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It was a first home defeat since for Hull and Dowie said after the game: "I've got to get in there and make sure none of the players are moping around. We know there are 15 points still to play for and we also know that we've got it all to do. We have to take it on the chin.
"I'd rather be a lion for a day than a sheep for eternity. We have to be brave and go to Birmingham looking to win the game. Our away form hasn't been great, so it's about time we do what Burnley did and get our first away win of the season.
"We stopped doing what we had started doing. We were dropping too deep and the team became expanded which helped Burnley. The crucial moment was the save at 1-0 when Altidore was through. We didn't build upon that and we stopped affecting our game plan.
"We passed the ball poorly, went too long too early and didn't provide any quality. We conceded two poor penalties and that put us right up against it.
"Not enough people showed what George Boateng showed, which was desire, hunger and fantastic spirit having been knocked unconscious seven days earlier."
Brian Laws had just become the first Burnley manager since Joe Brown to win an away game in the top flight, and he admitted afterwards: "It has been the hardest week in the world and the word we used all week was 'respond'.
"Well, what a fantastic response by the players and eradicating the disappointment of last week has given everyone a lift.
"There has been a lot of rubbish in the press and so on and it's uncalled for an unprofessional and yet the players have answered all the criticism that everyone had waiting for us. Credit where credit is due and I dedicate this win to the players.
"I have been an easy target for criticism from everyone at the moment because we are not winning games. But there are some cheap shots in the newspapers and whispers that go around. All of a sudden there is chaos and I am falling out with players left right and centre.
"It's a joke, yet I have to stay calm and take it on the chin. But I am in a fighting mood. There is togetherness and I am in this just as much as them.
"There was the answer, slap bang in the face and hopefully now that will stop a lot of the chatter and the headlines that have been going around.
"We are in a dogfight here and we are not kidding ourselves, but if we show the fighting spirit we did in this game then we have a chance. Everyone will still write us off, but maybe the kick up the backside we got against Manchester City might just be the catalyst for us to go and start picking up some wins."
Onto the game and Laws added: "Many people would have looked at the first few minutes and thought 'here we go again'. Hull probably thought we were very fragile. That's humans for you though and you can't just switch it on and off. It has to come from within and having some positivity.
"We got the great goal and suddenly you could see the belief flood back into the players. We said at half time we thought we could open them up and I just thought there was so much quality out there. The satisfying thing is that the players have shown they can win games away from home.
"I said we would win an away game and perhaps it took that ridiculous performance against Manchester City to give us the impetus. But we can't stop here. We have to build on that now and take it into our next game. Now we know the ingredients we require and we have to take that out in every game."
Laws also spoke about the comments attributed to midfielder Joey Gudjonsson on the eve of the game. "Joey's comments were disappointing," he confirmed. "But unlike the player, we will deal with it professionally.
"This has come from a player who doesn't find himself in and around the squad and finds himself out of the door in terms of not having a contract. It's a cheap shot and we will deal with it on Monday."
Much had been said about the situation in the dressing room during the week leading up to the Hull game, but after the win two of the key players on the day, Michael Duff and captain Graham Alexander, have spoken on the subject.
Duff, a real hero on the day, said: I think we are all together as a team and as a club. It's a good dressing room, the same dressing room as last year when we got promoted.
"There's a lot of speculation just because of results and it's easy to throw things around, but the lads are the same bunch as at the start of the season. We are 100 per cent behind the manager and ourselves about staying in the league."
Alexander, the ice cool penalty taker, added: "We are getting hit every single week and people are trying to split us as a group. We are keeping our own counsel and trying to keep the boys together.
"The whole staff, manager, fans and players are all one group and we don't want anyone to come between that. Whatever other people say from outside we let it go over our heads and we will keep together and strong and hopefully we will have enough come the end of the season.
"There are 25 players in the squad who don't want to let go, and the manager as well. It's his first taste of it and he cares for the club. He wants to get the results as well and we are in it together."
Alexander continued: "The manager spoke to us about playing for your own personal pride and not let people take pot shots at you every week, and I think we showed that we still care for the club and care for our jobs and want to do something this year.
"I think a few home truths were said in the week. We realised we let ourselves down and everyone connected with Burnley down against City and it might have been the best thing for us.
"We came here and went 1-0 down after a couple of minutes but showed we still have the spirit to come back and keep fighting."