Sunderland 3 Hull City 0: Victor Anichebe double helps Cats to first home win and off the bottom of the table

This game had it all - including a delay thanks to a power cut at the Stadium of Light. But it mattered not as Sunderland beat fellow strugglers Hull City 3-0.

Back-to-back wins for the first time since May thanks to a fine Jermain Defoe strike and a brace from the in-form Victor Anichebe.

The Stadium of Light was plunged into darkness after a second-half power cut, with play suspended for 10 minutes.

But there is now light at the end of the tunnel for Sunderland. Fresh hope breathed into their survival bid thanks to victories over Bournemouth and Hull.

The game had been dubbed “Charlie Hurley Day” as the club honoured one of its greatest players.

Fans displayed a huge banner of 'The King' before kick-off, with Hurley joined on the pitch by members of the 1963-64 promotion-winning side, which he captained.

Earlier, there was a ceremony to mark the Charlie Hurley gates - that had stood outside the entrance of the club's former training ground - being relocated to the Stadium of Light.

On the pitch, David Moyes made one change, with Jason Denayer in central midfield in place of the suspended Steven Pienaar.

It was a nervy start from the home side, with Hull full of running in the opening stages .

Jordan Pickford was called into action within the first couple of minutes, Dieumerci Mbokani got away from his marker and fired a low effort on goal. Pickford turning it away for a corner.

Lively Sam Clucas then blasted over the crossbar seven minutes in, a cross from ex-Sunderland wideman Ahmed Elmohamady found him but his effort was poor.

Sunderland recovered from a poor start and mustered their first attempt on goal 13 minutes in.

Anichebe's cross was blocked, the ball falling to Billy Jones who saw a low attempt deflected wide by Michael Dawson.

From Patrick van Aanholt's corner, Lamine Kone nodded the ball high over the crossbar.

Four minutes later, Sunderland were denied a clear penalty.

Watmore chased down an Anichebe pass, there was a mix-up at the back for Hull and keeper David Marshall wiped out the England Under-21 international, who had got a slight touch to

the ball.

Replays showed it was a definite penalty but referee Lee Mason waved away the protests to the dismay of the Sunderland fans.

A mix-up at the back then almost allowed Clucas in. Both Kone and Pickford left a long diagonal ball forward, the ball ran away from Clucas and out of play before he could shoot.

It was a poor opening half hour, Djilobodji booked for a late challenge on Mbokani in the Hull half.

There was one moment of quality and it came via the boot of Defoe - the 34-year-old scoring his 150th Premier League goal in superb fashion to open the scoring 34 minutes in.

Anichebe and Watmore were involved in the build-up, with the latter flicking the ball on towards Defoe who beat three men before rifling a low shot past Marshall.

He had ghosted past Curtis Davies, Elmohamady and skipper Michael Dawson before netting - a fitting strike for a big landmark.

Anichebe almost doubled the lead seconds later, his effort bobbling past the post from inside the area.

The first half petered out with no further chances as Sunderland went in at the break leading 1-0 thanks to Defoe's fine strike.

Half-time: Sunderland 1 Hull City 0

Sunderland should have been 2-0 up within a minute of the re-start, Jones' cross was flicked on by Defoe to Watmore at the back post.

Under pressure his shot was straight at Marshall, who produced the save. Then, a bizarre moment in the 50th minute - the Stadium of Light was plunged into darkness.

The lights had tripped, with play suspended for about 10 minutes while Sunderland fans did their best to help out waving their mobile phone torch lights in the air.

Play was soon back underway. It was a competitive encounter but the standard of play was poor, with both sides guilty of conceding possession too easily.

Sunderland doubled their lead after 62 minutes. Van Aanholt cut in from the left-hand flank, ran across the edge of the box before playing in Anichebe.

The forward took a touch, steadied himself before firing low past Marshall. Another clinical strike.

The Black Cats had Pickford to thank for keeping Hull at bay soon after, though, the England Under-21 ace saving acrobatically from Snodgrass's overhead attempt.

It was scrappy, with both sides struggling to build any momentum to their play.

Somehow, Hull failed to score from a corner in the 78th minute.

Pickford saved superbly before Sunderland twice cleared the ball off the line with Hull unable to take advantage of the ricochets. It looked harder to score but Sunderland survived.

Moyes looked to shore up his defence, with the introduction of John O'Shea into a back three, Denayer - who had impressed in the holding midfield role - substituted.

Hull had been threatening but it was Sunderland that extended their lead, that man Victor Anichebe with his second of the game.

After tidy build-up play down the left flank, Defoe laid the ball off to Anichebe, his touch was heavy but it mattered not as he pounced on the ball to fire home.

Relief all round at the Stadium of Light.

Djilobodji, booked earlier in the game, was shown his second yellow two minutes from time, Sunderland finishing the match with 10 men for the second successive week.

He will now miss the trip to Liverpool. It mattered little on a day Sunderland recorded back-to-back victories and lifted themselves off the foot of the Premier League table.

Full-time: Sunderland 3 Hull City 0

Sunderland (4-3-3): Pickford; Jones, Kone, Djilobodji, Denayer (O'Shea, 83), van Aanholt; McNair, Ndong; Watmore, Defoe (C) Anichebe.

Subs: Mannone, Manquillo, Love, Khazri, Januzaj, Gooch.

Booked: Djilobodji (30, 88)

Off: Djilobodji (88)

Goals: Defoe (34), Anichebe (62, 84)

Hull City (4-1-4-1): Marshall, Elmohamady, Davies, Dawson (C), Tymon (Bowen, 68), Clucas, Livermore, Henriksen, Mason, (Meyler, 77), Snodgrass, Mbokani.

Subs: Jakupovic, Maguire, Huddlestone, Weir, Olley.

Booked: None

Goals: None

Referee: Lee Mason (Greater Manchester)

Attendance: 41,271