Hull City avoid potential banana skin to climb into League One’s automatic promotion places

Grant McCann’s Hull City showed discipline and patience in recording a comfortable home win over a decimated Burton Albion with a mature performance at the KCOM stadium.

With Brewers struggling for personnel and a clean sheet coming into the game, an injury to Kane Hemmings during the warm-up added to Jake Buxton’s early-season woes. The Brewers boss must be wondering what he’s done to deserve such rotten luck in recent times and the loss of his striker was a blow considering that Burton rarely threatened throughout the ninety minutes.

With Burton more than holding their own in the opening exchanges, the sending off of centre back Sam Hughes curtailed any optimism that they could pull off a surprise win in Humberside. With referee John Busby handing out eighteen yellow and two red cards in his previous four games, the warning signs were there for both sets of players to keep their discipline.

Image: CameraSport – Dave Howarth

Inexplicable and naive then that Sam Hughes picked up two bookings in the first seventeen minutes of the game which ended his afternoon and effectively Burton’s. Hughes, already struggling to get to grip’s with Mallik Wilks and on a booking from an earlier encounter, hauled the Hull frontman down with plenty of defenders around to support, which left referee Busby with no alternative than to brandish a second yellow card.

From that moment on, the gradient had become that much steeper for Burton to climb, on an afternoon that was already looking pretty perilous from kick-off.

With Burton showing plenty of spirit despite their early setback, they momentarily dug in with a compact formation but once Hull started to get a hold in midfield, utilising the full width of the pitch, they were unfortunate not to go in leading at the break. James Scott had their best chance, blazing over when well placed and the impressive George Honeyman came closest when his header was well tipped over by Brewers keeper Ben Garratt with Burton hanging on for dear life.

McCann has to take credit himself and sensing blood at half time, he added more potency to the Tigers attack, introducing Tom Eaves and Hakeem Adulekan at the break as Hull went in search of the opening goal. The second half was a test of character for Hull and they passed with flying colours by full time.

As Burton inevitably retreated further into their own half and continued to concede free-kicks around the edge of the box, it was more of a case of when Hull would score rather than if.

Heeding a warning that Burton could still carry a threat from set-pieces, it was a timely moment that in their next attack, Hull got the all-important first goal on sixty-two minutes. The Tigers patience finally paid off when Mallik Wilks emphatically fired home from inside the penalty area as Burton failed to clear George Honeyman’s free-kick into the box.

From that moment on, it was only some fine keeping from Ben Garrett that had kept the scoreline looking respectable. Tom Eaves had the freedom of the city when George Honeyman slid him through to finish the game off, but the big striker almost had too much time to time to pick a finish as Garrett smothered his delayed effort.

Thankfully, Hull weren’t left to rue Eaves spurned opportunity as fellow substitute, Hakeem Adelukan put Burton to the sword on 87 minutes. Finding himself in acres of space on the outside of the area, Adelukan had time to look up and smash a low, right-footed shot past Ben Garrett to wrap up the afternoon’s proceedings.

Image: CameraSport – Dave Howarth

On reflection, Hull boss Grant McCann will feel buoyed by the result and character shown by his players to remain patient and have faith in their ability to win the game. This was a potential banana skin on paper with Burton decimated by COVID-19 and once Sam Hughes had been dismissed for the Brewers, the pressure was all on Hull to open the scoring. You can only beat what’s in front of you and Hull remained composed in their approach as they searched for the games opening goal which pleased McCann.

“The message at half-time was don’t get frustrated, stay calm and the goal will come.

“Don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t come in the first 10-15 minutes – just keep plugging away, keep moving it quickly, keep trying to overload them on the outsides. It was pleasing to see.”

With Keane Lewis-Potter and Josh Magennis missing from the starting line-up, Hull needed Wilks to step up and he didn’t disappoint. The 21-year-old was the star of the show for the Tigers and was a constant thorn in Burton’s side. Wilks won a number of free-kicks in dangerous areas with his clever hold-up play and looked the most likely to break the deadlock. He took his goal well when an air of frustration had started to creep into the game as Burton’s defending became more physical.

George Honeyman kept the rhythm of Hull’s game ticking over in centre midfield alongside captain Richard Smallwood and Josh Emmanuel impressed whenever he was in possession from full-back. Emmanuel looks a real prospect for the Tigers with his athleticism and ability to support from wide. Not afraid to take a man on, Emmanuel got into a number of good positions to deliver balls into the box which on another afternoon, might have brought further reward. He’s certainly one to keep an eye on Hull’s season progresses.

McCann appears to have steadied the ship with three successive wins albeit in separate competitions, and with that confidence restored, they will look forward to next weekend’s game at MK Dons to apply further pressure on league leaders Peterborough United.

Despite the defeat, Brewers boss Jake Buxton remained vigilant that his players left everything out on the pitch and didn’t have any complaints with their endeavour.

“In terms of effort after the week we have had at the club, I can’t ask any more of the players.

“Playing with ten men it was going to be even tougher but I have no qualms with the effort and desire from the lads, it’s just very tough to win a game away from home with ten men and the changes we had to make early doors.”

Burton now prepare for an important fixture at home to Northampton Town next Saturday as they look to make ground on sides above them at the foot of the table. After the week Buxton has had, his bad luck can’t be far off from running out.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt