Ponderous City see off Covid-hit 10-man Brewers
WILKS AND ADELAKUN STRIKE AS TIGERS FINALLY GET THE JOB DONE TO GO SECOND IN LEAGUE ONE
It may not have been the goal feast many were expecting at the KCOM Stadium, but Hull City laboured to a 2-0 win over stricken Burton Albion to move second in League One. Mallik Wilks’ controlled finish two minutes after the hour mark before substitute Hakeeb Adelakun’s drive two minutes from time proved enough against a Brewers side decimated by coronavirus, and then a red card to defender Sam Hughes just 18 minutes in.
City dominated from start to finish, though once again head coach Grant Mccann will have been frustrated by the quality of the final ball and profligate finishing.
Ultimately, however, this season is about getting the job done and that’s exactly what the Tigers managed to do, against a side determined to make it as difficult as possible, and with a goalkeeper, Ben Garratt, in inspired form.
Jacob Greaves almost got things underway in the perfect fashion as he headed wide at the back post from a clever George Honeyman free-kick, and in truth, he will have probably felt that he should have done better. That free-kick saw Hughes pick up his first booking for a tug on Wilks, and his afternoon didn’t get any better 10 minutes later when he got himself in a pickle 30 yards from goal, and hacked the City striker to the deck.
Albeit early in proceedings, the referee had little choice but to dish out a second yellow card and pack Hughes off for an early bath.
That saw Jake Buxton forced into an early change, bringing on John-joe O’toole to replace Indiana Vassilev, and understandably, he was far from impressed, having only replaced the stricken Kane Hemmings minutes before kick-off.
From the free-kick, Greaves had another chance to head his side in front, only to head straight at Garratt, who was becoming increasingly busy.
Albion had gone close by this point, with former Nottingham Forest youngster Owen Gallacher poking wide from a good Niall Ennis cross.
City surged forward again, Wilks fired at the keeper from the edge of the box, though he should have played in James Scott unmarked to his left. Reece Burke then took a clattering from substitute O’toole, which infuriated Richie Smallwood with suggestions there was flailing arm.
City, by this point, had lost their way. Burton were resilient, every man behind the ball and the Tigers were struggling to find a way through.
That was until Scott and Thomas Mayer combined beautifully on the edge of the Brewers box, the Austrian fed it back to Scott on the right side and he blazed over.
The diminutive Honeyman then forced a good save from Garratt meeting Josh Emmanuel’s cross at the near post.
Mccann, clearly frustrated with some of the wing play from Scott and Mayer in the first half, made a double change at the start of the second period, bringing on Tom Eaves and Adelakun.
City’s problem in the opening hour, despite 64 percent of the ball, was the speed of its movement and the final ball, which must have been so frustrating for Mccann.
Their frustration became Albion’s confidence, and a silly free-kick concession from Callum Elder on the edge of his box gave Neal Eardley, on for ex-tiger Stephen Quinn, the chance to flash a free-kick inches wide.
A warning for City. And a warning they heeded in the 62nd minute.
Yet again, Burton’s frailties from set-pieces were woefully exposed as Honeyman flashed over a free-kick which fell kindly to Wilks inside the box, and he produced a controlled finish from eight yards to find the roof of the net.
You could sense the relief all around the KCOM, even with the absence of supporters.
It should have been 2-0 moments later when Wilks surged into the box, he fed Adelakun and free at the back post, the on loan Bristol City man, leaning back, poked wide in front of an open goal.
Mccann made his final change by replacing Greg Docherty with ex-brewer Martin Samuelsen, looking to build on that impressive display in midweek.
Chances continued to come with Adelakun seeing a shot well saved, before Honeyman found Eaves in space nine minutes from time, but he lacked confidence and saw a tame effort blocked by Garratt to kill it off.
Two minutes from time, Adelakun picked up the ball on the left from Elder, before driving across Garratt and into the far corner, to seal a third successive 2-0 success for the Tigers and move them second with a game in hand on leaders Peterborough.