City can make it five straight away wins on the South Coast this weekend
John Egan celebrates scoring against Derby County with Oli McBurnie (Image: Tony King/Getty Images)
No doubt there would have been some inside the MKM Stadium on Tuesday night doing a double-take, as John Egan swivelled inside the box, before sending a fizzing drive underneath Derby County goalkeeper Josh Vickers in a finish worthy of the Tigers’ number nine.
That was Hull City‘s third and ultimately decisive goal in what turned out to be a hugely significant 4-2 win over their play-off rivals, ending a run of three league games without a victory.
A neat move involving Regan Slater and then McBurnie, who then turned provider after his stunning goal in the first half for his old Sheffield United teammate, and it was one the Scotsman would have been proud of.
Egan’s previous solitary goal was another crucial one, coming in added time to salvage a 2-2 draw at Swansea City in the early weeks of the campaign. Those two goals alone have been worth four points this term.
“McBurnie knows I have that in the locker; he’s seen me long enough,” the Irishman joked. “I was delighted to get the goal and just to help secure the three points.
“I’ve scored goals throughout my career and only got one here so far. Dean Holden had a little chat with me before saying, ‘Can you get a goal tonight?’
“I said I’ll try my best, but don’t hold your breath! You take any goal. I suppose we all need to keep chipping in with goals from all over the pitch.”
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search. Help us stay visible by adding us as a Preferred Source in your search settings
This weekend, City’s relentless run of games leading into the international break sees them return to Fratton Park to take on Portsmouth, looking for a fifth straight success on the road.
It’s the first time City will have been back at Fratton Park since completing their escape on the final day of last season. And while Pompey remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table, the Tigers are flying high and enjoying a remarkable campaign few could have foreseen on that early May afternoon.
“It’s fairly drastic, I suppose,” Egan said of the MKM Stadium turnaround. “The last time we went down (to Portsmouth), we knew we needed a result to stay in the division.
“This time, we’re going down in a much healthier position, but the game is still going to be just as tough. Portsmouth away at Fratton Park is a really tough game. Things change quickly in football, and we’re looking forward to the game now.”
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.