The Tigers head to the West Country looking for a rare success this weekend
Ryan Giles says it’s crucial Hull City deliver a suitable response when they face Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Saturday, looking to banish the demons of their defeat to Blackburn Rovers.
The Tigers had been unbeaten in their opening two league games but were thumped 3-0 by Rovers, who hadn’t claimed a point before their arrival on the banks of the Humber.
City’s squad may well have been feeling the impact of a sickness bug which ripped through the camp in the days before the game, but Giles says there were no excuses, and now, it’s about bouncing back.
“It’s a difficult afternoon,” the full-back told Hull Live. “There’s no excuses from our perspective; we simply weren’t good enough. I just felt like, as a team, we probably weren’t at it, didn’t have the energy we probably had last week, for whatever reason, that is, I don’t know, but we just have to go away and try and put it right next week.”
The Tigers came into the game on the high of their late, deserved win over Oxford United, but never reached those heights and were well beaten.
“That’s just the Championship, isn’t it?” Giles continued. “You can get caught out, you can’t get too high with the highs and too low with the lows. You have to just take each game as it comes.
“It’s early days, of course it is, and I think obviously before this we had a brilliant start, but like I said, we can’t get too high with it because you can get caught out, and we have ultimately.
“There’s reasons behind, but ultimately the eleven of us that are out there have to go out and do the business on the pitch, especially at home.
“It’s disappointing from that perspective because I think it’s important that our home form drastically improves and we create a fortress here. We haven’t done that. It’s obviously early days, and we have a chance to put that right, and I fully believe we will do.”
The Robins, who were thrashed in the play-off semi-final last season will be looking for a first home win, having been held to a goalless draw by Charlton Athletic in their opening Ashton Gate opening.
Gerhard Struber’s side are unbeaten, though, with that thumping opening day win at Sheffield United backed up by the draw against Charlton and then an away point at Derby County last Friday evening.
“One hundred per cent, Giles said when it was put to him that a game against one of last season’s play-off teams is a good game to return to, where few will give the Tigers much hope.
“I don’t think any game is easy. I don’t think we’ll go into any game and it’s going to be easy. They’re in decent form. Decent side did well last year, so I’m sure they’ll be full of confidence, but ultimately it’s a chance for us to put things right, and we have to. We have to go there and put on a big performance.”
You can listen to the full interview with Ryan Giles on Blackburn, Bristol City and more right here
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