Tepid Tigers relieved as Dawson denies Baggies
HULL captain Michael Dawson cut through the KCOM Stadium gloom to grab a second-half equaliser and deny visitors West Brom a third straight Premier League win.
Gareth McAuley’s 34th minute opener looked set to send the Tigers sliding to another dismal defeat on a cold and misty afternoon in East Yorkshire. That is, until Dawson got the finishing touch to a long-range Robert Snodgrass free-kick delivery.
The home side had failed to muster a single shot of any description in the opening 50 minutes and the Baggies looked in little danger of having their surge into the top half of the table halted.
In truth, a match that had promised little threatened to deliver even less in a low-key opening half hour in which the solitary chance for either side saw James Morrison miscue a cross from Craig Dawson in the Tigers’ box.
The Baggies dominated possession but struggled to break through a home backline which was looking more resolute than the Burnley side Tony Pulis’ men had hit four goals past last Monday.
The visitors deserved their opening goal in the 34th minute, when Hull failed to deal with a Matt Phillips corner from the right and McAuley was on hand to head past helpless Hull keeper David Marshall.
The below-par first period ended with boos ringing around the KCOM Stadium from the frustrated home supporters, who had witnessed precious little posi-
tive intent from their team.
But the half-time introduction of Adama Diomande injected more urgency into the Tigers’ front-line and they had their best chance one minute after the break when Curtis Davies flashed a Robert Snodgrass corner across the face of goal.
Snodgrass’ long-range effort in the 50th minute, which was saved by Ben Foster, drew ironic cheers from the home fans, and moments later Jake Livermore screwed a shot wide.
It was suddenly looking much more positive from Hull who came close again when Markus Henriksen threaded a low ball into the box for Livermore, who hit a shot straight at Foster.
The Tigers grabbed the equaliser their second half performance just about de served when Dawson converted after being set up by Mkokani’s header in the box.
The visitors could have snatched the points in injury time, when substitute James McClean sent in a cross from the right and Salomon Rondon headed wide from in front of goal.
Pulis said: “We’re a bit disappointed. We should have won the game.
“I thought it ( Rondon’s chance) was in from where I was. Salomon did a fantastic job today and we just needed him to put that one in to put the icing on the cake.”
Hull boss Mike Phelan paid tribute to Dawson, who bounced back from a nightmare display at Sunderland last weekend to grab his side a potentially crucial point.
Phelan said: “Michael loves being captain of this club.
“He makes mistakes just like the rest of us – if you look at the first goal at Sunderland he probably made a rash call – but this week he’s done totally the opposite.
“Experience tells you that he’s learned from that so he’s not going to go there again, and now he’s contributed with the goal.”