The Tigers have responded to their biggest setback in some style
Being four-nil down in front of your own fans and a watching public of millions can be an embarrassing moment, and one where football players could go under.
That was the fate bestoweed upon Hull City at half-time against Middlesbrough on December 4, having been systematically torn to pieces by a team looking every bit the automatic promotion challengers they are.
After a half-time shake-up, City went out and at least restored some pride in the second period. The game may have finished 4-1, but Sergej Jakirovic’s men did at least stem the flow of goals and won the second half through Joe Gelhardt’s penalty.
Adversity is never far away in football, and Hull City know that more than most. The first half showing against Boro could have been a tipping point. Games like that don’t happen very often; in fact, 2016 was the last time any Tigers team were four down at the break, and ironically, that did come against the team from Teesside.
How a group of people respond to adversity is a sure sign of their character, and in the two-and-a-half games since that first half horror show, Jakirovic’s men have scored six and conceded just one.
They responded by producing one of their most complete performances of the season to see off Wrexham at the MKM Stadium, and then went into the Lions’ Den at Millwall and roared loudest.
Despite being battered in the first couple of minutes, the Tigers stabilised themselves and by the time the 13th minute ticked by, Kyle Joseph had scored twice.
Even a late rally by the home side wasn’t enough, and just when you thought they might throw away more points on the road, Oli McBurnie headed in a third. That’s now away wins at Stoke City, who were second, and now Millwall (third) in the last two games.
City have now won 10 games, more than at this stage when they came close to getting in the top six under Liam Rosenior, and that’s despite a flurry of injuries to key players and a summer riddled with transfer issues.
If Tigers fans raised questions about the character of the playing squad last season, then there can be no such theories this time around because they’ve shown their spirit in spades.
There have been low moments, the 4-2 hammering at Bristol City. They were two down at half-time against Preston, but they battled back to get something. Difficult assignments against Southampton, Sheffield United and Leicester City. They’ve come through. Losing Mo Belloumi, Liam Millar, John Lundstram, Oli McBurnie, and Joe Gelhardt in games has not deterred them.
The silliness instigated by Birmingham City boss Chris Davies at St Andrew’s only galvanised them, and Regan Slater scored moments later, as did the scenes at Stoke when a fan attempted to get on the bet365 Stadium pitch to confront Lundstram.
In the first 21 games of the season, City have gone through a season’s worth of ups and downs, but here they are, firmly inside the top six and entrenched in the promotion race. They’re there on merit.
Nobody outside of East Yorkshire gave them a chance at the start of the season. Almost everybody backed them to be relegated, and here we are, on the verge of Christmas with City sitting sixth in the Championship, ten wins under their belt and only Coventry City have netted more goals.
Something special is stirring at City. How far it will take them, only time will tell, but if we’ve learned anything about Jakirovic and his players in the opening months of the season, it’s not to write them off.
Here at Hull Live , we are dedicated to bringing you the best Hull City coverage and analysis. Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group.
You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service.
Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.