ALL PALS AGAIN AFTER PEN ROW
HULL CITY manager Grant McCann said Josh Magennis and Mallik Wilks kissed and made up after a penalty-taking dispute provided a sideshow to their routine win over AFC Wimbledon.
It was a game defined by spot-kicks as Magennis grabbed the ball to put the Tigers in front from 12 yards after Keane Lewis-Potter was bundled over.
With the points wrapped up thanks to Reece Burke’s second goal, Wilks defied Magennis and his captain Lewie Coyle to stroke home his 17th goal of the season.
“Magennis is the penalty taker, but they’re just both boys and they’re hungry to score goals,” said McCann.
“They’re best mates, Josh and Mallik, and both of them were hugging and kissing in the changing room. These things happen in football games.”
Ben Heneghan was harshly judged to have bundled over the lively Lewis-Potter for the first penalty, stroked home by Magennis.
The Tigers created plenty of chances, George Honeyman denied by a sprawling George Dobson and Lewis-Potter slicing wide from a tight angle after rounding Dons keeper Sam Walker.
Walker should have done better to meet a Lewie Coyle cross, allowing Magennis to head into the path of Burke to turn in the second.
A poor display from the Dons was capped by Alex Woodyard hauling down a marauding Wilks, who grabbed the ball and pushed Coyle away to add the third.
“Plough Lane is a lovely stadium, the pitch is outstanding and the boys enjoyed it, moving the ball,” McCann added.
“Now the pitches are changing a little bit, the weather is getting good, hopefully it suits us better coming into the end of the season.
“They’re both penalties. The second one is a blatant penalty – it’s a good run from Mallik and he’s been brought down.
“We’ll just go on to the next one. Football is an emotional sport. You lose a game and you’re out of the race and you win a game and everyone says you’re back in the race.”
Wimbledon manager Mark Robinson said: “Hull had excellent structure behind the ball and they broke out very well from that structure.
“It’s not frustrating to lose – it’s part of the process. The only thing I am slightly frustrated about is that we went away from what brought us success in the previous games. You can’t concede the sort of goals we conceded.
“I believe we’ve got good players, and there’s plenty we can do. We were naive in some of the stuff we were doing.
“We didn’t carry enough threat and the last thing I want us to be is a side that passes for passing’s sake. We’ve got to problemsolve better.”
Walker 6, Johnson 6 (O’Neill 69, 7), Heneghan 6, Nightingale 7, Guinness-Walker 6 (Alexander 69, 6), Woodyard 5, Dobson 6 (Oksanen 69, 6), Rudoni 6, Chislett 6 (McLoughlin 58, 6), Longman 6 (Osew 68, 6), Pigott 6. Subs not used: Csoka, Tzanev.
HULL CITY: Ingram 7, Coyle 7, Burke 8, Greaves 7, Elder 7, Honeyman 7 (Slater 81,
6), Jones 7 (McLoughlin 90), Docherty 7, Wilks 8 (Crowley 75, 6), Magennis 8 (Eaves 75, 6), Lewis-Potter 7 (Whyte 75, 6). Subs not used: Long, Emmanuel.
LEE Johnson hailed Chris Maguire after the striker netted a stunning injury-time equaliser to steal Sunderland a point.
The Black Cats had been cut open twice in quick succession in the first-half, with Chris Porter and Tom Lowery putting the hosts two goals up at half-time.
But Johnson made four changes just before the hour mark, with two of his substitutes, Jordan Jones and Maguire, claiming a draw.
But despite the comeback, Johnson was left fuming at his side.
“They were wonderful individual pieces of brilliance and we needed them because it was very tough to watch in the first half,” admitted Johnson.
“I don’t know if that was because of the number of games back to back, but what upset me the most was the lack of enthusiasm.
“We had no service into Charlie Wyke and our press was lethargic. We were outplayed and out-thought.
“There were a couple of them (the subs) who had a point to prove. Jordan showed great attitude and his goal will do his confidence good.
“I’ve been open and honest with Chris (Maguire) as we want all the players to do well – and that was a great goal and a great moment for him.”
Porter opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Ryan Wintle released Mikael Mandron, who pulled the ball back to leave the striker with an easy finish.
Mandron was involved again, eight minutes later, with the former Sunderland player taking a pass from Lowery who then moved into space to divert the striker’s low cross past Lee Burge.
But after Johnson made his raft of changes, Jones reduced the arrears, cutting in to drive a left footer from 20 yards into the top corner.
Mandron was then thwarted by Lee Burge at the other end and Crewe looked to be seeing out the nine minutes of added time.
But from 30 yards out and wide of the goal, Maguire beat Crewe keeper Dave Richards with an outlandish volley to steal a point.
Alex boss Dave Artell was left to reflect on what could have been only Crewe’s second ever victory against the Wearsiders.
“It was disappointing from our point of view. I thought we were good value for all three points,” said Artell.
“When you look at the relative resources, they’ve got a billionaire whose sailed in from Monaco, then Sunderland should be getting something here.
“I thought we controlled the game in possession in the first half and created chances, then we contained them in the second.
“I don’t think they had a lot of pressure – they’ve scored from a long ball. But that is how the cookie crumbles sometimes in football and we have got to take great heart in how we played.”