Hull make light work of Preston to maintain Championship play-off hopes

• Hull City 4 Preston North End 0

Hull  underlined their play-off credentials with a Jarrod-Bowen-inspired victory played out in front of the KCOM Stadium's lowest ever league crowd.

Bowen - who is attracting interest form Newcastle and Leeds - took his season's tally to 13 by scoring twice and making another in front of 9,826 - an all-time low at the Tigers' home for the past 17 years.

After his side moved to within four points of the top six, head coach McCann insisted: "It was probably our most complete performance of the season against one of the division's best teams.

"The weather wasn't the best and when there's Champions League games on the TV so the crowd is understandable. It's up to us to keep performing out on the pitch to get the numbers coming along."

Bowen's 50th goal for the club broke the deadlock, courtesy of a close range finish from a narrow angle as Preston failed to deal with Kamil Grosicki's deflected 30th minute cross.

Declan Rudd prevented the hosts wrapping up the points before half-time, but couldn't prevent Josh Magennis doubling the lead in with a 48th minute penalty after Ryan Ledson's foul on Josh Bowler.

Grosicki made it three four minutes later from an inviting cut-back by Bowen, who then embarrassed Rudd at his near post with 13 minutes remaining.

Sean Maguire hit the post early on but that was as good as it got for North End, who slipped to back-to-back away defeats in the space of four days to miss out on a chance of reclaiming third place in the table.

Alex Neil's side host leaders West Brom on Monday, and the manager said: "We knew it would be difficult because we've got players playing out of position and we struggled to deal with their forwards. It's disappointing but we need to react."