MIDDLESBROUGH kept their hopes of a Premier League great escape alive with a crucial 3-1 victory over fellow strugglers Hull City.

Goals from Tuncay Sanli, Matthew Bates and Marlon King secured a pricless three points that takes Boro to within two points of 17th-placed Sunderland.

Gareth Southgate named his most attacking line-up of the season, and it took less than three minutes for the move to pay dividends.

King, a Hull player until January, capitalised on Kamil Zayatte’s charged-down clearance to release Afonso Alves in the inside-right channel.

Matt Duke saved Alves’ 14-yard shot, but the ball squirmed to a loitering Tuncay, who rolled it into an unguarded net.

The hosts could not have wished for a better start, but Hull levelled six minutes later.

The Tigers had hardly been in the Middlesbrough half before Geovanni saw a long-range shot deflected over the crossbar, but after the resultant corner was only half-cleared, Nick Barmby crossed for Manucho to guide a powerful header past Brad Jones.

Boro reclaimed the lead in the 29th minute, with Bates stealing into the six-yard box to meet Tony McMahon’s corner and claim the first senior goal of his career.

King then made the victory safe in the final minute, rolling the ball into the net after Jeremie Aliadiere tackled former Boro midfielder George Boateng on the edge of the Hull box.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Jones, McMahon, Wheater, Huth, Taylor, Aliadiere (Emnes 90), Bates, Tuncay, Downing, Alves (A Johnson 77), King.

Subs (not used): Turnbull, Hoyte, Riggott, Shawky, Walker.

HULL (4-5-1): Duke, Ricketts, Zayatte, Turner, Dawson, Mendy (Marney 46), Barmby (Folan 62), Ashbee, Geovanni, Fagan (Boateng 71), Manucho.

Subs (not used): Myhill, Halmosi, Featherstone, Boateng, Kilbane.