Joe Gelhardt scored a 90th-minute winner for Hull at Stoke to continue his hot streak for the Tigers.

Stoke dominated the first half and deservedly led through Sorba Thomas' wonderful volley before Hull took charge after the interval.

Semi Ajayi headed the visitors level just after half-time to set up Gelhardt's dramatic late intervention as the on-loan Leeds striker bagged his seventh goal in nine games and his ninth in total for Hull to reinvigorate their play-off hopes.

Tempers boiled over after the final whistle when a brawl broke out and a number of objects were thrown onto the pitch by home fans before calm was restored. Hull's John Lundstram and Kyle Joseph, and Stoke's Ashley Phillips were all booked for their part in the melee.

Despite Stoke's first-half domination, Hull could have had an early penalty when Phillips slid in and felled Matt Crooks.

The Potters took advantage of that let-off and Thomas hit a right-foot curler towards the top corner, which Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur touched away at full stretch.

But Wales international Thomas would not be denied and he gave Stoke the lead with a superb strike on 17 minutes.

Ajayi headed Aaron Cresswell's corner more up than away and Thomas watched the ball drop perfectly onto his boot, showing excellent technique to fire home a sweet right-foot volley.

Stoke, who began in second place in the Championship, might have had more and Pandur dived to his left to touch Bae Jun-Ho's shot around the post and Robert Bozenik had a header chalked off for offside.

Hull made Stoke pay for not extending their lead just three minutes into the second period after some half-time substitutions by Tigers boss Sergej Jakirovic fired up the visitors.

Substitute Mohamed Belloumi looked close to being offside when he flicked on Gelhardt's off-target shot with what appeared to be the top of his right arm and Ajayi reacted quickest to the loose ball to head in his first Hull goal.

Hull finished strongly and substitute Lundstram wastefully volleyed over before the game's decisive moment.

Stoke lost possession in their own half, allowing Belloumi to drive forward and lay the ball off for Gelhardt to fire a left-footed shot past Potters goalkeeper Viktor Johansson before the final whistle brought about ugly scenes that may well have repercussions for both sides.

Hull head coach Sergej Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside:

"I'm very satisfied, especially after the second half when we played very well.

"The first half was not satisfying at all because we didn't play well, they were much better than us. I said to the players, if we continue like this, we can go home immediately. But what I like most about this team is that they can change everything.

"With the two substitutions at half-time, our reaction was very good. Also we started to run and fight for every ball. We equalised early and that gave us more confidence, more power, strength and energy.

"At the end, we stole a goal. It was a great counter-attack and Joffy [Joe Gelhardt] scored and I'm very happy because it was an important victory."

Stoke manager Mark Robins told BBC Radio Stoke:

"It was a game of two halves. We gave them the impetus, we gave them their goal, although it was offside. I've got to say it's offside and you can't miss that.

"But they've missed that and it's ended up in the back of our net. And then time after time, we were getting in really good areas and not completing the pass, not finding the man coming onto it, not finding the final pass.

"Then for the final goal, we've inexplicably given the ball away in the middle of the pitch and they've broken against us. They were better in the second half, but we allowed that to happen and that's a real frustration.

"At the end, I've spoken to the referee, and one of their players has incited the crowd and we've ended up in a situation where there are players confronting each other. We'll get charged with failing to control our players or whatever it is and it's an absolute joke.

"I'm fuming at what we did in the second half and I'm fuming at what happened at the end."