Hornets sting Tigers with wonder goal as Jaden misses from the spot
AGONY: City goalscorer Scott Twine feels the pain. Pictures courtesy of Hull City
Hull City 1 - 2 Watford
Sky Bet Championship
MKM Stadium
Attendance: 20,057
By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City Correspondent
A 40-yard wonder goal was the difference between Hull City and Watford as the Tigers missed a chance to edge up to fifth in the Championship.
In an entertaining contest on a bitterly cold afternoon at the MKM Stadium, there was little to separate the two teams until the 74th minute when Hornets captain Wesley Hoedt spotted Tigers keeper Ryan Allsop off his line, had a pop at goal, and was probably as stunned as anyone when he saw it go in.
Liam Rosenior had fielded an unchanged side from that which swatted aside lowly Rotherham 4-1 on Tuesday night, and it looked like another early opening goal was on the cards after a header from Tyler Morton inside the first minute forced a save from Ben Hamer, who had to react quickly to bat it away.
Four minutes later, it was Watford who went on the attack, as it became clear from the off that the Hornets (unlike some of the Tigers’ recent home opposition) were no slouches. Ismael Koné shot over from about ten yards, but really should have hit the target.
Three minutes later, the Hornets did hit the target. After another dangerous period of pressure, a great cut-back from Jamal Lewis near the byline found Edo Kayembe completely unmarked about 12 yards out. From the moment the ball left his foot, it looked like it was heading towards the back of the net.
Not a great start for the Tigers – but they hit back almost immediately. Liam Delap went on a surging run into the area and was closed down by Lewis and Hoedt – but Scott Twine was there to pounce on the loose ball, and beat Hamer with a unstoppable right-foot shot from the edge of the area.
Watford were looking most dangerous down the left, though, and in the 17th minute Kayembe shot over from a cross by Koné.
In the 21st minute, Twine was at the heart of a Tigers counterattack which saw Delap surge forward again, before backheeling it to Jaden Philogene, whose powerful 20-yard shot forced another good save from Hamer.
The half-hour came and went, and Ryan Porteous did well to challenge Lewie Coyle advancing in the area before the Watford defender clashed with Twine.
Philogene shot wide in the 38th minute after taking it upon himself on the edge of the area and dancing around his markers, when most other players in a similar situation would have offloaded the ball.
Just before half-time, a curling 18-yard effort from Koné was kept out by Allsop diving to his left.
A minute into the second half, Watford were awarded a free kick, but the set-piece opportunity culminated in Hoedt swinging and shooting high and wide. The Tigers fans in the South Stand jeered at the Row-Z effort… but of course it was Hoedt who would have the last laugh.
A few minutes later, Philogene was on the charge again, played in by a brilliant through-ball from Jean Michael Seri, but his shot went wide after a key interception from Hoedt.
As the half wore on, the North Stand began bouncing to a rendition of “Jump up if you’re Hull City” – which was one way to keep warm in the sub-zero temperatures.
In the 55th minute, following a promising City attack, Philogene lay prone on the ground and play was halted as he received treatment. He eventually recovered and was led to the touchline before being allowed to shake it off and re-enter the fray, to the relief of every Tigers fan in the ground – an injury lay-off for this young emerging superstar would be simply unthinkable.
However, just a few minutes later, Philogene was to blot his copybook. After ex-Tiger Jake Livermore tripped Jacob Greaves in the area and conceded a penalty, Philogene stepped up to take the spot-kick… but it was a weak one, and Hamer saved relatively comfortably to his right in front of the anguished fans in the North Stand.
Shortly afterwards, Twine was allowed to turn and shoot inside the area – but it was Philogene who got in the way of it – before Delap fired inches wide from about 18 yards, as the tempo around the stadium raised up a notch.
Rosenior made his first changes of the afternoon in the 64th minute as Regan Slater and Ozan Tufan replaced Seri and Jason Lokilo, three minutes before Philogene shot a few yards wide, played in by Slater.
A couple of minutes later, at the other end, Lewis drew a leaping save from Allsop from inside the area – a reminder, were it needed, that this was still very much anyone’s game despite the Tigers enjoying by far the greater share of possession and chances.
And, frustratingly for City, the game would turn out to be Watford’s, after the Tigers were undone by one of those truly once-in-a-season – once-in-a-career, even – moments.
From a pass by Morton, Delap gave up possession of the ball to Hoedt on the halfway line, and the Watford captain turned, advanced, and spotted Allsop off his line from all of 40 yards. His audacious chip sailed over the City keeper, who could only watch as it landed in the bottom corner of the net.
It was met by deathly silence all around the home stands, and even the Watford fans seemed to take a second to register what had just happened. And rightly so. It was quite simply unbelievable – a freak occurrence… which is not to denigrate Hoedt’s skill, but 99 times out of 100 those pot-shots don’t come off.
City did their best to bag the equaliser, with Philogene and Delap coming close in the dying minutes – but it was just not to be.
The cliché “on another day” was doing some heavy lifting in the post-match press conferences – but as clichés do, it contains a ring of truth. It wasn’t remotely a bad performance – Rosenior insisted the Tigers were “by far” the better team and the stats back this up.
But for that bonkers moment it would have finished all square, which would have been a fair outcome, really. However – and here’s another cliché – that’s football…