Mike Phelan won't kick up stink after Lights go out on Hull City at Sunderland

Jordan Pickford makes a great save from Curtis Davies' header. Picture by FRANK REID

The Hull City boss saw the match at Sunderland plunged into darkness, and doubt, following a power cut five minutes after haf-time.

However, to Phelan's credit, he did not look upon it as a way out for the Tigers who trailed 1-0 to Jermain Defoe's 150th Premier League goal.

Once the emergency generator kicked in, enough floodlights came on top get the game finished though Hull ended up losing 3-0.

For Phelan, it reminded him that Wearside has not brought him many happy memories - when he came to the Stadium of Light with Manchester United in 2010, the away dressing room was showered with sewage after a leak from a pipe.

"A few things seem to happen to me at this football club when I come," he shrugged.

"I came here with one club and we had issues in the dressing room one year, then the lights go out... Maybe it's just me, maybe I should stay away from this club for a while.

"There was no doubt about the game. The referee conducted himself right.

"He was a little bit concerned about the ground being only partially lit at the end, but we needed to get the game going and the supporters demanded that."

Despite the final scoreline, Hull were in contention until Victor Anichebe completed his brace six minutes from time to make it 3-0.

The Tigers were denied twice in the first half by superb saves by home stopper Jordan Pickford while Ryan Mason dragged a good chance wide just after the lights came back on.

Pickford went on to deny the excellent Robert Snodgrass before some incredible defending saw efforts by Dieumerci Mbokani and Michael Dawson cleared off the line within a couple of seconds of each other.

"It was all the emotions in one game, frustration from the point of view that we didn't take the opportunities that came our way - and there were quite a few," said Phelan, whose side are now just two points above the Black Cats.

"But then the annoyance. The disappointment is that you lose a game 3-0, which is very difficult to defend with a team that you believe in and actually probably overall deserved a little bit better."