Is now the time for Hull City’s Tigers to pull away from the promotion pack?

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Hull City entertain Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers at the KCOM this weekend with both clubs angling for a big result for differing reasons.

Whilst City once again brushed aside doubts over their automatic promotion credentials in midweek, Rovers are still looking to firm results up under their new manager to see off the threat of relegation.

Hull’s convincing 3-0 away win at struggling AFC Wimbledon was backed up by another professional performance on Tuesday evening as the Tigers beat Rochdale to climb back into the automatic places at Lincoln City’s expense.

Whilst seemingly toying with the idea of automatic promotion for a number of months, McCann’s men have faltered when opportunities have come their way to pull away from the chasing pack.

Following team meetings to focus on the title run-in with thirteen games to go, McCann will have been delighted that his players put the kibosh on another unexpected defeat following recent disappointments at the KCOM.

Having equalled their away wins tally at home with the win over Rochdale, more professional performances will be needed with the visits of Bristol Rovers and Oxford United in coming weeks.

A huge game awaits them next Tuesday evening as they travel to Peterborough United and the Hull manager will be looking to go into that one in a positive mood from Saturday’s game.

Mallik Wilks has been in clinical form in recent weeks having gone through a barren patch in January but having notched his 19th goal of the season against Rochdale, his seventh goal in his last five outings, Wilks will be looking to break the 20 goal barrier this weekend.

Whilst new boys Gavin Whyte and Dan Crowley continue to find their feet at the club, the return of Tom Eaves and the improved form of Keane Lewis-Potter have been big bonuses for McCann.

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Following a serious injury scare in their recent 3-3 draw at Doncaster, Hull fans would have been delighted to see George Honeyman reappear for their next fixture following hospital treatment.

The midfielder’s form in the Tigers midfield arguably makes him the standout combative midfielder in the division and perhaps only second to Lincoln City’s Jorge Grant in the overall stakes.

The consistent form of Honeyman and his partner Greg Docherty in midfield has been pivotal in clawing Hull back into the automatic reckoning with their desire and quality from midfield.

With the Tigers almost at full strength going into the final quarter of the season, the challenge for McCann will be to install greater belief in his players that they have what it takes to secure an automatic spot and finally convince their fanbase that he can restore the club to its former glories.

Speaking to local media, McCann is cautious for now that his side doesn’t get ahead of themselves and go for broke with plenty of points still up for grabs.

“Do we want to be a bit more expansive and score more goals at home?

“Of course we do, we can’t get fixated on it. We have to understand that we have to focus on the process, we have to concentrate on the performance and we know when we get that right, we’ve got goals in the team.

“We’re one of the highest goalscorers in the country, so we’re doing something right.”

Joey Barton has made an indifferent start to life at Bristol Rovers with being initially tasked to secure League One status. The Gas were leapfrogged in the table in midweek following a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s Burton Albion on Tuesday evening.

Barton is the Pirates’ third manager of the season following the departures of Paul Tisdale and Ben Garner, and are now hovering just a point clear of the relegation places.

The ex-Marseille and Manchester City midfielder knows that his side needs to pick up points sooner rather than later but acknowledges that it’s going to take time to fully bed his ideas into the club.

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Despite the defeat on Tuesday, Barton remained unwavering that his players have the right attitude and quality to get out of trouble. Until they went down to ten men, following the sending off of Luke McCormick, Barton felt that his side had been well in control and wasn’t helped by the officiating on the evening. He told the local press:

“We asked the lads to lift it second half and I thought we were much the better football side, there was only going to be one winner and it was a very comfortable night until we went a man behind.

“Obviously at that point, it gave them a little bit of a boost, but by the time we reorganised and found ourselves a man down and a goal down.”

It’s been a mixed bag of results so far for Barton having seen Rovers lose to fellow relegation candidates Wigan Athletic, with a win over Shrewsbury sandwiched in between his opening three games in charge. Saturday’s visit to one of the top sides in the division is going to be far from an easy ride and Rovers will be looking for inspiration from their new manager.

If anything is to go by Barton’s personality, he’ll be relishing the opportunity to cause an upset at the KCOM.

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