City’s season has hit the skids after another home game without victory
Hull City’s defending issues were again their downfall against Rangers(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstoc)
Hull City’s slump in form continued with a disappointing 3-1 home defeat to QPR, who had won just once in 10 on the road, making it two defeats and one draw from their last three league home outings.
Rangers took advantage of City’s growing MKM Stadium anxiety with a goal after 20 minutes, though Paddy McNair knew little about it as former Tigers loanee Harvey Vale’s corner was not dealt with by Ivor Pandur, and hit the defender before going into the net.
It took a while for the home side to get themselves back into the game, and it came from Joe Gelhardt, who finished off a terrific run from Yu Hirakawa just before the break, his first goal since December 5.
In truth, City laboured to create any moments of great danger, regularly giving the ball away in poor areas, and against a side with one win in 10 on the road, succumbed to defeat when substitute Daniel Bennie slammed in from distance with five minutes left.
There was still time for City’s poor ball management to cost them a third when Kieran Dowell gifted the ball to Richard Kone, who raced away to seal a comfortable victory.
City’s poor home form in 2026 is becoming a real concern now, and it only adds further pressure to Tuesday night’s crunch meeting with Derby County.
Jakirovic made three changes from the last league game against Bristol City, with Amir Hadziahmetovic, Yu Hirakawa and Liam Millar coming in for Charlie Hughes, John Lundstram and Kyle Joseph, who all dropped to the bench. Charlie Hughes was named on the bench as the club continues to manage his groin problem.
Inside three minutes, City came close with a neat move which saw Joe Gelhardt find Liam Millar on the far side, and the Canadian cut inside from the left to angle a shot just wide of Joe Walsh’s left-hand post.
Despite their early dominance, Rangers fashioned a great chance with a four-on-two break, but Kone’s ball across the box for Koki Saito gave Pandur a chance and bravely dived at the feet of the Rs man to claim, and win his side a free-kick. That, however, was a suitable warning for the home side.
And as the half gradually wore on, City became flat, and the organised visitors took full advantage of a corner that Pandur flapped at, colliding with Oli McBurnie, and it hit McNair at the back post to fizz into the back of the net. Such a cheap, avoidable goal to gift to the opposition.
City were second best at times, and struggling to create any real momentum, but that all changed when Hirakawa raced onto a a clever ball from Regan Slater and beat Norrington-Davies to the by-line before cutting across for Gelhardt to stab into the net from close range five minutes before the break. His first goal of 2026, and as scratchy as it was, getting back on the scoresheet it will have done his confidence the world of good.
The hosts started the second brightly, after Giles made a vital covering tackle. Coyle’s volley was blocked and turned goalward by McNair, forcing a fine low save from Walsh.
City were forced into a change just before the hour when Hirakawa was hurt in a challenge, and had to be replaced by Kieran Dowell, with Gelhardt moving wide.
Pandur escaped just after the hour, from a terrible kick out, which gifted Kone with the chance. He was caught sleeping and up went the offside flag to spare the Croatian’s blushes.
With the home side still finding the going tough, Jakirovic made an attacking double change with just over 10 minutes left. On came Cody Drameh for Coyle, and Kyle Joseph for Slater. Jonathan Varane and Daniel Bennie were Rangers’ first changes, on for Kolli and Hayden.
Bennie’s impact was immediate, picking up a loose ball after City had again given it away cheaply, beating Pandur from distance. Their home worries are growing again. Dowell gifted away possession in eight minutes of added time, allowing Kone to slot in the third.
City need something from somewhere; this is their blip, and they need to find the answers because they cannot afford to let all their hard work fall away.
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Hull City: Pandur, Giles, McNair, Egan, Coyle (c), Amir, Slater, Gelhardt, Millar, Hirakawa, McBurnie. Subs: Phillips, Hughes, Lundstram, Joseph, Dowell, Koumas, Famewo, McCarthy, Drameh.
QPR: Walsh, Mbengue, Dunne, Edwards, Norrington-Davies, Hayden, Madsen, Saito, Vale, Kolli, Kone. Subs: Hamer, Clarke-Salter, Smith, Esquerdinha, Morgan, Varane, Alemayehu, Bennie, Pearman.
Referee: Andrew Madley
Attendance: 21,928 (around 700 from QPR)
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