A clinical first half display was enough to earn the Tigers a 3-2 win against Everton at the KC Stadium on Wednesday night.

Stephen Hunt, Andy Dawson and Dean Marney all struck in the first 28 minutes to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead at half time.

Everton mounted a fightback after the break thanks to a Kamil Zayatte own goal and a Louis Saha penalty but City held on to claim the three points.

Phil Brown made three changes to the side that drew with West Ham United at the weekend.

Paul McShane came in for the suspended Bernard Mendy, George Boateng replaced Jimmy Bullard while Geovanni returned in place of Craig Fagan.

Steven Mouyokolo, Kamel Ghilas and Tom Cairney all came into the squad as substitutes.

City had an early chance to load the Everton box when Hunt was obstructed by Lucas Neill close to the corner flag, but Dean Marney's set-piece delivery was not of sufficient quality to trouble the visiting defence.

The Tigers took the lead on nine minutes.

Hunt's left-wing cross looped up off a defender and dropped for Jozy Altidore.

His powerful shot was beaten away by Tim Howard, but Hunt reacted quickest to blast home the rebound.

City looked to build on their early goal and Geovanni saw his shot from distance saved by Howard.

Richard Garcia then won a corner off Sylvain Distin, but Geovanni's delivery was cleared at the near post.

A foul by Joseph Yobo on Geovanni gave City a free kick 25 yards out on 20 minutes and from it, the Tigers went 2-0 up.

Dawson's shot was inch perfect as it beat Howard and flew into the top corner.

Everton's first chance came moments later when Distin headed a corner from Leighton Baines just over.

It maybe served as a warning that the game was far from over.

However, it was 3-0 on 28 minutes.

Hunt's cross from the right was going nowhere until it was diverted into Marney's path by an Everton defender.

Marney picked his spot from just inside the area and the ball took another deflection to wrong-foot Howard before ending up in the back of the net.

Zayatte was inches away from adding a fourth goal seven minutes later when he just failed to add the finishing touch to Hunt's free kick into the box.

A neat passing move from City in the 42nd minute resulted in Altidore blasting a shot just over from 18 yards before the half time whistle was greeted with a standing ovation by the home fans.

Half Time: Tigers 3-0 Everton

Everton returned a few minutes early for the start of the second half and there was a change in their side as Dan Gosling replaced Yakubu.

And it was the Toffees who started the second half on the attack as Baines burst forward from left back before unleashing shot that Matt Duke got down well to save.

It was a sloppy start to the second half by City as Everton pulled a goal back on 50 minutes.

A cross in from City's right was sliced high into the air by Zayatte and the ball looped over the stranded Duke and into the net.

Just when it looked as though City had regained their composure, Everton were awarded a penalty in the 65th minute when Zayatte was penalised for a foul on Saha in the box.

The City defender was booked and Saha sent Duke the wrong way from the spot.

Garcia looked to get his side going again, but his powerful shot was saved by Howard.

John Heitinga was booked on 70 minutes for a foul on Marney.

City had a scare when Duke fumbled Gosling's cross, but the keeper recovered to some how grab the ball amongst a sea of bodies.

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink then replaced Altidore.

Everton were chasing an equaliser and Tim Cahill saw his shot rise over the bar from 20 yards.

Ex-Evertonian Nick Barmby replaced Garcia in the 78th minute before Kevin Kilbane came on for Geovanni with three minutes to go.

Four minutes of time were added as the tension grew in the stands.

Substitute Kilbane's foul on Gosling gave Everton a great chance from a free kick 20 yards out, but Baines fired a shot into the City wall.

The Tigers cleared and after a nervy few seconds, the referee blew the final whistle.

Tigers (4-4-2) Matt Duke; Paul McShane, Kamil Zayatte, Anthony Gardner [captain], Andy Dawson; Richard Garcia (Barmby 78), George Boateng, Dean Marney, Stephen Hunt; Geovanni (Kilbane 87), Jozy Altidore (Vennegoor of Hesselink 75).

Subs: Boaz Myhill, Steven Mouyokolo, Kevin Kilbane, Tom Cairney, Nick Barmby, Kamel Ghilas, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

Bookings: Zayatte 64

Everton (4-4-2) Tim Howard; Lucas Neill, Joseph Yobo, Sylvain Distin, Leighton Baines; Jack Rodwell (Jo 60), Tim Cahill [captain], John Heitinga, Steven Pienaar; Louis Saha, Yakubu (Gosling 46).

Subs: Carlo Nash, Tony Hibbert, Jo, Dan Gosling, Seamus Coleman, Shane Duffy, Jose Baxter.

Bookings: Pienaar 64, Heitinga 70, Neill 84, Cahill 90.