Hull marked their first appearance in English football's top-flight by coming from behind to beat Fulham.
Substitute Caleb Folan side-footed home the winner after fellow sub Craig Fagan caught Fulham defender Paul Konchesky in possession in his own penalty area.
Brazilian striker Geovanni had brought Fulham level before half-time with an exquisite curling shot round Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer.
Hull had earlier fallen behind to Seol Ki-Hyeon's header.
Hull's debut in the top flight was greeted rapturously, but it did not take long for Fulham to burst the bubble of euphoria.
Simon Davies let Hull off the hook when he planted his volley into the ground from Seol Ki-Hyeon's cross, but Hull were denied a lead when Mark Schwarzer dived full-length to claw away Geovanni's header, and the Fulham keeper then combined with John Pantsil to block Ian Ashbee's follow-up shot.
Fulham had the honour of scoring the first Premier League goal at the KC stadium, as Hull's defending left a lot to be desired.
Bullard was given too much freedom to pick out his cross and he found Seol Ki-Hyeon, and the South Korean rose to plant a header wide of Boaz Myhil's desperate dive.
Fulham were exploiting the space the were finding down the flanks and after Ashbee threw himself in front of Davies' shot, a training-ground routine saw Bullard drive a corner to the edge of the box where Davies thumped a spectacular volley just over.
Hull were living dangferously as Bullard again found space down the right to pick out Zoltan Gera free at the far post, only for the Hungarian to fluff his volley.
But from a position where the game might have been beyond them, Hull roared back to level with an exquisite goal from Geovanni.
The Brazilian picked up a loose ball 15 yards inside the Fulham half, drove forward and worked the ball on to his left foot to curl his shot around Schwarzer from 22 yards.
The goal gave Hull the confidence-booster they needed to find their feet and they finished the first-half the stronger, with Nick Barmby finding space to power a header inches wide of the target.
Hull's defending still had an air of naivety about it and when Bullard's cross was flicked on Gera found himself in acres at the far post and with the assistant's flag staying down the Hungarian wasted a golden opportunity from six yards out.
Hull's defending still had an air of naivety about it and when Bullard's cross was flicked on by Bobby Zamora Gera found himself in acres at the far post and with the assistant's flag staying down the Hungarian wasted a golden opportunity from six yards out.
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The Tigers' defenders were a threat in the Fulham area, though and Michael Turner rose to power a header inches over the bar.
Geovanni was guilty of an even worse miss, when he found himself with time and space but side-footed Barmby's cross wide from five yards out.
Hull were now playing without fear and substitute Peter Halmosi drilled the ball across goal and Richard Garcia met it first-time to draw another fine save from Schwarzer.
Hull manager Phil Brown's substitutions paid dividends when the Tigers swept into the lead eight minutes from time.
Fulham defender Konchesky was caught badly in possession in his own penalty area by Fagan who crossed for Folan to tap into an empty net.
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