Hull routs Fulham 6-0 in Premier League

HULL, England (AP) — Hull scored six second-half goals to rout Fulham 6-0 Saturday in a Premier League game highlighted by Tom Huddlestone celebrating his first goal since 2011 by cutting a piece of his hair off on the sideline.

Hull captain Robert Koren scored twice, while Ahmed El Mohamady, George Boyd and Matt Fryatt also netted as Fulham collapsed completely after the break and suffered its worst loss of the Premier League era.

Huddlestone made it 4-0 in the 67th minute — Hull's third goal in seven minutes — to end a goal drought stretching back 2 ½ years. The midfielder had pledged not to cut his hair until he scored again, and after netting he ran over to the sideline to let club physio Rob Price sheer off one of his long locks.

Fulham took a huge step backward after a mini-revival under new manager Rene Meulensteen and remains mired in the relegation zone.

After a dull first half, the battering Hull inflicted on their hapless visitors was almost surreal and the hosts might easily have reached double figures as the Cottagers groped feebly for a foothold in the game.

El Mohamady put Hull ahead from a corner when he managed to bring the bouncing ball under control and lashed into the top corner on the turn.

The goal released some of the pressure that had started to build on the hosts and they immediately began to play with confidence. Koren bagged Hull's second on the hour from a cross for his first goal of the season, and Boyd made it 3-0 three minutes later by collecting Jake Livermore's through ball and twisting into space as defenders inexplicably backed away from him before slotting into the bottom corner.

Huddlestone then netted from 20 yards, and almost scored a spectacular second from a 40-yard free kick that back-pedaling goalkeeper David Stockdale tipped against the bar.

Fryatt was on hand to tap home, a few minutes after arriving from the bench.

Fulham's ragged back line yawned open one final time to allow Koren a simple second from close range, completing the rout.