Hull City vs Ipswich Town. Sky Bet Championship.
MKM StadiumAttendance11,650.
Ipswich still without a win under Paul Hurst.
Saturday 15 September 2018 19:21, UK
Jarrod Bowen and Jackson Irvine were on target as Hull beat winless Ipswich 2-0 at the KCOM Stadium.
Nigel Adkins' hosts led within the opening three minutes when Bowen scooped the ball over Ipswich goalkeeper Dean Gerken.
Substitute Irvine wrapped up a big three points for Hull after 89 minutes, squeezing the ball beyond Gerken.
Hull move onto seven points, securing their second triumph of the campaign, while Ipswich prop up the division.
The Tigers were in front early on when Fraizer Campbell threaded Bowen through and the midfielder dinked his right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area over the on-rushing Gerken, despite Matthew Pennington's best efforts to clear off the line.
City had further chances to extend their advantage, coming through the lively Bowen, who forced Gerken into a low stop while Evandro and Campbell both headed over from corners.
As half-time approached, the Tractor Boys grew into the game and wasted significant openings to try and find an equaliser.
Firstly, Jordan Graham profited from Jon Walters' industrious build-up play to curl wide, Jon Nolan should have done better, blazing over from inside the box when Hull failed to clear Graham's cross, before Gwion Edwards' fiercely-struck volley was charged down by defender Stephen Kingsley.
In a concern for Hull, Daniel Batty limped off injured before the interval, being replaced by Kevin Stewart.
As play resumed for the second half on an autumnal Yorkshire afternoon, both sides, who started the day towards the foot of the second tier, traded shots on goal.
With Ipswich pushing for a leveller, Flynn Downes tried his luck from around 20 yards but skewed his shot across the turf and wide, while up the other end Gerken was forced to parry Campbell's low drive.
Having been under pressure for much of the second half, Paul Hurst's strugglers from Suffolk responded when the lively Graham cut inside on the left to thump an effort towards goal, which was straight into the grasp of home stopper David Marshall.
Left-back Kingsley was later replaced by Irvine with 20 minutes to play due to an injury.
Evandro then had a glorious chance to make it two for Hull. Having been played in by the impressive Bowen, the Brazilian midfielder lifted his shot towards goal, only to see Pennington able to nod off the line.
Ipswich were indebted to Gerken for keeping them in the game, denying Bowen with his right foot after the Hull man had burst into the area.
But Hull's win was secured through Irvine after 89 minutes when he was found in space by Evandro, with the Australian slotting home right-footed.
Nigel Adkins: "Three points, a clean sheet, first home win of the season, dogged performance - well done to the players and well done to the supporters. The last home game we played some really good football. Today was different, we started off really well getting the goal through Jarrod Bowen and then for me, it was stop-start in the second half.
"We get into half-time 1-0 up, the goalkeeper has made two really good saves from Jarrod Bowen, and it was that dogged performance from us. Towards the end, the second goal we've gone and scored was really good play, Jackson Irvine has showed fantastic desire and tenacity to outmuscle the defender and go for it."
Paul Hurst: "We didn't start the game well enough, not just the goal but overall. We gave Hull a shot of confidence that we spoke about not doing. Both goals are very avoidable, I'm not saying we would have got that equaliser but the second goal kills it altogether, they were terrible decisions on our part and overall we have been punished again for our mistakes.
"If you keep making mistakes, the higher up you go, they are going to take them and it makes the task more difficult. We had chances but we didn't take them, and it's making life difficult."
