Chillo honoured but Bruce turns the tables on Tigers

Pictures by Hull City

Hull City 0 - 2 West Brom

Sky Bet Championship

By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City correspondent

Last Saturday, the Tigers were victorious against former manager Grant McCann, but the tables were turned today as the man seen by most as the greatest-ever Hull City boss left the MKM Stadium celebrating a long-overdue away win for West Brom.

Ahead of kick-off, there could hardly have been a dry eye in the newly named Chris Chilton Stand as a rousing poetic rendition by Hull-born dramatist Barrie Rutter paid tribute to the Tigers’ all-time top goalscorer. In a heartwarming show of unity – and, boy, don’t we need that right now – it was a joint appreciation of Chilton and Baggies legend Jeff Astle, the family of whom supported Chilton’s family in his final days.

The renaming of the stand, along with the Chillo-branded advertising hoardings and the retro-inspired ‘222’ matchday programme cover, was just another act in a long line of fan-focused things the club are getting so very right at the moment, following a decade of petty wrongs. Now all we need is for things to go right on the pitch – but that’s still not happening, at least not with any sort of consistency.

Standing in the Tigers’ way this afternoon was the familiar figure of Steve Bruce, this time in the opposition technical area, and another name who drew a smattering of warm applause when the West Brom team was read out was former City midfielder Jake Livermore.

The first real moment of danger for the Tigers came just after 10 minutes when an in-swinging corner from Semi Ajayi found Conor Townsend at the back post, forcing a save from Matt Ingram, and Jacob Greaves cleared the rebound. West Brom continued to press, and Ingram was called on again five minutes later to kick out a shot from Karlan Grant.

Two minutes later, in the 17th minute, the Baggies made that pressure count when Alex Mowatt floated in a cross from right of centre about 20 yards out, and Grant just got ahead of the crowded penalty area to poke it in from close range. Yet again, City were trailing to a side that hadn’t won away in quite some time – since December 4, in West Brom’s case.

And, like the previous home match against Barnsley, City had barely got into Albion’s half until a free kick in their own box led to a rare move upfield, and then a corner in the 25th minute, although it came to nothing. Moments later, a deflected shot from Richie Smallwood from about 18 yards out fell to Keane Lewis-Potter – making his 100th appearance in Black and Amber – but he blazed well over. The best, and, let’s face it, only chance for the Tigers thus far.

As the half drew to a close, City began to look a bit more lively, and the packed Chris Chilton Stand responded in kind. In the 37th minute, Lewis-Potter hit a lovely curling shot from about 25 yards that Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone did well to push away to his left, and then KLP had another go from a similar position a minute later, but this time it went well over.

In the 40th minute Johnstone pulled off a terrific one-handed save to stop a powerful header from Tyler Smith, and three minutes later George Honeyman (not remotely near his best today) picked out Lewis-Potter with a great cross from deep, and the latter slid it across the face of goal to Smith, but it was scrambled out for a corner.

However, City undid all this good work and started the second half in the worst possible way. As Albion made a swift advance into City’s box just a couple of minutes after kick-off, Greaves clumsily hauled down Gardner-Hickman. No controversy here – the referee blew his whistle immediately, showed Greaves a yellow card, and Grant stepped up to take the spot-kick. He put it coolly to Ingram’s left – 0-2, and City were once more in pretty big trouble in front of a pretty big home crowd.

The Tigers were getting bogged down, and drifting aimlessly. Changes were needed, and, this time, Shota Arveladze didn’t wait too long before making them. “Eeeeeeeeeeeaves” echoed around the East Stand as City’s number 9 began to ready himself for action in the 63rd minute, along with Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, making way for Greg Docherty and Tyler Smith.

Shortly afterwards Greaves very nearly redeemed himself as his cross flashed in front of Tom Eaves and across the face of goal, and winning a corner – following an appeal to the referee who had initially given a goal kick. Once again, it came to nothing, but it demonstrated a bit of sorely needed attacking intent that fired up the home crowd a little.

But the game felt lost long before Eaves headed well over in the 80th minute; there was little killer instinct in any of the few clear-cut attacking movements City could put together. As the attendance – 13,623 – was read out over the PA for the first time in years, the Tigers applied a bit of late pressure, but a shot from Eaves eight yards out in the 85th minute sailed well over again. Grant drew a good save from Ingram a couple of minutes before time, averting further humiliation.

About the best thing you could say about this match was that it wasn’t quite as bad as Barnsley. But yet again, we’ve taken one step forward and two steps back, and City’s pledge to reopen the West Stand Upper for the Luton match on March 19 looks perhaps a little premature. Before this, though, there are two away trips that could prove crucial in determining whether those stay-away fans flock back, as they promised they would…