Walter on the brink? City lose again to the Baggies
Pictures courtesy of Hull City
Hull City 1 - 2 West Brom
Sky Bet Championship
MKM Stadium
Attendance: 20,538
By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City Correspondent
Hull City’s winless streak continued at home to West Brom as, despite a spirited second half, they couldn’t overturn the visitors’ early brace – heaping yet more pressure on beleaguered manager Tim Walter.
On this Remembrance Day fixture, a video was shown before the match – the 1pm kick-off likely meaning that the usual standard-bearers were unable to attend given that they had been otherwise engaged in commemorations in the city centre. The Last Post was followed by a very-well observed minute’s silence, fans clearly heeding the club’s pleas not to applaud.
This match looked like it could be something of a borefest, given both sides’ indifferent form and lack of goals – West Brom had not won in eight matches, and City were without a victory in the past six.
Indeed, both teams started the match fairly quietly and there was really nothing much to speak of in the opening stages. In the 10th minute, Gustavo Puerta fouled Alex Mowatt about 25 yards out in a central position. The free kick was taken short and worked towards goal, but City were able to clear.
However, seconds later, West Brom did have the ball in the back of the net. Karlan Grant ran into the box from the left and fired towards goal – and it took a huge deflection off Alfie Jones and past a wrong-footed Ivor Pandur into the net.
It was an early blow that blew a hole in what little atmosphere there was around the ground, proving, as ever, that fans need something to respond to. Good games make for good atmospheres – and right about now, this didn’t look like being a good game…
That said – soon after, the Tigers really could and should have been level, as Xavier Simons rattled the crossbar from about ten yards out, briefly raising the tempo among the home fans.
But any hopes of an immediate response rapidly began to fade in the 18th minute as the visitors doubled their lead.
Mikey Johnstone got past Mason Burstow on the left and did well to put the ball back in from the byline. Darnell Furlong headed towards goal, and then Josh Maja popped up at the back post to plant in a header from close range. City’s players pleaded for offside, but the goal was given – and rightly so, as Maja had spotted the opportunity and timed his run perfectly, clearly onside when the ball was played.
In the 35th minute, João Pedro headed wide from a good cross by Regan Slater as City began to look slightly more lively, but this really wasn’t saying all that much.
A couple of minutes later, a big chance for the Baggies – which had come directly from City losing possession while playing out from the back – prompted some boos from the home fans who were beginning to lose their patience.
In the 38th minute, Lewie Coyle had a shot blocked. There was still time for City to save this – and perhaps Walters’ career with the Tigers? – and, sure enough, two minutes later the deficit was halved.
Played in by an inch-perfect cross from Charlie Hughes on the right, Pedro made no mistake this time, leaping into the air and glancing a beautiful header over the keeper. The Tigers were back in it, and suddenly the home fans were back onside. As the players went in for the half-time break, there was cheering instead of what would have almost certainly have been loud booing ringing out all around.
The Tigers had the first clear-cut chance of the second half, Burstow’s long-range daisy-cutter being easily claimed by Palmer in the 49th minute. The West Brom keeper had to be a little more alert a couple of minutes later as a looping cross from Burstow went all the way through and nearly wrong-footed him.
Another great chance fell to Slater in the 58th minute – however, from a great cross by Abdüş Ömür, he put his header over, and then angrily kicked the post.
City were having the better of the second half, but as ever they were struggling to make it count. The fans were making a bit of noise, too – Walter could hardly accuse them of not getting behind the team when it mattered.
In the 67th minute, West Brom nearly extended their lead through a brilliant overhead kick by Torbjørn Heggem that seemed to come out of nowhere, but was kept out by an equally brilliant reflex save by Pandur.
Then Ryan Longman – who spent last season on loan at Millwall – entered the field for the first time this season, replacing Burstow. Shortly after, he did well to hold on to the ball and put a cross in for Pedro in the area, but it was cleared just before he could connect with it.
As the last ten minutes approached, this was better stuff from City, but that cutting edge was sorely lacking. Over and over again the fans could be heard shouting, “Shoooooot!!” but no shot was forthcoming, and much of the passing was sideways, around the 18-yard area. A pass-back from Simons to Pandur at one point was met with audible frustration from the home stands.
Just after the Tigers won a corner in the 81st minute, Simons was replaced by Kasey Palmer – and then Puerta’s corner kick went straight into the hands of Alex Palmer.
Five minutes’ added time was announced – moments before Kasey Palmer was fouled by Heggem on the right-hand corner of the area. Ömür went for goal, and Alex Palmer had to push it away, but soon after the threat was snuffed out.
With under two minutes to go, the Tigers pushed forward again, and Pedro headed a few yards over from close range – but then the final whistle blew and that was that. More boos from the stands… and the fans continuing to wonder where all of this is going.
City have had some rotten luck lately, it must be said, with Liam Millar and then Mohamed Belloumi being sidelined with ACL injuries – but it’s difficult to see where the goals are coming from and, as the Tigers lie 19th with only four goals in the last seven matches, something needs to change soon. It’s understood that Acun Ilicali continues to back Walter, so whether today’s result prompts a change of heart remains to be seen.