Hull City boss Iain Dowie feels their first-half was a write-off after losing 2-0 at Stoke City.

Striker Ricardo Fuller scored for the second successive match when he capitalised on a sixth-minute error by Paul McShane to clip a shot past Boaz Myhill.

But when the injured Jamaica international did not reappear for the second half there was a significant swing as Hull gained enough control to have scored an equaliser.

However, they were hampered by a numerical disadvantage after George Boateng's injury and the extra space was exploited by Liam Lawrence in the 90th minute when Matt Etherington picked out his team-mate on the right of the penalty area and he fired past Myhill and into the far corner of the net.

Dowie was critical of his players' defending for the opening goal but praised their attitude in their second-half performance.

"The first goal is a schoolboy, joke goal," said the Tigers boss. "It is one you can't afford to give away as it gave them a massive foothold in the game.

"First half, football-wise, we didn't get going but second half we were much better and were growing as a force in the game when we went down to 10 men."