Triple substitution provides Tigers with perfect comeback
GRANT MCCANN’S substitutes saved the day as Hull City battled from behind to win 3- 1 at Bristol Rovers.
Keane Lewis- Potter, Regan Slater and Tom Eaves came off the bench to send the Tigers back into the top two.
James Daly handed the hosts the lead just two minutes in before the Tigers’ late revival secured the points at the MEM.
McCann made two changes to the side which were beaten 2- 1 by Peterborough United at the weekend and knocked off top spot.
Jordy de Wijs and Hakeeb Adelakun returned to the starting line- up in place of Jacob Greaves and Lewis- Potter.
Daly dealt McCann’s men an early blow as Josh Magennis was
muscled off the ball for the striker to fire home.
McCann’s team talk saw the Tigers up the ante after the restart as they searched for an equaliser.
Honeyman’s corner fell to Wilks, but the hosts’ defence stood firm, while Adelakun nodded over the bar.
McCann threw the kitchen sink at Rovers with a triple substitution on the hour mark as Eaves, Slater and Lewis- Potter were all ushered into action.
Within five minutes Hull found themselves level as Lewis- Potter headed home and, with the momentum firmly on their side, they went ahead with 15 minutes left when Eaves took advantage of a Rovers’ slip to leave Slater an easy tap- in. And Eaves completed a fine comeback as he pounced on a poor back pass to round Anssi Jaakkola.
Bristol Rovers: Jaakkola, Ehmer, Baldwin, Harries, Hare ( Nicholson, 82), McCormick ( Oztumer, 72), Grant, Westbrooke, Tutonda, Hanlan, Daly. Unused substitutes: van Stappershoef, Leahy, Upson, Kilgour, Hargreaves.
Hull City: Ingram, Emmanuel, Burke, de Wijs, Elder, Docherty ( Eaves, 59), Honeyman, Smallwood, Wilks, Magennis ( Slater, 59), Adelakun ( Lewis- Potter, 59). Unused substitutes: Long, Mayer, Jones, Batty. Referee: Brett Huxtable.