The Tigers’ impressive second half sealed a big, big victory against their rivals
Oliver McBurnie of Hull City celebrates his goal against Derby
Hull City ended their winless run with an enthralling 4-2 win over play-off rivals Derby County at the MKM Stadium to kick-start their promotion surge.
A breathless first half saw the hosts twice lead through a Callum Elder own goal and a stunning Oli McBurnie goal, only to be twice pegged back by Craig Forsyth and Sammie Szmodics, after hapless defending from the hosts gifted the visitors a way back into it.
City got themselves in front for a third time on the night when McBurnie fed John Egan to spin and fire a low drive beyond Josh Vickers and into the bottom corner, 15 minutes from time, and Lewis Koumas slammed in a fine volley to seal one of their most crucial three points of the campaign.
City boss Sergej Jakirovic made two changes from the side beaten by QPR, with Charlie Hughes coming back into the starting XI at the expense of Paddy McNair, while Kyle Joseph replaced the injured Yu Hirakawa to make his 50th Tigers appearance. There was a welcome return to the squad for fit-again Matt Crooks, named on the bench, though he didn’t actually appear on it. Former Tigers promotion winner Elder was named in the away starting line-up.
Inside two minutes, striker Patrick Agyemang was booked for a second foul on Egan, having failed to heed the warning given to him a few moments earlier by the referee.
City’s bright start was rewarded inside 10 minutes when Ryan Giles’ cross was fired behind and from the corner, Amir’s deep ball to the back post was touched in by Elder.
The Tigers were roaring forward, with Giles and Millar combining well down the left-hand side, while on the other flank, Hughes’ teasing ball in left goalkeeper Josh Vickers flummoxed, as it just missed McBurnie.
Derby’s first attack of the night yielded the equaliser after 17 minutes, after the hosts failed to deal with Elder’s corner into the box, allowing Lewis Travis to run on and fire at Pandur. He could only parry into the path of veteran defender Craig Forsyth to prod in from close range, though he looked at least 12 miles offside.
Defensively, City were all over the place at times and looked at risk every time the visitors put the ball in, and it would cost them again before the break.
Not before they regained the lead six minutes shy of the interval, after a sumptuous piece of skill from McBurnie to slam in the second and put the hosts back in front.
That lead never looked like lasting, with Agyemang bullying his way through and forcing a stunning save from Pandur, but the Tigers couldn’t get out, and the American forced a save from the goalkeeper, who could only divert into the path of Szmodics to slide in within three minutes.
John Eustace introduced Joe Ward at the start of the second half in place of Elder, and early into it, Giles in chasing back, pulled up and knew straight away his hamstring had gone. On came Cody Drameh, barely five minutes in. Luckily for City, Hughes was there to make a vital block after the left-back had pulled up inside the box.
Referee Herczeg had lacked any kind of control on the night, and things threatened to boil over after Joseph and Travis clashed, with Ward booked for his part.
Pandur made a smart save to deny Clark as the East Midlands outfit pressed for a third and potentially winning goal, and that looked even more crucial 15 minutes from time when neat play around the box allowed McBurnie to feed Egan, and he spun on a sixpence to fire into the bottom corner.
Eustace rolled the dice and sent on Rhian Brewster, a summer target for the Tigers, and Carlton Morris in place of David Ozoh and Brereton-Diaz for the final 10 minutes or so. Jakirovic sent on Paddy McNair and Lewis Koumas for Millar and Gelhardt, to standing ovations.
Koumas got in on the act with a stunning volley, racing onto Joseph’s clever flick five minutes from time to make it 4-2 and offer the home side some breathing space. McBurnie was given a standing ovation when he was replaced in the final moments, with ex-Ram Kieran Dowell coming on.
City saw out five minutes of added time, and though Joseph was booked deep into added time, the hosts returned to form in style with one of their most important wins of the season.
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Hull City: Pandur, Giles, Hughes, Egan, Coyle (c), Amir, Slater, Millar, Gelhardt, Joseph, McBurnie. Subs: Phillips, Lundstram, Crooks, Dowell, McNair, Koumas, Drameh, Famewo, McCarthy.
Derby County: Vickers, Murkin, Forsyth, Clarke, Agyemang, Ozoh, Szmodics, Elder, Brereton Díaz, Travis (c), Clark. Subs: O’Donnell (GK), Morris, Brewster, Ward, Sanderson, Fraulo, Eames, I Gordon, Allen.
Referee: Adam Herczeg
Attendance: 20,391 (2,346 from the East Midlands)
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