Two late goals condemned the Tigers to just a second home loss of the campaign
Two goals in four second-half minutes after a flurry of changes were enough to see Ipswich Town beat Hull City 2-0 at the MKM Stadium and end the Tigers’ six-game unbeaten home record.
City had dealt well with the visitors for 68 minutes and fashioned some promising openings before ex-Tiger Jaden Philogene came off the bench to set up Marcelino Nunez to head in, and then moments later another former Tiger Chuba Akpom, turned in from close range, despite what looked to be an offside position.
Missing a host of key first-team players, the changes made by Kieran McKenna off the bench proved the difference in the final stages, with City succumbing to a second straight defeat despite a battling display and one that was well organised and disciplined for so much of it.
Sergej Jakirovic made three changes to the side beaten at QPR on Saturday, with one of those enforced with Matt Crooks missing through suspension. Darko Gyabi was his replacement, while there were returns to the starting XI for Semi Ajayi and Joel Ndala for John Egan and Enis Destan, who dropped to the bench. For Ipswich, Jacob Greaves started on his return to the MKM Stadium, but Jaden Philogene and Chuba Akpom were both named on the bench among six changes from Kieran McKenna.
Ahead of the game, City’s matchday programme was adorned with the memory of former owner Don Robinson, who sadly passed away recently, and there was a minute’s applause to remember him and ex-player Paddy Greenwood.
From the kick-off the away side’s intent seemed apparent, winning probably the quickest corner of the season inside a few seconds which Pandur flicked away, before Kyle Joseph roared into a thumping tackle to get City out.
A fairly quiet opening 10 minutes or so didn’t yield too much drama, aside from Hughes’ heavy backpass which almost caused an error from Pandur, before Gelhardt tried to catch out goalkeeper Walton from 40 yards or so, drifting his lofted effort just wide. Jens Cajuste was the first player to be cautioned after taking down Ajayi in the middle of the pitch.
City came close to breaking the deadlock just before the half-hour when Coyle’s cross came to Ndala on the edge of the box and he took a touch before firing low towards the bottom corner. Walton looked to turn onto his right-hand post and away. After Gelhardt was booked for a foul on Greaves, Slater won it high before feeding Joseph, but he dragged his side wide from the edge of the box when he really should have done better.
Both sides were struggling to fashion openings of real quality, though City were well organised and disciplined in their work in a fairly quiet and uneventful first period.
Jack Taylor came on for Jens Cajuste at the start of the second half but it was the home side who continued to push, and thought they should have had a penalty when Gelhardt went down under a challenge, before there was a handball shout inside the Tractor Boys’ box, nothing given by the referee. At the other end, a rare attack from the visitors saw Giles booked for a foul on Nunez, a challenge he probably needed to make.
Just under 25 minutes were left when Ndala and Amir were withdrawn, and on came Enis Destan and Mo Belloumi, before Clarke was taken off with Jaden on to a mixed reaction. Hirst and McAteer were also hauled off with Chuba Akpom and Egeli on. Those changes brought the opener, with Nunez heading in Philogene’s cross.
Moments later it was 2-0 when Akpom turned in from close range, though it looked miles offside and City were furious that there was no flag from the assistant. Marin Ivancic was booked for his protestations. Philogene rattled a post after Cody Drameh and David Akintola were introduced for Coyle and Joseph.
It wasn’t to be, for City, attention now turns to the trip to Stoke on Saturday as they look to avoid three straight league defeats for the first time under Sergej Jakirovic.
Hull City: Pandur, Giles, Hughes, Ajayi, Coyle (c) (Drameh 77), Gyabi, Slater, Amir (Belloumi 64), Ndala (Destan 64), Joseph (Akintola 77), Gelhardt. Subs: Phillips, Belloumi, Akintola, Egan, Drameh, Famewo, Williams, Destan, McCarthy.
Ipswich Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Matusiwa, Cajuste (Taylor 46), McAteer (Akpom 66), Núñez (Johnson 83), J. Clarke (Jaden 66), Hirst. (Egeli 66) Subs: Button, Kipré, Johnson, Young, Taylor, Walle Egeli, Philogene, Akpom, Azón.
Referee: Lewis Smith
Man of the Match: Regan Slater
Attendance: 21,271 (2,336 from Suffolk)
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