Rovers send City bottom as Sellés watches from stands
MUCH TO PONDER: New Hull City head coach Rubén Sellés, second from right, watches from the stands as Blackburn take all three points. Pictures courtesy of Hull City
Hull City 0 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
Sky Bet Championship
MKM Stadium
Attendance: 20,544
By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City Correspondent
A sixth straight defeat for City – yet another in which they failed to score – dumped them at the bottom of the Championship and only served to confirm what we already knew: incoming manager Rubén Sellés sure has his work cut out.
Yet, a week-and-a-half after that dismal Sheffield Wednesday defeat finally put paid to the brief and ruinous reign of Tim Walter, the outlook did look a little brighter ahead of today’s encounter with Blackburn.
The exciting 41-year-old former Reading manager, who had been officially announced the previous day, will take over from caretaker Andy Dawson on Monday, prompting a general air of optimism not felt around the MKM Stadium for quite some time.
But there were some dark clouds still hanging over the pitch, literally and metaphorically, as the match began to play out and the Tigers’ shortcomings were again laid bare, amid howling winds and driving rain courtesy of Storm Darragh blowing in from the west.
The weather having put paid to numerous matches around the country, including the Merseyside derby, there was no risk to this match on the less-affected east side of the country, but the conditions were nevertheless atrocious. City fans were no doubt hoping this would be a leveller between their lowly side and the visiting Rovers knocking on the door of the top six – but when your luck’s down, your luck’s down…
They started proceedings, as they usually do, on the front foot, with Ryan Longman and Kasey Palmer having efforts saved. But in the 20th minute they went behind through a combination of failing to clear their lines and sheer rotten luck.
Ryan Hedges flung the ball in from the left, and City failed to deal with the danger before it fell to Callum Brittain, who powered down the right-hand side of the box and flung in a cross that took a big deflection off Sean McLoughlin and sailed over Ivor Pandur into the back of the net. It was against the run of play, but given the Tigers’ current run of form it left fans wondering, even at this early stage, whether City could find a way back.
There were some lively moments from the Tigers in what would prove to be a far better first half than the second. In the 33rd minute, Abu Kamara had a shot blocked after a good period of pressure that saw a cross-shot from Ryan Giles punched clear by Blackburn keeper Aynsley Pears.
Moments later, a fizzing effort from Kasey Palmer was held at the second attempt by Pears.
It took Blackburn until the 51st minute to find a shot, as the wind began to pick up and make matters difficult for both sides, with even short passes going wayward. But even so, the Tigers appeared to lack any real urgency to get back into the game.
On the hour mark, Gustavo Puerta fired just wide from 20 yards, before frustration among the home fans was clearly audible as City passed up another good opportunity in the box – Chris Bedia had the ball near the penalty spot but seemed to almost be facing the wrong way and couldn’t get a shot out from under his feet.
Moments later, Steven Alzate and Mason Burstow replaced Puerta and Longman.
In the 66th minute, Bedia did well to find himself in space on the left-hand side of the box, but blazed a shot well over the bar.
More changes for City came in the 74th minute as Abdüs Ömür replaced Bedia, and João Pedro came on for Palmer, the latter substitution especially raising a few hackles among the home fans.
There were, by now, quite a few empty seats around the ground, the appalling weather presumably having become too much for some. Well, that, and the fact an equaliser looked like it wasn’t going to come in a month of Sundays.
Neither side was covering themselves in much glory but Rovers could have wrapped things up in the 83rd minute. However, Owen Beck’s shot from the left-hand side of the box – Blackburn’s first and only shot on target – was well held by Pandur, who hadn’t otherwise had a huge amount to do.
Shortly after, Marvin Mehlem replaced Abu Kamara, and in the 87th minute, the Tigers came agonisingly close to levelling. Charlie Hughes wrapped his foot around a loose ball 25 yards out and watched it go inches wide of the left post. This time it wasn’t “boooooo” but “Huuuuuughes” that rang out among the hardy fans still remaining.
As has become the way lately, the Tigers finished the match dominant in all attacking areas – apart from the statistic that mattered. Fourteen shots to Blackburn’s five… six shots on target to Blackburn’s one, nine corners to Blackburn’s two… but it was Blackburn who came away with all three points.
This has been the story of City’s season – and it’s one that Sellés knows he must begin to rewrite – and fast.