WES BROWN WAS sent off for the third time this season as Hull City beat Sunderland 2-0 on Steve Bruce’s return to the Stadium of Light.

Defender Brown was given his marching orders after only three minutes on Saturday for a professional foul on Shane Long after Phil Bardsley’s dreadful pass played the striker in.

Long then scored his second goal in as many games with a first-half header, and strike partner Nikica Jelavic opened his Hull account with a header of his own after the break as Bruce’s side secured their first Premier League win of the year.

It was the first time Bruce had been back at Sunderland since being sacked in November 2011, and Hull’s victory brought his former club back down to earth following their derby win over Newcastle United last weekend.

Defeat for Sunderland was their first in five top-flight games and it was a miserable day for Brown, who was also sent off against Stoke City and Norwich City – although his red card against Mark Hughes’ side was overturned on appeal.

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