Stoppage-time heartbreak for City
Pictures courtesy of Hull City
Hull City 0 - 1 Middlesbrough
Sky Bet Championship
MKM Stadium
Attendance: 21,585
By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City Correspondent
City’s first match of 2025 ended in late, late heartbreak after they had withstood a second-half Middlesbrough bombardment until all but the last 30 seconds.
It was a deserved victory by the visitors, who could have been two or three up before they finally hit the winner, but the woodwork and some brilliant stops by Tigers keeper Ivor Pandur kept it unfathomably scoreless until the very end.
Ahead of kick-off, City legend Stuart Elliot was inducted into City’s Hall of Fame. How the current team desperately needs someone of his creativity and ingenuity! Some may say that even Elliot, 48, would still have more pace and vision than a few of his younger counterparts…
The Tigers started this match fairly well, dominating possession for about the first 20 minutes – but they gradually allowed Boro to grow into the game to the point that, in the second half, they were quite simply under siege.
It was Boro who had the first chance of note after Sean McLoughlin lost possession the area, claiming a foul – but it wasn’t given and Finn Azaz was free to put it over from about eight yards.
The sold-out away following were loudly questioning the nature of the home support, and they maybe had a point – but, as we know, it takes a spark from the Tigers to get their fans going. There may have been a fair few New Year fireworks going off in the distance, but the blue touchpaper on the pitch remained largely unlit.
A few minutes later, though, a good attacking spell – which resulted in City’s first corner – did raise the volume a bit. Lewie Coyle saw a shot blocked before Boro keeper Thomas Glover rose and flapped dramatically at a cross from Steven Alzate.
In doing so, he clashed with teammate Lukas Engel, who remained on the turf for quite some time. Engel was eventually led to the touchline, walking somewhat gingerly, before shaking it off and continuing.
Just as he was doing so, Dan Barlaser was booked for a foul on Gustavo Puerta 30 yards out, but Adbüş Ömür’s free kick evaded everyone and went behind for a goal kick.
A brief surge forwards by the visitors was stopped by a superb intervention by Cody Drameh in the left corner of the penalty area. He switched it to Coyle who played in Puerta, and then to Mason Burstow, but his shot was blocked. Alzate then shot wide.
At the other end, Azaz saw another effort go over the bar in the 25th minute, moments before a foul by Burstow resulted in a free kick about 25 yards out on the right. It was Barlaser who swung it into the area but it was half-cleared, only for the Tigers to concede a corner. Pandur punched it away, but was fouled in the process, allowing City to breathe just a little.
However, Boro were starting to get the upper hand as the half-hour approached. They came close when Emmanuel Latte Lath fired straight at Pandur from the left side of the area, with Isaiah Jones unmarked in front of the City keeper.
In the 34th minute, Riley McGree evaded his markers and was allowed to unleash a curling shot which was brilliantly tipped over by Pandur.
A few minutes later, Anfernee Dijksteel made a storming run into the area before Hayden Hackney’s shot was blocked and out for a corner.
Half-time couldn’t come soon enough for the Tigers, who were beginning to look somewhat overrun. As three minutes of added time was called, a hooked clearance by Alzate halted another Boro attack.
Rubén Sellés made a couple of changes at the break, with Ryan Giles replacing Puerta and Xavier Simons coming on for Drameh.
Moments after the restart, a cross from Azaz fizzed past everyone.
In the 50th minute, Latte Lath shot from 18 yards just as the offside flag was raised – and it went just wide, to the derision of the fans in the North Stand behind. Still, though, it was a reminder of the threat from Boro – and, more to the point, the lack of it at the other end.
Then a great ball in by Engel was flicked wide by Isaiah Jones and then off Giles for a corner. It was taken by Barlaser but went straight out of play.
Pandur had a few hearts in mouths as a bit of nifty footwork saw him beat (well, OK, stumble past) a couple of defenders before hastily clearing. But Boro were really turning the screw now, and you couldn’t really see where a Tigers goal was going to come from.
Another corner for Boro in the 57th minute was headed clear, but they soon won it back, before play was halted as Abu Kamara replaced Ömür.
Kamara was almost immediately wrestled off the ball as he attempted to race down the right – but no free kick was given, much to the anger of the home fans.
Seconds later he did manage to get down the line and play in Simons, who advanced towards the D but curled a shot well over.
In the 65th minute, Kamara did well to forge down the wing again after being played in by the bullish João Pedro – but there was little to nothing in the way of support up front and Kamara could only roll it tamely into the hands of Glover.
A couple of minutes later, a more orchestrated attack appeared on the cards as Giles powered forward, but Burstow was caught offside. This was slightly better from City, in terms of possession and intent… but still mightily frustrating.
In the 69th minute, Ben Doak – City’s main tormentor in their match at the Riverside just over a month ago – entered the action, while Pedro was replaced by Chris Bedia.
Two minutes later, only the woodwork saved the Tigers from conceding as a shot from Hackney from the edge of the area cannoned off the right post and, fortunately, outwards.
This precipitated what seemed like an endless session of pinball around the Tigers area as they came under severe bombardment by Boro.
In the 73rd minute, as the relentless pressure continued, Pandur turned away a shot from substitute Delano Burgzorg that looked like it was going just wide of the right post – still, though, it was a good stop from a keeper not taking any risks.
Seconds later came another brilliant one-handed stop – this time from Azaz, Pandur flying to his right to put it behind. Pandur palmed away the corner, but still Boro pressed and then Alzate conceded a free kick about 20 yards out on the right.
Barlaser squared it to Azaz and again they pinged it around the edge of the 18-yard area, before a wayward pass from Burgzorg went out for a goal kick and at last came a few moments of respite for the Tigers.
Burstow was then replaced by Burstow with just over 10 minutes to go. Could the Tigers hang on? They won a corner, as the home fans implored them on.
A foul on Vaughan resulted in a free kick, taken by Giles, about 25 yards out – but it floated over everyone in the box and out.
In the 82nd minute, the ball fell to Bedia who decided to take it on himself instead of playing it across to Kamara… a few misplaced passes later, and the threat was snuffed out. However, the Tigers came forward again and won another corner after Regan Slater’s shot was blocked. This was almost approaching something of a purple patch. It would have been nothing short of hilarious if they had actually scored at this point, let’s face it.
Boro cleared the danger and Doak picked it up and raced down the right. The lively Vaughan then took him clean out, earning himself a booking and instant admiration from the home fans, who began chanting his name.
It looked like the Tigers were going to hang on for one of the most unlikely points you’d ever be likely to see – but they were let down right at the death by some characteristically woeful defending.
Burgzorg was given free rein to charge down the left wing and into the box, before popping a cross over to fellow substitute Alex Gilbert. Despite being surrounded by a clutch of defenders, he put it past Pandur… and the Boro contingent in the North Stand exploded.
Had the winner come midway through the second half it would have been easier to take, as goal had been on the cards practically all night long. But, of course, the fact the Tigers were so close from snatching a point against all odds makes it all the more gutting.
They showed spirit at times, but this alone doesn’t win matches. It remains painfully clear that this is a side that lacks quality, especially in the final third, and January is set to be a make-or-break month if City are to break free from the relegation zone. Don’t panic, everyone, we’ve only got Leeds on Saturday…