City press the self-destruct button - again
TIGERS IN CONTROL WITH WILKS GOAL, BUT FAIL TO HANG ON AS BLACKPOOL FIRE IN LATE EQUALISER
Reece Burke’s sending off 13 minutes from time proved costly for Hull City as the Tigers were held to a 1-1 draw by Blackpool at the KCOM Stadium. Mallik Wilks’ strike six minutes into the second half looked to be enough for what would have been a deserved victory for Grant Mccann’s men, until an unfortunate slip from Burke inside his own half allowed Ben Woodburn to surge clear, before the Tigers defender hauled him down outside the box.
Burke was rightly given his marching orders and four minutes later, sloppy defending from the set-piece saw Jerry Yates prod in from a yard out.
Until that moment, City had been the dominant force and were deservedly in front after a terrific move set up Wilks for his 11th goal of the season.
New signing Gavin Whyte was handed a start in one of three changes from the 1-1 draw at Sunderland a week ago, along with Callum Elder and Josh Magennis coming in for Alfie Jones, Brandon Fleming and Tom Eaves respectively.
Whyte’s - impressive throughout - first meaningful touch as a good one, taking down a cross from Wilks on the far edge of the box before firing at Chris Maxwell.
The Northern Irishman was in the thick of the action early on, combining well on the right with George Honeyman and Josh Emmanuel.
Some inside the KCOM Stadium thought Blackpool, against the run of play, had taken a lead when a long punt forward was nodded down on the edge of the box by Madine to Sullay Kaikai, who fired inches wide of the right post, rippling the net as it went behind.
Honeyman then surged forward, slotted in Wilks down the left who had galloped into acres of space, but he could only drag his shot well wide when he should have hit the target.
Richie Smallwood then played a delightful ball in behind the full-back for Elder, but the left-back powered a ball at Honeyman, when it needed a calm pass to allow the City number 10 to be able to get a shot away. Smallwood’s pass was delicious, though. Blackpool continued to pose a rugged threat, with their long, direct style of play keeping Burke and Jacob Greaves honest at the back, with Madine’s aerial ability a threat throughout, and Pool content to play off his knockdowns.
If Wilks’ earlier chance was a good one then the opening which landed on the head of Greaves right on half-time was even better.
City were awarded a contentious - in Blackpool’s opinion - free-kick a few yards outside the box, on the left and Elder picked out the centre-back at the back post with a free header, he powered it over the bar.
If Greaves had found the target, City were heading into the interval a goal to the good.
Pool started the second period on the front and their first corner almost created the opener. Lubala’s teasing delivery was flicked on at the near post, Honeyman just did enough to stop Yates getting too much on his flick towards goal and City scrambled it clear a yard out from their goal line.
Six minutes into the second period, the best piece of football in the match fashioned the opening goal.
Honeyman slipped a lovely pass in behind Ekpiteta to free Whyte. The Cardiff winger surged forward towards the box, played in Magennis inside the area with the ball coming off him into the path of Wilks, who rather nonchalantly ambled onto it before stroking it into the bottom corner.
The refreshing thing about Wilks’ strike was that it was similar to his effort in the first half which he dragged well wide, and he’d clearly learnt from that miss.
Woodburn and Matty Virtue were then sent on by Critchley, replacing Ballard and Lubala.
Those changes failed to stop a terrific, in
fact a delicious teasing free-kick from Honeyman which missed Greaves by millimetres at the back post. In truth, Greaves should have connected and scored.
Just under 20 minutes were left when Mccann opted to make his first change, with Keane-lewis Potter replacing Magennis.
Potter crashed a free-kick off the top of the bar before a moment arrived which changed the game.
Burke, inside his own half, slipped which allowed Woodburn to surge clear towards the edge of the box. In desperation, Burke hauled down Woodburn before collecting a straight red card.
Alfie Jones came on for Whyte to see City go 4-5-1, but Madine thumped the free-kick over the bar, though the pressure was kept on from the visitors.
The leveller came nine minutes from time when the Tigers failed to deal with a corner and Yates prodded in from a yard out.
Mccann will have been furious with the manner of the goal conceded, especially from a set-play and again, his team are failing to learn some very basic lessons when defending in key moments. There are some 1-1 draws you take when you’re down to ten men, but this was not one of them.
Make no mistake about it, these are two important points dropped by Mccann’s men and you just hope they don’t prove costly come May.
Key moment:
Reece Burke’s sending off. 1-0 up and heading towards victory, Burke slipped and found himself chasing Ben Woodburn. He pulled him down and was rightly sent off. The equaliser came four minutes after that.
Good day?
Gavin Whyte - drifted in and out of it but on the whole, it was a fine debut from the Northern Irishman. Showed plenty of promising signs and involved in the goal.
Opposition star:
Ben Woodburn - gave Blackpool some life in the final third and his speed of thought caught out Burke.
Bad day?
Burke - there’s an element of taking one for the team, and Burke did just that in his challenge on Woodburn. His sending off wasn’t why City threw away two points, it was the awful defending thereafter.
Ref watch:
Mr S Barrott - a fairly quiet game to take charge of. The big decision was Burke’s sending off which he got right.
Blackpool’s Jerry Yates scores his side’s equaliser