McBurnie sinks ten-man Baggies to send Tigers up to fourth for Christmas
MATCH-WINNER: Oli McBurnie celebrates his coolly taken penalty. Pictures courtesy of Hull City
Hull City 1 - 0 West Bromwich Albion
Sky Bet Championship
MKM Stadium
Attendance: 21,218
By Sam Hawcroft, Hull City Correspondent
This was no Christmas classic, but as gifts from Santa go, three points and a guaranteed place in the top six heading into the festive period will do very nicely indeed.
In the end it was Oli McBurnie’s penalty deep into first-half added time that proved decisive, separating the sides in a largely scrappy contest in which West Bromwich Albion will rue three golden chances spurned before the break.
The opening exchanges were brisk and fairly open. City won a corner inside two minutes after Mohammed Belloumi fed McBurnie in the area, but within seconds the visitors threatened at the other end, earning a free kick just outside the box. Mikey Johnston bent it narrowly wide of the left post – an early warning sign.
Another corner followed in the fifth minute after a looping deflection from Liam Millar, with Ryan Giles taking it short to Regan Slater. Charlie Hughes rose well, but headed over. At the other end, Karlan Grant flung in a dangerous low cross from the left as the 10th minute approached, but Aune Heggebø could not quite connect.
Moments later, fans could be forgiven for a sense of déjà vu, as Callum Styles took a quick free kick. Grant again found space down the left, and his inviting delivery this time picked out Isaac Price, who somehow ballooned it over the bar from close range. It really should have been 0–1.
The match continued in end-to-end fashion, with a brief spell of chaos in City’s box around the quarter-hour before the danger was eventually cleared.
Then came a lengthy stoppage after Charlie Hughes clashed heads with Nat Phillips. Hughes remained down for several minutes as the physios attended to him, Akin Famewo warming up on the touchline as a precaution. Eventually, though, Hughes rose to his feet, head bandaged and bleeding, and greeted by a booming chorus of “HUUUUUGHHHES”. Warrior status very much intact!
West Brom should have taken the lead again just before the half-hour. A fine ball from Heggebø picked out Price, who then found Grant. Getting in front of Giles, Grant shot just wide from a tight angle, but it was another glaring opportunity wasted – and another escape for City.
As the half wore on, the game lost some rhythm and became increasingly scrappy. McBurnie nodded a corner goalwards in the 39th minute but it was comfortably claimed by Joe Wildsmith, before Krystian Bielik went down after a strong challenge from Matt Crooks.
The referee deemed it a foul, adding further time to what would eventually be over eight minutes of first-half stoppage time. Unlike Hughes, Bielik’s afternoon was over and he was replaced by Chris Mepham.
Belloumi then picked up a needless booking for booting the ball away after being penalised for a foul throw – but any frustration was quickly forgotten as the Tigers took the lead in the seventh minute of the added time.
A Crooks shot was blocked, and from the resulting corner City were awarded a penalty for handball against Phillips.
McBurnie stepped up and calmly – nonchalantly, even – rolled it to the right of Wildsmith. A brilliant end to a patchy first half in which West Brom had wasted their best moments. But, as the Tigers know all too well, you have to take your chances, or you will most likely be punished for them...
Sergej Jakirovic shuffled his pack somewhat at the break, bringing on Amir Hadžiahmetović for Kyle Joseph to bolster the midfield and reduce the space Albion had enjoyed a little too much earlier.
Belloumi blazed over from 25 yards early in the second half, visibly annoyed with himself, and City enjoyed a spell of pressure without carving out a clear opening. Around the hour mark, however, the contest again became disjointed.
Millar was a constant thorn down the left, winning fouls from George Campbell – who reacted angrily and was booked for dissent – and from Johnston, who also took exception.
In the 65th minute, Millar curled a 20-yard effort that looked destined for the top corner until it took a deflection and flew behind, raising the volume in the North Stand.
Three minutes later McBurnie appeared well placed after being slipped in by Giles, only for the flag to go up for offside. The striker gestured in disbelief towards the assistant referee, but the decision stood.
With 20 minutes remaining, Belloumi made way for David Akintola as City continued to search for a second goal. West Brom remained lively without testing Ivor Pandur, while City struggled to land a decisive blow in the final third.
Then came a strange moment. West Brom sub Alfie Gilchrist, on the pitch for less than 10 minutes, was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after fouling Millar near the dugouts. Millar had gone to ground theatrically, rolling in front of the benches, but the challenge itself did not appear especially vicious.
A harsh call from the referee, who was by now handing out cards like candy and has previous for this sort of thing (remember the ill-tempered match away at Birmingham in October, when he apparently mixed up Crooks with Egan when awarding the Blues a late penalty).
City tried to make the extra man count. Akintola saw a shot blocked from close range after another fine Millar cross, before McBurnie received a warm standing ovation as he was replaced by Enis Destan in the 84th minute. Millar also departed, making way for Famewo.
Giles delivered another excellent cross in the 89th minute that just evaded Destan, then Lewie Coyle fired over. The always grafting Slater was then withdrawn for Darko Gyabi as four minutes of added time were announced.
West Brom huffed but rarely truly threatened, and City saw out the closing moments with not too much fuss.
One shot on target apiece, separated by McBurnie’s penalty. Not one for the highlights reel, but job done. Three wins on the bounce and firmly in the play-off mix – an astonishing transformation given the fact the Tigers were rock-bottom last Christmas.
Next up, a Boxing Day trip to Hillsborough, which will either be a horror show or an all-timer. Given both sides’ forms, you really would expect it to be the latter… wouldn’t you?