driving rain to spearhead an attack that blew away the visitors.

Hull managed to keep Wanderers at bay in the first half but they had no answer to a second half performance that left the 12,500 crowd in no doubt that they were still serious promotion contenders despite their near-miss the previous season.

Whatmore struck first on 55 minutes, pouncing on a loose ball after the Hull defence failed to deal with Peter Thompson’s cross, and Paul Jones headed the second five minutes later from a Roy Greaves corner.

Taylor then scored twice in four minutes before Dave Stewart pulled one back for Hull eight minutes from time.

But that proved scant consolation as Jones had the final word two minutes later to wrap up what turned out to be the biggest league win of the season.

Wanderers Siddall; Ritson, Dunne, Greaves, Paul Jones, Allardyce, Morgan, Whatmore, Taylor, Reid, Thompson. Sub Smith.

Hull City Wealands; Daniel, DeVries, Haigh, Hawley, Croft, Nisbet, Lyall, Sunley, Hammerman, Stewart. Sub Galvin.

Referee: T Morris (Leeds).

Attendance: 12,495.