Wilks seals points as Tigers bag priceless win
ECSTATIC: City players celebrate breaking the deadlock against Middlesbrough. Picture credit: Hull City
Hull City 2 - 0 Middlesbrough
Sky Bet Championship
By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City correspondent
Grant McCann rang the changes and was at last rewarded with his first Championship win in front of home fans in nearly two years – a hard-fought victory that hauled them out of the bottom three.
In fact, he had made five alterations to the teamsheet – most notably, answering the prayers of quite a few City fans and commentators who had said he could do much worse than start Tom Eaves (Tuesday night’s super-sub) and Tyler Smith up front.
Richie Smallwood returned as captain, while the suspension of Lewie Coyle gave Josh Emmanuel an opportunity to start, and Di’Shon Bernard also returned to the starting 11.
The reshuffled Tigers certainly started with more drive and purpose, with what looked like a far more joined-up approach, and Boro keeper Joe Lumley had more to do in the opening 25 minutes than his counterpart Matt Ingram.
In the sixth minute, Keane Lewis-Potter was fouled by Marcus Tavernier on the edge of the box, but the resulting free kick was smashed straight into the side netting by George Moncur. A couple of minutes later, Bernard saw his deflected 25-yard shot well collected by Lumley.
As the swirling rain became heavier and the sky ever darker, the floodlights came on after about 20 minutes and instantly lifted the gloom, to ironic cheers from the 3,500 Boro fans packing out the North Stand; it almost lent the occasion the feel of a night match.
And indeed, in the 27th minute, it was shades of last Tuesday night when, despite a promising start, City came so near to yet again conceding the first goal against the run of play - but Tavernier shot wide of the left post from close range.
Boro weren’t getting that much of a look-in as City soaked up much of the possession, but on 39 minutes Andraž Šporar, played in by Tavernier, shot well high and wide from about 15 yards, when he should really have at least tested Ingram.
YOU BEAUTY! Mallik Wilks skids across the turf after sealing the points with a late goal. Picture credit: Hull City
As the break approached, Jacob Greaves found himself in space 20 yards out, but shot well over.
Septuagenarian Neil Warnock – a mere 29 years older than McCann - won’t have been overly happy with his side’s performance in the first half, and whatever he told them at half-time seemed to have an impact as Boro controlled the opening 15 minutes or so after the re-start.
Though Ingram wasn’t tested, the Tigers defence had more than a few nervy moments around the six-yard area.
In the 65th minute, Boro really should have been ahead after Duncan Watmore broke free following an attacking spell by the Tigers, and, challenged by Bernard, picked out Tavernier, who was through on goal – but he squandered his best chance yet, hitting it well over into the Boro crowd.
Two minutes later, Šporar saw an even better chance go begging when, one on one with Ingram, he shot inches wide of the right post. These were two huge let-offs for City – but they responded instantly as Eaves broke clear; he sliced his long-range shot over, though.
As the rain continued to hammer down, Ingram saved City’s bacon in the 75th minute, diving low to his right to deny Paddy McNair. But as the Tigers went on the counter-attack, McNair was booked for a foul on Lewis-Potter just outside the area.
It was end-to-end stuff - surely there was a goal in this? And there was.
At long, long last, first blood went to the Tigers in the 81st minute when Eaves played in Lewis-Potter, whose volley hit the right-hand post, and went in off the back of Lumley. It’ll go down as an own goal by the Boro keeper, but KLP will claim the moral victory.
ON TARGET: Keane Lewis-Potter pursued by his team-mates after his shot was deflected in. Picture credit: Hull City
It was “100 per cent” his goal, Emmanuel joked afterwards.
On 86 minutes, City gave away a free kick 25 yards out, which was beautifully lofted over Ingram and in by McNair. Except it didn’t count, as the referee had already blown his whistle before McNair hit the ball.
Take two – could lightning strike twice? Thankfully for City, no. This time, he hit it well over.
Just as five agonising minutes of injury time began, Ingram pushed a shot from Šporar behind for a corner, but just wasn’t to be Boro’s day.
In the 93rd minute, substitute Mallik Wilks found himself onside with only Eaves for company. There was a moment when fans must have wondered whether his decision to take it on himself, instead of sliding the ball left to the completely free Eaves, was a selfish move.
Maybe it was – but it didn’t matter, as this time Wilks (who’d fluffed quite a few changes on Tuesday) made no mistake and wrapped up the game at 2-0. No dubious goals committee needed for that one.
It’s fair to say that the Boro fans didn’t take it all that well. Objects were thrown on the pitch in the dying seconds, and you had to fear for the Northern trains cleaners as they made their way back to Teesside.
They could have won it 3-0, and Warnock will be wondering why they didn’t. But for the first time in a long time, it was City who rode their luck and they head into the international break on a high.