City will now face Millwall over two legs for a place in the play-off final
Oli McBurnie scored the winner to send Hull City into the play-offs(Image: Greig Cowie/Shutterstock)
Sergej Jakirovic and his players delivered one final performance and result just when they needed it to end a run of six games without a win, with their most important victory of the season.
Oli McBurnie’s brace against Norwich City sealed a 2-1 win to propel the Tigers back into the top six above Wrexham and set up a fascinating play-off semi-final against Alex Neil’s Millwall.
A pulsating final day saw Wrexham and Derby County occupy sixth place, before City leapfrogged both with the winner to seal their 11th home win, and 21st of the season.
Here, City reporter Barry Cooper looks back at the game’s big talking points
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What drama
There’s nothing quite like the drama of the Championship at the best of times, let alone on the final day. The ebbs and flows of the season were thrust into one chaotic 90 minutes.
Wrexham and Derby both exchanged places inside the top six for just over an hour before the Tigers came along and rose above both of them to snatch it when it really mattered.
Dean Holden said after the game at Leicester City that the league table mattered little before the final whistle, and that has been proven. Whatever happens in the next three outings, how can you not love this division?
Big game players
We’ve said for a while that City needed their big-game players to deliver one final time in the regular season to get them over the line, and after a rocky start, to a man, they delivered.
None more so than Oli McBurnie. The talisman delivered when his side needed it. His overall performance was superb, and but for a wonderful save from the goalkeeper, he’d have walked away with the match ball.
Now, those big players, the likes of McBurnie, John Egan, Paddy McNair, Ryan Giles, Regan Slater, Lewie Coyle and so on will be needed to go again on Friday, and then Monday.
Spare a thought for Sammie
Whether he was trying to get a reaction from himself or his colleagues, Sammie Szmodics might want to keep off his phone over the next few days.
After confidently predicting Derby County would finish inside the top six a couple of weeks ago, his goal wasn’t enough to avoid Derby County losing at home to Sheffield United, and therefore, they didn’t, as he said they would, finish inside the play-offs.
It was, in fact, the Tigers who had the last laugh.
LISTEN: The final day 1904 Club podcast special with Jakirovic, McBurnie and Coyle
Special memories
Moments, as we saw on Saturday, don’t come around too often, and it’s important when they do, you savour them. After those who thought it would be a good idea to invade the pitch had got off it, the players, staff and their families were able to enjoy the moment.
It was lovely to see Eliot Matazo out there, and so, too, the owner, who looked emotional. After all, this is the highest league finish since Acun Ilicali bought the club. It’s been a long, difficult road, but finally, they’ve cracked something that has eluded them previously.
Everybody inside the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon will remember that moment. Football is about making memories, and the players certainly delivered one.
Arguably, the biggest shame was that Jakirovic was banned from the touchline and unable to join in the post-match celebrations, as per the FA rules. Not being allowed to be pitchside for two hours after a game seems petty, and you can’t help but think a little bit of common sense wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Attention turns to Friday
The players will have rightly enjoyed their Saturday night, and when they return on Tuesday, the training ground will be buzzing as the focus shifts towards Millwall.
Like City, they’ve surprised everyone and have had a fantastic season. Alex Neil has done a wonderful job at The Den, and the two legs are set to be two absolute crackers.
What we do know is that the fans at the MKM Stadium will have a huge part to play. They were immense against Norwich, the very definition of a 12th man, and that will be needed again.
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