Experienced Pratley ‘lets down’ Lee Bowyer’s Charlton as McCann’s young Tigers take the plaudits

Hull City moved up into second League One with a convincing 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic at the KCOM Stadium.

With Hull boasting a back four with an average of 21, it was the loss of Charlton’s elder statesmen, Darren Pratley, that had the biggest influence on the game as The Tigers comfortably recorded their first win in four matches.

It wasn’t a happy afternoon for Addicks centre half Pratley, who had been a frustrated figure for the majority of proceedings. Given a tough time by the Hull forward line, the makeshift defender got increasingly annoyed with himself, teammates and officials as the match wore on culminating in a straight red card for a kick out at Hull forward Mallik Wilks.

With key battles to be won in midfield, Charlton had already faced an early set back when the experienced Ben Watson signalled to the bench that he would not be able to continue having picked up a hamstring problem in the opening ten minutes.

With Hull’s robust midfield trio of Richard Smallwood, Greg Docherty and influential George Honeyman all in the mood, the home side took control as they began to impose themselves on Charlton’s midfield.

Wilks was already causing problems for the opposition defence with his intelligent hold-up play and movement, and it was his assist that created the first goal.

Floating in between the Charlton defence, the forward latched onto Jacob Greaves’ ball over the top and as he broke into the box from the left-hand side, his cross could only be deflected into the path of Hakeeb Adelakun, who couldn’t believe his luck as he tucked home his third goal of the season from close range.

Tom Eaves should have put Hull further ahead just moments later when a superbly worked free-kick on the edge of the box resulted in Honeyman floating in an inviting cross over to the back post, but Ben Amos saved Eaves’ effort from eight yards out.

Charlton responded well and should have been equalised on the half-hour mark. Clearly getting frustrated, Lee Bowyer’s men began to push the home side back using Omar Bogle’s pace and physicality to cause Hull’s young centre backs a few headaches.

Having forced a corner, Jake Forster-Caskey’s delivery wasn’t dealt with by Hull goalkeeper George Long as Jason Pearce nodded the ball back to striker Bogle, the striker inexplicably missed his kick from six yards with the goal at his mercy. 

It was a real let-off for Hull and a wake-up call that Charlton weren’t on Humberside to make up the numbers. Thankfully for Tigers boss, Grant McCann, his side heeded the call.

Mallik Wilks, who impressed in the first half particularly, almost doubled the lead with a carbon copy of the attack that had brought Adelukan’s opener. Once more finding himself in between Charlton’s backline, his cross fizzed across goal but this time the ball deflected just wide of Amos’ goal.

Whilst Charlton were far from out of things, they failed to build on a more positive opening start to the second half and once more it was Hull that looked the likeliest of scoring.

A moment of brilliance from Eaves put Wilks through with a beautiful backheeled volley into his path from Long’s kick out. Unfortunately for Wilks, he got caught in two minds with Adelakun offering support, and the momentary hesitation allowed Charlton to recover.

Docherty, who had a fine game in the Tigers midfield, started and almost finished a superb counter-attack with Hull’s next attempt but the midfielder’s well-struck shot was straight into the arms of Amos.

Hesitation once more affected Hull, Josh Emmanuel, this time, failing to capitalise on a mesmerising run which took him past a number of Charlton challenges until indecision got the better of him.

Charlton came back into the reckoning and were enjoying their best period of the game with Caskey-Forster pulling the strings in midfield.

It was just after the hour mark that Pratley’s sending off proved pivotal. With the ball already out of play, Pratley kicked out at Wilks and following consultation with his linesman, referee Martic Coy produced a red card. With the game still well in the balance, the nature of the incident appeared all the more naive from Pratley, a player with a wealth of experience in the higher divisions.

Playing with a numerical advantage, Hull’s passing game went up a gear, using both flanks to stretch the game to pick Charlton off on the counter-attack. 

The home side wrapped things up in the 82nd minute with a delightful goal. Following a good breakaway, the home side moved the ball from left to right. As substitute Keane Lewis-Potter got to the byline, he stood his cross up to the back post to find Wilks, whose header rattled against the post.

With the ball rebounding away from goal, George Honeyman’s magical back heel fooled the Addicks defence and allowed Docherty to smash the ball past Amos in putting the game out of reach. 

It was a superb piece of improvisation from the Tigers captain who continues to epitomise everything good about this Hull side. His work rate, tenacity and creativity is a great combination to have at McCann’s disposal.

On an afternoon where the experience was going to be all the more vital for Charlton, with the loss of Watson in midfield, Lee Bowyer rued Pratley’s sending off having seen his side make a brighter start to the second period.

“I said to Prats (Pratley), he’s let us down. A little flick has cost us, because we were the team pushing and on top, but once you go down to 10 men, it becomes difficult.

“He’s our most experience player and you don’t expect him to make a mistake like that.”

Charlton will be back to the training ground to lick their wounds on a defeat that was almost self-inflicted but Grant McCann was pleased with his side’s performance to overcome difficult preparations in seeing off a promotion rival.

“I was a bit worried going into the game today, in that sometimes you can have two good training sessions but not perform in the game.

“But I thought we did today, against a team I have no doubt will be in and around the top end of the league come the end of the season.

“We had a really young back four out there today and we coped with everything they threw at us and we looked really threatening at the other end. I’m pleased with the result.”

Hull were deserved winners on the afternoon and have further staked a claim for automatic promotion. Despite the disruption that his side faced with preparations, from front to back, Grant McCann’s players put on a mature performance with each member winning their individual battles and taking responsibility for their areas of the pitch.

Much to Hull’s credit, their young defence dealt with everything that came their way and mostly reduced Charlton’s threats to set plays.

Brandon Fleming, only making his second start for Hull impressed at left-back and was only a whisker away from scoring with a lofted free kick in the dying moments.

Young centre-halves, Alfie Jones and Jacob Greaves both had solid games that defied their year’s experience in League One and full-back Josh Emmanuel continues to enhance his reputation.

Hull’s midfield combination of Honeyman, Docherty and Smallwood proved too strong for Charlton in terms of physicality and creativity and with the potency that they have further up the pitch, their manager will fancy his side to return to the Championship at their first attempt.

McCann may not get the credit he deserves when Hull play to their potential, but there is no doubt, that the man from Northern Ireland is doing an excellent job in rebuilding a club that was on its knees in the summer.  With an entertaining brand of football, which is matched with great endeavour, there may be better times on the horizons for Hull fans sooner than anticipated.

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