The Tractor Boys needed a second half screamer to overcome the Tigers
Kieran McKenna celebrates after the win over Hull City(Image: John Walton/PA Wire)
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna was relieved to come away with a victory after his side battled to a 1-0 win against promotion rivals Hull City in a “frustrating game”
A spectacular winning moment came from midfielder Azor Matusiwa’s rocket of a shot from the edge of the penalty area 19 minutes from time – his first goal for the club – to secure Town’s 12th home win of the season and third victory on the trot, ending City’s five-game winning run away from home, inflicting a first away loss since November.
The win moved McKenna’s side above Millwall into third in the Championship, three points behind second-placed Middlesbrough with a game in hand, and three points clear of the Tigers.
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
But McKenna did not enjoy his side’s victory as much as he did the 3-0 success over Swansea on Saturday against a City side who were organised and disciplined, but that failed to make the most of their attacking opportunities.
“It was a tough game, a frustrating game,” he said. “I think I had a fair idea of the type of game it would be. It was so, so different to Saturday.
“There’s bits that we could play our part in that but the reality is that when a team come with good players, good legs, experienced defenders and sit with 11 so deep and take their time every time the ball goes out of play, it’s very rarely going to be a fantastic game of football.
“We didn’t create the pressure that we would have wanted in the first half, didn’t create enough clear-cut chances, probably one clear chance, but didn’t create as much as we like. It was really important not to concede, and they had a counter threat, and we defended some of those well.
“Keeping a clean sheet was a positive, and I thought the second half was better right up to the point of the goal, which came when the pressure was building.”
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.