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Following a disappointing defeat to MK Dons at the weekend, Grant McCann’s men once more responded to a setback to move into the League One automatic promotion places, travelling to faltering Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
The Tigers emphatic win will not only have satisfied supporters by avenging their 8-0 humiliation at the same stadium last summer, they’ll have also been buoyed by their strikers return to the goal trail.
Having failed to register a single league goal in the month of February, certain quarters felt more reinforcements had been needed in the January transfer window as Hakeeb Adelakun (recalled to his parent club Bristol City) and Tom Eaves (out through injury) depleted Hull’s attacking options.
With Dan Crowley still awaiting his first goal following his loan move from Birmingham City, McCann will have been absolutely delighted that his forwards were all on the scoresheet at Wigan as the promotion race hottens up in League One.
Having been afforded an extra day on the training field with his players, due to Wigan’s re-arranged fixture at the weekend, the opportunity to work specifically with his strikers paid instant dividends for the Tigers boss as they chalked up their first win in five games.
“The extra day has given us an opportunity to get a bit of extra work into the players, and do some individual stuff, particularly with the front three which I’ve done over the last couple of days” he told local media.
“When they play like that, they’re such a handful, the three of them and I’m delighted for them because they deserve that for the work they’ve put in.”
McCann has assembled a strike force that very much complements one another in terms of its experience and ability so what does each player which bring to the table?
Mallik Wilks
Having been handed an 18 month suspended prison sentence in July 2020, 22-year-old Wilks has firmly let his football do the talking this season and has been one of Hull’s standout performers, weighing in with twelve goals from either out wide or playing as a central striker.
Despite not being the biggest nor the quickest, Wilks close control and ability to drift past defenders with his languid style makes him a dangerous opponent.
His appetite to shoot on sight was once more evident at Wigan as he notched his first hat-trick for the club on his 50th appearance.
Whilst the striker admitted post-match that he doesn’t get many with his right foot, a scuffed shot into the bottom corner for his second of the evening, there were no doubts about the quality of his first and last goals.
Opening the scoring, Wilks swivelled past his man inside the area before rifling home from an acute angle. His third was the pick of the bunch, however, curling home from 20 yards out, low into the bottom corner.
In capping off his Man of the Match performance, Wilks also got himself an assist, teeing up Keane Lewis-Potter for an easy goal following more trickery in the Wigan box.
Keane Lewis-Potter
With seven goals and two assists to his name this season, 19-year-old Lewis-Potter has attracted plenty of attention with his performances.
The diminutive but skilful left-sided forward has recently signed a new contract, putting to bed rumours of unrest that had begun to affect his performances.
Restored to the line up in the new year, McCann had defended his side’s lack of goals following the recent 0-0 draw with Lincoln City and reiterated the need to be patient with his talented youngster.
Having grabbed a goal on Wednesday, Lewis-Potter turned provider with some smart play shortly afterwards setting up Josh Magennis to grab Hull’s fourth of the night.
The teenager can be hugely influential when in the mood with his eye for a pass and his ability to score a goal, McCann will be hoping that the careful management of his prodigy will bear fruits in coming weeks.
Josh Magennis
Now 30, the archetypal frontman provides the muscle at the head of Hull’s attack to complement the emerging talent around him.
The Northern Ireland international’s ability to score and create goals makes him a real handful for opposing League One defences. Having registered his ninth goal of the season on Wednesday, Magennis also added his fourth assist as his flick on got Wilks away to score Hull’s second of the evening.
With his forwards in this kind of form, McCann will be feeling confident that they can provide the goals to secure promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking. Going into the Yorkshire Derby this weekend, McCann is aware that his side can’t rest on their laurels.
“The mood in the camp has been good. Hopefully, the win at Wigan has given the lads some renewed confidence. We’re pleased with the result but the games come thick and fast so we’re looking ahead to the next one now.”
“Doncaster away is a challenge, like every game is. We’ll go there and try and play with the confidence that we showed at the DW Stadium.”
Doncaster Rovers will be hoping that they can rediscover their scoring form following a disappointing run of results.
Having lost influential skipper Ben Whiteman to Preston in January, Rovers were initially undeterred picking up wins against league leaders Lincoln City and Oxford United.
However, since that time, they’ve lost three games on the spin (including a heavy 4-1 defeat to Sunderland the previous weekend), conceding eight goals and only scoring one in the process.
Losing to Play-Off hopefuls Accrington on Wednesday evening was another set back that manager Darren Moore will need to get out the system with Hull’s visit to the Keepmoat this Saturday but remain philosophical about not getting too down about recent disappointments.
“We were closer to being more of the side we know we are and performed more towards the standards we’ve set ourselves this season.” he told the official club website.
“The performance was there and it provides us with something to build on heading into Saturday’s game against Hull City.
“You never take anything for granted in football and I have always maintained that you never get too high on the highs and too low on the lows.”
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