There is a plaque adorning the entrance to the KC Stadium, commemorating the achievements of Adam Pearson in "revitalising" Hull City. It refers to his work in his first stint as chairman, between 2001 and 2007, when he hauled the East Yorkshire club up from the brink of a financial abyss and began a run of three promotions. Now for the reprise.

The extent of Hull's financial plight will unravel before the end of the Premier League season – estimates of their deficit are in excess of £30m – but theirs effectively ended yesterday when Darren Bent's early goal, coupled with victory for West Ham, left them six points behind with only two matches to play, a goal difference of minus 41 condemning them.

Pearson will begin discussions tomorrow designed to buy further time to sort out their plight, with meetings scheduled with banks and creditors both in Hull and London throughout the week. Administration, according to club owner Russell Bartlett, is not an option.

"There are numerous routes we can take and one of them is an informal one where you sit down with creditors and try to restructure payments," Pearson said. "One of the last scenarios would be to go through a Company Voluntary Agreement but if we have to go down that route we would have to build a team that could fight back from that kind of deficit."

Hull's gamble to place manager Phil Brown on gardening leave and allow Iain Dowie a nine-match stretch to avert the drop failed, and Pearson has not ruled out Brown's return, given he is on contract for another 14 months. "There is absolutely no rush at this moment in time to employ a new manager, or bring Phil Brown back until we can tell him what his budget is for next year. Everything is an option at this point."

Immediate goals are to finish above Burnley – and hence earn a further £800,000 – then try to sell some players quickly and talk others into pay cuts.

Management consultant Dowie warned that edginess was inevitable given Hull's dire circumstances, and Sunderland preyed upon it when Bent steered in his 24th Premier League goal of the season with a deft volley beyond the far post just seven minutes in.

Yet they were given a lifeline when Michael Turner, a cornerstone of Hull's promotion side but now Sunderland's captain, stuck out a leg to fell Geovanni in the area five minutes before the break. Jimmy Bullard failed to live up to the role of saviour, thudding the ball against the base of a post from 12 yards.

Heads disappeared into hands all over the KC Stadium and despair wafted around the crowd in first-half injury time when striker Jozy Altidore was dismissed along with Sunderland's Alan Hutton for a skirmish on the touchline.

Steve Bruce, later sent to the stands for encroaching out of his technical area, was incensed by Altidore's actions. "It was GBH, not a sending-off," the Sunderland manager said. "Alan was arguably a bit silly but it is a good job he pulled away because he has a cut eye, a sore nose and a chipped tooth. He could have been in hospital."

THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT

RICK SKELTON, HullCityOnline.com It was a bit of a wimper-ish way to go down. We started appallingly, and Sunderland could have had three in the first 10 minutes. Then we missed the penalty, lost Altidore – who was stupid to react and deserved to get sent off – and the second half was a non-event. We had plenty of the ball but we haven't broken anybody down in two seasons. We're in trouble now - there's going to be a CVA or we'll go into administration, and I'm certain we'll start on -10 points next season. I wouldn't mind Iain Dowie staying as he seems to empathise with the place but will we be able to afford even him?

The fan's player ratings Duke 7; Mendy 7, Gardner 6, Mouyokolo 8, Dawson 6; Barmby 6 (Fagan 62 6), Boateng 8 (Cullen 75 7), Bullard 5, (Cairney 46 7) Geovanni 7; Altidore 4, Folan 6

PETE SIXSMITH, SalutSunderland.comAn away win at last but it was as poor a game as I have seen all season. We played some decent stuff in the first half and could have been three up early on, as Hull were caught square very easily. Once again Bent showed how important he is. But referee Lee Probert had a nightmare 20 minutes leading up to half time- the penalty should have been a foul on Hutton, some of his bookings were bizarrre and by the time he sent Hutton and Altidore off, he had lost the game. The second half was truly awful: niggling, scrappy and devoid of skill. Hull worked hard and their fans who stuck with them, but I fear for their future.

The fan's player ratings Gordon 8; Hutton 6, Turner 8 (Ferdinand 46 7), Kilgallon 7, Richardson 7; Campbell 6, Meyler 7, Henderson 7, Malbranque 6 (Bardsley 46 7); Jones 6 (Cana 60 7), Bent 7

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