‘A CAUSE FOR CONCERN’
ADKINS ADMITS HE’S WORRIED ABOUT CITY’S LOWLY POSITION FOLLOWING WASTEFUL WEEK
NIGEL Adkins admits Hull City’s lowly position in the Championship table has become a cause for concern after seeing his side cut four points adrift of safety.
The Tigers head to Bolton Wanderers tomorrow on the back of a wasteful week, with stoppage-time goals conceded against Preston North End and Bristol City undermining all attempts to climb out of the bottom three.
Goal difference is keeping City off the foot of the table in 23rd position but the gap opening up leaves them with increasing ground to make up on their rivals. Rotherham, Millwall and Preston, the three clubs directly above the drop zone, are now four points ahead of City following useful midweek results, while 18th-placed Bolton will host the Tigers with a seven-point lead.
Those gaps are far from insurmountable with two thirds of the season remaining but Adkins accepts he has to find wins quickly.
“There’s always going to be a lot of negativity (when inside the relegation zone) and we’re not hiding away from that. We can’t,” said Adkins.
“The supporters that travelled to the game have seen a committed performance from a team that’s working hard. We’re just not getting those fine margins in our favour.
“When that happens we’ll be all the better for it. All being well, we’ll get it right.”
“We’re just not getting those fine margins in our favour. Hull City manager Nigel Adkins
City are still to reach double figures after their 14th game of the season brought a ninth defeat at Ashton Gate. An enterprising display had warranted a share of the spoils but Bristol City struck at the death to snatch all three points through Famara Diedhiou’s stooping header.
That sucker punch came four days after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 with Preston and left the Tigers without a win in seven Championship games.
No side in all of the division is enduring a worse run of form, with City heading to Bolton on the back of five consecutive away defeats.
Asked if he had enough within his current ranks to bring a revival, Adkins added: “This is the squad we’ve got and we’ll keep grafting at it. We could have beaten Bristol City. Their keeper has made some great saves and we’ve looked a threat. We looked defensively solid again.
“You’ve seen it again, there is character about this team. The players are committed and there’s a willingness to work hard. That gives you hope, that gives you belief.
“We’ll keep grafting but we need to get points on the board. We’re giving ourselves that opportunity and sometimes getting that one result can change things.”
City will check on the fitness of Reece Burke (hip) and Jordy de Wijs (head) ahead of travelling to fellow strugglers Bolton.
Both central defenders were forced off in the second half of Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at Ashton Gate, but Adkins is hopeful Markus Henriksen and Stephen Kingsley will be fit to travel.