Last-gasp Tigers stun Robins as Seri sends fans into raptures

Pictures by Hull City

Hull City 2 - 1 Bristol City

Sky Bet Championship

MKM Stadium

Attendance: 16,667

By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City correspondent

Many are expecting this season to be a rollercoaster ride – and, after an event-filled season-opener at the MKM Stadium that saw the Tigers overturn a first-half deficit, it looks like they’ll be right. 

With Shota Arveladze’s new-look squad spanning 11 nations, including first-team debutants Tobias Figueiredo, Ozan Tufan, Óscar Estupiñán and Jean Michaël Seri, there were questions as to whether they’d had time enough in pre-season to gel, especially given the early start due to the winter World Cup. Perhaps not quite, despite the victory, but there were many positives to draw from this beginning-proper of the new era under Acun Ilicali, both on and off the field.

As this much-anticipated match got under way, first there was applause – for former Tigers player-manager Terry Neill, who died earlier this week aged 80. Then, a huge roar, from the biggest opening-season crowd since 2016, with the sold-out allocation of City fans returning to the North Stand, and the East and South all but full too.

Bristol City nearly burst the Tigers’ bubble just four minutes in, though, as Matt Ingram had to pull off a superb diving save to his right to keep out Matty James’s header, from a pinpoint cross into the area by Mark Sykes.

In the opening stages there wasn’t much Black-and-Amber action to speak of in front of that packed-out North Stand, until Estupiñán nearly latched on to a through ball about 20 yards out. Minutes later, after being played in by Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, the Colombian international was almost in a position to toe-poke it past Daniel Bentley in the six-yard area, but the Bristol keeper was able to get there first and smother the ball.

Just after the quarter-hour mark, Jacob Greaves and Estupiñán both had penalty appeals waved away, as the North Stand exploded in a mass of angry limbs. From here on the volume was turned up a notch, and the Tigers enjoyed a period of play in the Bristol City half, winning four corners, three of those in quick succession.

But it was Bristol City who drew first blood in the 30th minute, after Seri conceded what many City fans saw as a soft a free-kick on the left-hand side, about mid-way into the Tigers half. Kai Naismith punted it long, towards the right-hand side of the area, from which Zak Vyner nodded it back across goal. The Tigers were caught napping as Andreas Weimann was first to pounce from close-range.

But even at 0-1 it somehow didn’t feel like the same old story. Heads didn’t go down, and the Tigers continued to press.

On 36 minutes, Estupiñán was nearly in again, but Bentley spotted him in good time and came out to meet him before he could get the shot in, and a couple of goalmouth scrambles seconds before half-time saw Estupiñán, Sayyadmanesh and Tufan all have shots blocked.

City’s best chance of the game thus far came in the 53rd minute when Alfie Jones, advancing down the right, cut the ball back in the direction of Seri. His brilliant dummy saw him step over the ball and leave it for Tufan, who thundered a shot against the right-hand post.

This seemed to put a bit of fire in the Tigers’ bellies, and, roared on by that deafening North Stand – making the East sound quiet by comparison – they began to put down roots in Bristol City’s half, before, in the 63rd minute, another international debutant entered the fray – Ghana’s Benjamin Tetteh.

In the 69th minute, during a brief break by Bristol City, substitute Tommy Conway could have done better when he shot over.

Moments later, though, the Tigers were back in the game – thanks to Tetteh, who, in the middle of the box, drew a foul from Naismith. Penalty to City.

Tufan stepped up… and hammered it into the back of the net – 1-1 it was, and it would be the former Fenerbahçe man’s last act of the game, as he was replaced by Greg Docherty, leaving the field to a standing ovation.  

Both teams were now in search of the winning goal, and Bristol’s Jay Dasilva nearly found it when he flashed a shot wide four minutes from time. Moments later, Robins substitute Kane Wilson made a powerful run down the middle, trying to play in Conway, but the Tigers managed to snuff out the danger.

Six nervy minutes of added time ensued, during which Ingram batted away a goal-line effort from Weimann – but it was Seri who sent the home fans into raptures.

As the Tigers advanced again, Bristol attempted to clear Callum Elder’s long throw, but it fell to Seri about 25 yards out in a central position. His shot took a wicked deflection and flew past the wrong-footed Bentley. What a turnaround – the MKM Stadium was rocking, the noise from all sides ear-splitting.

At times, especially in the first half, it did feel a little like the team whose shirts bore the logo of new sponsor Corendon Airlines, were taxiing round in circles – but, after this morale-boosting first home victory, let’s hope they’re about ready for take-off.