‘WE MUST CURE OUR TRAVEL SICKNESS’

JACKSON Irvine accepts Hull City will have to halt a damaging run of away results if they are to stand any chance of ending this Championship campaign on a high.

City return to action this weekend when travelling to face rockbottom Ipswich Town, the first of eight remaining games that will shape the season once and for all.

A 2-2 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers ten days ago has left the Tigers with a mountain to climb in an unlikely pursuit of the playoffs, but it has been a run of five straight away defeats that have dented hopes of chasing down the top six.

Not since beating Leeds United 2-0 on December 29 have City won on their travels, with just one point collected from a possible 18 on their travels in 2019.

Trips to Blackburn, Derby, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Norwich all ended in defeat as the Tigers prepare to stop a rot that has seen 16 goals conceded.

“We need to defend better away from home,” said Irvine. “We need to stop giving away cheap goals.

“Most of the players would agree that’s been the issue away from home at the moment. It’s something we’re trying to correct.

“We know how important our home form has been and will continue Hull City midfielder Jackson Irvine to be over the course of the season.

“For us to stand any chance of doing something in the remaining games, that away form is going to be the key to helping us.”

With away games to come at Middlesbrough, West Brom and Swansea before the season is out, Saturday’s trip to face an Ipswich side that has won only two of 19 home games has to bring maximum returns if the top six is not to disappear completely.

Jarrod Bowen, meanwhile, has been rewarded for his prolific campaign with an inclusion in the Championship’s Team of the Season for 2018-19.

Bowen has netted 21 goals in 37 starts for Nigel Adkins’ side this season, including the current record-breaking run of scoring in eight consecutive home games.

The 22-year-old’s exploits have now been recognised by rival managers, who have voted City’s winger into the Championship’s best XI