Decision making costs Hull City as they are defeated by Nathan Jones’ improving Luton Town

Luton Town’s Elijah Adebayo was the afternoon’s hero at Kenilworth Road as his solitary goal was enough for his side to claim victory against Hull City.

As City have struggled to come behind from goals this season, Nathan Jones sensed blood and Luton were rewarded for their rousing start.

With Grant McCann under pressure following the Tigers’ midweek defeat to Peterborough United, his players looked nervous in the opening quarter of the game, and even before the goal, they struggled to get out of their half as Luton applied a more direct approach to use the pace of Adebayo.

Jacob Greaves was guilty of trying to play out from the back in one early moment that saw Luton’s Luke Berry hit the post and Matt Ingram floundered off a corner that Sonny Bradley should have converted with the goal at his mercy.

Despite Luton’s press, City’s resilience needed to be stronger as the visitors were architects of their own doing in the 17th minute.

Adebayo’s goal was not well defended as Lewie Coyle allowed Fred Onyedinma far too much time to pick out the striker at the far post for an easy finish.

“It’s frustrating. It’s a bad goal for us to concede. We shouldn’t be letting people come inside to cross the ball and we’re just giving ourselves an uphill task again with that early goal. They were stronger than us the first half but in the second half we were good. We played really well and we probably deserved the goal for for the play but it didn’t come.” – Grant McCann

Now six games without a goal away from home, City failed to carve out any real clear cut opportunities bar Mallik Wilks’ tame first-half effort, which barely troubled Simon Sluga following a promising run.

Although they did improve in the second period, coinciding with Adebayo having to be withdrawn through injury, scoring goals remains a considerable problem for McCann’s men.

Despite their efforts to win back possession and largely dominate the half with the ball, decision making cost them dearly as they failed to secure a point.

As the Tigers rallied, Keane Lewis-Potter showed that he has the talent to make the step up at this level with good work further up the pitch. He looked the most likely of the Hull players to produce a moment of magic as he showed flashes of his brilliance to get away from his marker, James Bree.

Latching onto Jacob Greaves’ fine through ball just after the break, the forward floated an inviting cross to the back post, but with Wilks still looking off the pace, City’s top goalscorer from last season didn’t attack the ball and failed to get on the end of the inviting cross.

Sadly for City fans, when opportunities did come Lewis-Potter’s way directly in the second period, a mixture of bad luck and wayward shooting prevented him from getting on the scoresheet.

Denied an equaliser after the ball didn’t quite drop to him following Di’Shon Bernard header back across the goal, the forward would also go on to skew an effort over the stand as he manoeuvred himself enough room to get a shot away on goal.

Poor decision making twice cost City again in the final throws of the game and typified McCann’s frustration. Callum Elder did superbly well to take the ball past Luton goalkeeper Simon Sluga, but as he was forced wide, he still managed to find Tom Eaves with his back to goal on the edge of the six-yard box. With Lewis-Potter as an option to square the ball to, the big striker could only find a Luton man as they hacked the ball to safety.

In injury time, a good City counter led to Greg Docherty breaking into the Luton box but he was seemingly caught in two minds as to whether shoot or pass. He drilled the ball across goal agonisingly past an outstretched City boot at the far post.

Instilling belief in the group of players that they are performing in the Championship on merit is tricky when they are on a run of poor results. There is no denying that City were second best in the first half but given they should have won in midweek and picked up a point yesterday, there is still hope, but the players have to start taking chances.

“It’s belief and confidence. Our forwards and midfield players will probably feel the world is on their shoulders at this present time. But ultimately, we can’t do any more in terms of the attacking stance, we’ve put some really some good passages of play to get in the final third against some really good Championship teams.

We’re not taking those risks when they come along and we’re trying to be safe. We have an open goal there at the end and we pick the wrong pass. These little things are not going our way at this present time. The boys need to believe in themselves more.” – Grant McCann

Hull’s third straight defeat leaves them sitting in the bottom three with pressure mounting on McCann. The Championship statistics don’t look particularly good for the City manager as things stand.

In his previous 34 matches at this level, he has lost 25, drawn six and only won three times. However, his side are still playing for him, and they were good value for a point yesterday given their much improved second-half performance.

There are positives that City must take from the game and Richie Smallwood was once again good in the centre of midfield, winning back possession on several occasions, which complemented his steady use of the ball.

Even without Tom Huddlestone, there are signs that City can cope if both George Honeyman and Greg Docherty continue to improve alongside him.

Whilst City’s commitment and endeavour could not have been questioned, they simply have to demonstrate that they belong at this level. With Coventry City at home next weekend, another successive defeat does not bear thinking about.

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