Unbeaten Sheffield United continued their encouraging start to the season as they scored twice on the counter-attack to consign winless Hull City to a second successive Championship defeat.
The Blades took the lead when Callum O'Hare pinched the ball from Tigers debutant Mohamed Belloumi 30 yards from his own goal and was able to progress unchecked before teeing up Gus Hamer to confidently fire into the bottom corner.
Two United substitutes combined for the second after the break when the away side cleared a corner up past the halfway line and Andre Brooks backheeled the ball to the marauding Sam McCallum to slam home.
Marvin Mehlem had a great chance to pull one back for the hosts but sent a free header thundering against the crossbar from six yards out.
That was close as Tim Walter's men came to getting back into the game though, despite dominating possession and winning 16 corners.
They remain without victory in their six league and cup matches this campaign.
However, with their third victory from five games the Blades have now won as many league matches this season as they managed in the whole of 2023-24 when they finished bottom of the Premier League.
Chris Wilder's resurgent side have now scored in the first 15 minutes in four of those five Championship matches and climbed to third in the early-season table despite a two-point deduction.
With the box loaded, Hull worked a corner short down their left and played it back to last man Belloumi but O'Hare easily stole possession and within seconds the ball was in their net through Hamer's third goal of the season.
Abdus Omur's well-struck free-kick forced Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper into a smart stop before the break.
However, it was the visitors who looked more likely to get the second goal, more than once passing up decent opportunities on the counter, with Hull guilty of over-playing in dangerous areas.
Vini Souza's close-range shot was well kept out by Ivor Pandur in the City goal after the break but there was nothing the Croatian could do to stop the Blades doubling their lead.
Once again it came from a Tigers corner. The ball was initially cleared up as far as substitute Rhian Brewster near the halfway line on the right and his diagonal ball was kept in by Kieffer Moore, who easily shoulder-barged Liam Millar off it.
The Welshman linked up with Brooks who cutely set up McCallum for his first goal for the club.
German midfielder Mehlem should have got the home side on the scoreboard from Lewie Coyle's cross but could not get his header on target and they remain on just two goals for the season.
The Tigers travel to Stoke next Friday, while the Blades host Derby a week on Saturday.
