Christie the hero as back-to-back home wins ignite Tigers’ play-off hopes
Pictures courtesy of Hull City
Hull City 1 - 0 Cardiff City
Sky Bet Championship
MKM Stadium
Attendance: 16,584
By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City Correspondent
After swatting aside QPR 3-0 at home last week, the Tigers made relatively heavy weather of seeing off relegation candidates Cardiff to register back-to-back home wins for the first time since the beginning of the season.
The spectre of TypicalCity was always going to hang over this one – after the heady heights of last week, surely City would easily roll over a side that hadn’t won in 12 matches? But we all know that’s not how it works.
And indeed, the Tigers hardly sprang out of the blocks today – it took about 10 minutes before the North Stand was roused by a trio of excellent chances right in front of them.
Firstly, a shot from Regan Slater, to the left of the goal, took a deflection or two and bounced back off the post into the arms of grateful Bluebirds keeper Ryan Allsop.
Just under four minutes later, Cardiff’s goal was under siege for a time as Cyrus Christie’s shot from the right flashed across the six-yard area, with Connolly among those inches away from connecting with it. From the corner, the Bluebirds failed to clear, and Alfie Jones headed just over from about eight yards.
The sum total of Cardiff’s efforts thus far had comprised a couple of long-range free kicks, the second of which, taken by Callum Robinson, went wide in the 18th minute.
Five minutes later, though, Cardiff were handed the best chance they would have to snatch an improbable lead.
As Callum Elder chased down Jaden Philogene towards the byline, he fouled him just inside the corner of the penalty area. The referee instantly pointed to the spot, as the home crowd fell deathly silent in disbelief. Elder, though, could have no complaints – it was a foul, despite the fact that Philogene had drawn him into it.
Robinson stepped up to take the kick… and it was saved by Ingram, diving low to his right.
Cue jubilation and relief among the home fans, as Cardiff going ahead this early was not in the script. It would have been against the run of play, to say the least. It wasn’t a bad penalty, either – but it lacked power and gave Ingram crucial seconds to get down and keep it out.
City began to get bogged down a bit as the half wore on, with little in the way of clear-cut chances – Ozan Tufan got a foot to the ball about 12 yards out in the 35th minute, but it could hardly be called a shot, and it ran straight through to Allsop.
There was another penalty shout at the North Stand end a minute or so later as Aaron Connolly felt he’d been fouled, but the referee waved away the Tigers’ appeals.
In the 42nd minute, a lovely curling ball from Regan Slater found Connolly in the area but, again, he could only shoot tamely at the keeper.
City had allowed Cardiff to grow into the game somewhat, as they finished the half the stronger, forcing a couple of corners. As injury time was announced, Philogene saw his shot deflected out.
The Tigers started the second half with far more purpose, spending much of the first few minutes in Cardiff’s area, and in the 48th minute Tufan shot wide from a corner.
In the 53rd minute a lovely pass from Jean Michael Seri picked out Christie, and he curled the ball just wide of the far post.
As the hour approached, City were making attacking in-roads, but not doing much to trouble Allsop. The pace was fairly pedestrian, relaxed, even – but the North Stand were in good spirits, blithely chanting Oscar’s name in the absence of any real action.
But then, at last, in the 62nd minute, the deadlock was broken – and the fans were in full, ear-splitting voice once more.
As Slater, in the area, was being pushed back out, he put a ball forward to Christie, who was in yards of space on the right-hand side of the area. As the Cardiff defenders crowded around him, he weaved right, then left, and struck a brilliant left-footed shot into the left corner of the net. Almost a carbon copy of his previous effort. If at first you don’t succeed…
Cardiff, though, knew they were still not out of the game, and they enjoyed a good spell of pressure, during which Ryan Wintle’s 20-yard effort was deflected over in the 76th minute.
Jones did well to hold off the Cardiff substitute Kion Etete as he advanced into the area in the 83rd minute.
Things were looking ever so slightly dicey for City as the clock ticked down, and with two minutes of normal time to go, the North Stand fans had their hearts in the mouths as a mix-up in the six-yard area between Jones and Ingram nearly let in Sory Kaba from point-blank range.
Six more minutes were added – which became nine after an injury to City substitute Ryan Longman – as the Bluebirds mounted a desperate last-ditch bid for the equaliser. Etete and Kaba both missed the target before the whistle finally blew.
And for the second time in a row, the matchday DJ dusted off that underplayed Andy Williams record again. Up to 12th… only four points off the play-offs. Dare we dream?