Hull City couldn’t back up last weekend’s win over Oxford
A below-par display coupled with some clinical finishing saw Blackburn Rovers claim a 3-0 win at Hull City and inflict a first league defeat on Sergej Jakirovic at the MKM Stadium.
Despite a poor start, City could have had three goals in the space of a couple of minutes but were punished when Ryan Hedges slotted in a well-taken opener after just 18 minutes.
The contest was taken away from City inside the first five minutes of the second half when Yuki Ohashi tapped in from Hedges’ cross, and moments later, the best player on the pitch, Todd Cantwell, made it 3-0 after Ivor Pandur palmed a cross into his path.
Here’s how Tigers reporter Barry Cooper rated the players at the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon….
Ivor Pandur: Did he go down to quickly for the opening goal? Beaten for the second and palmed the ball out for the third. Not his best afternoon. 5/10
Ryan Giles: Not an afternoon he’ll want to remember. A collectively poor defensive display all over the pitch. He’s been excellent since coming back, so Giles willm be desperate for a response next weekend. 5/10
Cathal McCarthy: A senior debut for the 18-year-old who has impressed in a big way since joining the academy in the summer and understandably looked nervous on, and off the ball, in the first period. Got caught by the run for the opener. A tough debut but a proud moment and one he should look back on with immense pride. 5/10
John Egan: Skipper for the day in the absence of both Charlie Hughes and Lewie Coyle and will have been disappointed with the ease of the first goal. 5/10
Cody Drameh: Caught out by the run of Hedges for the opening goal and never really got going on an afternoon to forget. 5/10
Regan Slater: Back in the side at the expense of the injured Matt Crooks and took 11 minutes before he got fed up with Todd Cantwell’s antics and got himself a booking for his troubles. 5/10
John Lundstram: Hugely important tackle to stop Rovers pushing forward looking for a second. Harshly punished at the start of the second half which led to their second. 5/10
Kasey Palmer: Couldn’t have much of an impact in the first half until a shot was blocked behind on the stroke of half-time. Hauled off after the break. 5/10
Joe Gelhardt: One of City’s better performers in a poor first half. His corner created the opening for McBurnie. One of those days where nothing came off. 6/10
Joel Ndala: Lively first half, always willing to get on the ball and go forward. Saw a goal-bound shot well saved. Deserved his applause when he came off. 6/10
Oli McBurnie: Grappled with McLoughlin from the kick-off, and that continued. Had a good header well saved from Gelhardt’s corner. That was as good as it got. They couldn’t get him in the game after that early flurry. Still managed a flare-up with McLoughlin after the full-time whistle. 6/10
Subs:
Kyle Joseph (for Palmer 55): Saw a shot blocked from Lundstram’s pass into the box, inside left. Not much else to report. 5/10
David Akintola (for Ndala 67): Couldn’t sort his feet out at the back post when Gelhardt’s cross fizzed into him at pace. Looked off the pace. 5/10
Mohamed Belloumi (for Slater 84): Fantastic to see him back, and he even had a couple of neat touches and a trademark mazy run. A major positive on an otherwise forgettable day. 6/10
Brandon Williams (for Gelhardt 84): A huge moment for the ex-Manchester United youngster. His first Championship appearance since December 2023, and hopefully, the first of many. 6/10
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