Two goals in quick succession from Steve Basham, who can’t stop scoring this season, gave United what was eventually a hard-fought victory over the team tipped by many to be Third Division champions this season. After soaking up early pressure from the visitors Julian Alsop and Basham combined to give United the lead after 23 minutes. Five minutes later Basham headed home the goal that ultimately proved to be the winner from a Matt Robinson cross. In the 77th minute, with United down to ten men, Danny Allsopp shot home for Hull to give United a nervous finale.

Ian Atkins reverted to the line-up that won at Lincoln, with Alsop recovered from the bad back that saw him miss the win at Millwall. Dean Whitehead found himself back on the bench. Whitehead came on for Danny Brown with about ten minutes remaining and, with about five minutes to go, David Oldfield came on for Basham.

Referee Kevin Wright, from Cambridgeshire, had an appalling game in what was only his second league match. He started by showing a yellow card to Matt Robinson, when the defender clearly won the ball, and he went downhill from there. His first booking for Alsop was possibly justified, but when he showed the United striker a second yellow it was for a legitimate challenge on Paul Musselwhite, the Hull substitute ‘keeper. Musselwhite went down as though pole-axed and about four Hull players converged on Alsop and started laying into him, none of whom were even spoken to by Wright. He also made innumerable incomprehensible decisions, some of which were just plain incorrect. The crowd was a lower than expected 6,618, although if United keep on winning they’ll soon be flocking back. A match report should appear on the reports page tomorrow.

It’s early days, but United now sit in fifth place in the table. Results elsewhere saw Yeovil go top after beating Carlisle 3-0, and the other new team, Doncaster, went second after beating Southend 2-0. Swansea’s Lee Trundle scored a hat-trick as they won 4-3 at Cheltenham and Kidderminster went fourth with a 2-0 win at Darlington. Lee Nogan score the goal for York that beat Northampton, and Torquay are the only other club on maximum points after their 1-0 win over Lincoln.

Cambridge and Bristol Rovers share four points. Cambridge beat Macclesfield 3-1 at the Abbey and the Gas were held to a 0-0 draw by Rochdale. United’s next opponents, Scunthorpe, won 3-2 at Bury, while Huddersfield and Boston drew 2-2 and another relegated team, Mansfield, were held to a 1-1 draw by Orient.

There were a number of ex-Us finding the net in the Conference. Jefferson Louis was on target again for Woking as they beat Scarborough 2-1, and Ross Weatherstone was on target for the second game running as Farnborough drew 1-1 with Leigh RMI. Mark Stein scored a hat-trick for Dagenham & Redbridge in their 5-2 win over Norman Sylla’s new club, Barnet.