TREMENDOUS Town turned on a sizzling show and won with four scorching goals.

Hull were hardly given a kick as Pawel Abbott and Rob Edwards powered Peter Jackson's side into a richly-deserved first-half lead.

Then Chris Brandon and Andy Booth completed the demolition job to delight the 10,000-plus home contingent in a season-high Galpharm crowd.

Unrecognisable from the people in blue and white shirts who lost so miserably at Doncaster just six days earlier, Town produced their best football of the campaign yesterday to leap back into the top half of the table and just three points behind their next opponents, Port Vale, who are third.

It was stirring stuff, exactly how Jackson wants his team to play, and the effort in 25 degrees of high-noon heat was staggering.

No-one worked harder than Danny Schofield, who just shaded the man-of-the-match award on a day when there were 10 other contenders.

Like Efe Sodje and Steve Yates who were recalled in defence, Schofield played like a man determined to prove he's back - and back to stay.

He linked superbly with the excellent Brandon, whose pace and workrate had Hull on edge throughout, and with Town being two yards quicker in thought and action it was the recipe for something special.

So it proved, with Andy Holdsworth and Edwards joining Jon Worthington as attacking support for Booth and Abbott, who were dominant up front.

Biting in the tackle and playing at a high tempo, it was no surprise it took Town less than seven minutes to get in front with a quality goal which said everything about their performance.

A quick throw-in by Schofield was played back to him by Booth for a ball over the top which found Holdsworth cantering into space.

His pull-back was almost handled by Marc Joseph, something which could not be said of goalkeeper Boaz Myhill from Pawel Abbott's blistering finish.

The ball was ripping across the roof of the net before Myhill could react, and Town's dominance was confirmed when Booth sent a Brandon cross clattering against the bar.

If Abbott's strike was magnificent, Edwards' was simply sensational on 19 minutes.

Abbott was at the root of the move, dinking a cross along the 18-yard line which Brandon dummied to give Edwards extra space.

His control wasn't perfect and the ball angled wide, but Edwards whacked a brilliant volley past Myhill.

At that stage, Hull didn't have any answer to Town's vibrant creativity and it took them half an hour to threaten with two efforts from Junior Lewis - the first grabbed by keeper Ian Gray and the second cleared from near the line by the pumped-up Sodje.

The introduction of Jason Price for the second half gave Hull a lift and he went close when nudging a shot against the outside of a post, but when Leon Cort headed over from a 61st-minute corner and substitute Jon Walters aimed wide when well placed, their hoped-for comeback faded fast.

Jackson sent on Junior Mendes for Abbott and the move had immediate effect. Collecting a through ball from Booth, he played a superbly-weighted pass for the scurrying Brandon, who left Myhill flat footed with a neatly-placed first-time shot for his first Town goal.

Just as Town and their fans were giving a sigh of relief, awful referee Graham Salisbury handed Hull a harsh penalty for handball against Steve Yates on 82.

Ian Gray sprang superbly to his right to hold Danny Allsopp's spot-kick then, understandably, punched the air in delight because his last clean sheet was against Torquay in October last year. He had just one more save to make, from Cort's downward header, and then the stage was set for Booth.

Hull looked worn out as Worthington, raced down the right and they stood off Booth long enough for him to turn and shoot superbly from 15 yards.

The afternoon would have been complete had Mendes not fired inches wide in stoppage time, but this was still a truly tremendous Town display.

Man of the Match:

DANNY SCHOFIELD. Super show on a day when the whole team played well. He was full of ideas and tricks and gave Town the sort of attacking edge they have been missing. Linked well with lively Brandon

HOW THEY RATED: Ian Gray Punched the air with delight after saving from Allsopp's penalty and given a big hug by Jackson at the end Rating: 8/10

Andy Holdsworth Set up Abbott's opener and superb in the first half, he got a standing ovation when taken off suffering a calf injury Rating: 8/10

Rob Edwards Scored a cracking first goal of the season and raided with plenty of confidence as Hull were put to the sword Rating: 8/10

Steve Yates Recalled to the starting line-up and as solid as ever. Very unlucky to be punished for handball to give Hull their penalty Rating: 8/10

Efe Sodje Played like a man with a big point to prove. He was tremendous from the off and set the tempo for a great show Rating: 8/10

David Mirfin Solid as a rock and delighted with a clean sheet, he made several vital challenges and clearances in the box Rating: 8/10

Chris Brandon Scored his first goal in Town colours to put the result beyond doubt in the second half and was busy throughout Rating: 8/10

Jon Worthington Did an excellent holding job in midfield and made sure Town dominated, giving his partners free rein to attack at will Rating: 8/10

Danny Schofield Tricky as ever, he was determined to show how much he's been missed. Worked his socks off all game. Rating: 9/10

Andy Booth Scored a terrific goal to round off hard-working display and got a standing ovation when he was taken off Rating: 8/10

Pawel Abbott Hammered in a superb goal to get Town off and running and troubled the Hull defence all game with his effort Rating: 8/10

SPOTLIGHT ON THE REF: GRAHAM SALISBURY seemed to have trouble spotting any offence which was committed by Hull but didn't hesitate to pounce on even the slightest infringement from Town.

He awarded Hull 22 free kicks to Town's five, including a penalty for handball which Steve Yates could do little about.

When Town's fans loudly applauded the award of a rare free kick on the hour mark, Mr Salisbury applauded back to at least show he appreciated the humour. It didn't save him from being booed off the pitch, though, at the end.

Hull City

Myhill, Joseph, Cort, Hinds (Price HT), Dawson, France, Ashbee, Lewis, Allsopp, Wilbraham (Walters 63), Barmby.

Subs not used: Duke, Edge, Keane.