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Grant McCann’s Hull City twice fought back to claim their share of the spoils in an entertaining top of table draw with Sunderland at the KCOM Stadium.
Josh Magennis was the hero for the Tigers with two goals to ensure that City moved further ahead of second-placed Peterborough United following their defeat against Gillingham.
Sunderland, who’d been on a disappointing run of form following three successive defeats put their recent woes behind them with an encouraging display as they twice took the lead and came agonisingly close to claiming all three points as Aiden O’Brien’s header cannoned back off the bar in the dying moments.
With Aiden McGeady missing through injury, Lynden Gooch stepped up to provide the ammunition for the Black Cats and was the proverbial thorn in City’s side as Sunderland impressed in the opening quarter.
Gooch had already left Callum Elder for dead with a marauding run into the Tigers’ box after nine minutes with his inch-perfect cross being headed against the post by the unlucky Jordan Jones, but Sunderland’s forward didn’t have to wait too much longer to get on the scoresheet as he put Sunderland ahead just a minute later.
As Gooch once more got the better of Elder on the Sunderland right and adjudged to have won the ball fairly from the Australian full-back despite the City man’s protests, his measured cross was swept home at the far post by Jones who made no mistake at the second time of asking.
With George Honeyman returning to the line-up, Hull took their time in finding their rhythm and got themselves level in the 28th minute. A superb diagonal pass from Regan Slater from deep picked out Mallik Wilks on the City right and as he checked inside onto his favoured left foot. His in-swinging cross was steered home by Magennis for his 15th goal of the season.
Just as the hosts had fought their way back into things and had levelled the game up at 1-1, they soon found themselves a goal behind and again in controversial circumstances. As Gooch found space inside the City area, he flicked the ball over Callum Elder. As the ball fell down, the full-back was adjudged to have handled the ball by the linesman, despite Gooch looking to be in the path of the officials’ vision.
Despite Hull’s frustration, the decision stood as Grant Leadbitter comfortably sent Matt Ingram the wrong way to put his side back in front in the 34th minute.
Finding themselves behind for the second time of the evening and in their second successive home game, the Tigers dug deep to show their character which had shone through in their weekend win over Fleetwood Town.
Magennis who had brought City level in that game, harnessed his frustration once more to grab his second goal of the evening. As Grant McCann had spoken to the team about not getting caught up with the officials at half-time, the Northern Irishman, who had just about kept his temper in check in the second period, met Mallik Wilks’ perfectly stood up cross in the 64th minute to head home from six yards.
Only a last-ditch block from Aiden O’Brien denied Magennis a hat-trick which would have topped off a performance full of endeavour and commitment to the cause. Hull’s forward was vocal throughout and in an empty stadium, his leadership qualities echoed around the pitch.
He’s the type of player you’d certainly want on your side and this was evident in his reaction to Jacob Greaves taking a knock from a Charlie Wyke challenge. His awareness to have equal sway in the officials’ ears were also highlights in his performance off the ball.
“Listen, we would love to come away from the game tonight winning and playing attractive football but sometimes you’ve just got to win dirty. If that’s the situation I need to put myself in for the gaffer and the team, then that’s completely fine by me, Three points at this stage of the season are just so precious.” – Josh Magennis, Hull City forward
The 30-year-old seems to be revelling in his role as mentor to the younger talents of Keane Lewis-Potter and Mallik Wilks and having backed up his teammate in not taking the knee against Gillingham, you could hear the Northern Irishman talking both through the game and demanding more from them.
“He’s a leader on the pitch and he’s a big part of what we’re trying to do here. There’s a lot of improvement still left in Josh [Magennis] and he’s learning every day and learning about what we’re asking him to do. We’d like him to finish the season as strongly as possible.” – Grant McCann, Hull City manager
With Magennis now on 16 goals for the season, he’s set himself the target of reaching the 20 goal mark in City’s final three games. In the kind of form that the striker’s in, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him break that barrier for the first time in English football with Lincoln City next up on Saturday.
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