We progressed to the Third Round of the EFL Cup last night with a victory over Championship side Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium. It was a slop served up by both sides and we had to wait for penalties to see us over the line. Fair play to those 1,250 travelling fans who made the journey on a Tuesday night. I did not go, but watched it from my living room, where I was struggling to keep my eyes open. Yes, we controlled the game and looked strong, but the performance was no match to the game against Manchester United. It was slow and uneventful, but a fantastic strike from Dowell in the first half and a flawless showing from the penalty spot was enough to seal the victory.

Sergej made eleven changes from the victory on Saturday; in a 4-1-4-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Phillips, in goal; Targett, McNair, Herrington and Drameh as the back four; Douath as defensive midfielder; Dahl and Dowell in midfield, with Omur and Millar on the wings; and Akintola leading the line. The gaffer was obviously prioritising the match against Coventry on Saturday as some main starters did not even make the bench, including McBurnie. Still, it was a strong side, and it gave the new signings a chance to settle into the system.

They all did well in the opening stages of the game. We controlled the ball and were tight at the back. Our structure was strong and we made it difficult for the home side to break through us. We were quick on the counterattack, and this is how we earned our first real chance in the 7th-minute. Starting with a smart run from Kieran Dowell on the right, he played a smart ball in behind their backline to Akintola. One on one with the keeper, and with Millar arriving to his left, he wasted his chance by shooting straight into the keeper’s hands. We had another opportunity after this. Millar’s threatening run on the left allowed him to play a low ball into the box, which was collected by Dahl. He turned and curled the ball towards the far corner, forcing a strong save from Griffiths, their keeper.

After working hard to keep most of the possession, we ruined this in the 39^th-minute by allowing the opponent to take an unexpected lead. Some space opened in our backline and Stoke were able to capitalise on the gaps. The ball was moved nicely to Thomas on the left channel, who had time and space to whip in a lovely ball. Bozenik, their number 9, easily moved away from his man and had a free header, which crashed into the back of the net. This was self-inflicted and should have been prevented. It’s a shame because our defence had been our strong point all game.

We responded well to this set-back by working well to draw level just six minutes later. It was an excellent move created by Liam Millar on the left-wing. He collected the ball from Dahl on the halfway point of the half and drove down the pitch towards the edge of the box. He beat his men, before putting a low ball across the box, which was finished first time by Dowell, firing it into the top left-corner of the net. A fantastic move, finished off by a majestic strike. That’s more like it. All level at the break.

I won’t dwell on the details of the second half because it was woeful and dull. I can say that we should have scored once or twice. But Akintola squandered every chance he got. The 59^th-minute was the most crucial moment of the second half. Millar had the ball in the middle of the park and played a ball through their backline, releasing Akintola. One on one, he took the ball around the keeper leaving an empty net. But his miscued effort hit the side netting. Another opportunity came his way in the 66^th minute. Drameh’s through ball to him was missed left and wide of the goal from the centre of the box. Finally, in the 78th-minute, his right footed shot from the centre of the box was too tame and was easily saved by Griffiths. It clearly was not his day, but it demonstrated how we need more quality at the top of the pitch. This game could have been dead and buried.

Stoke did not have a punt at goal, and the match fizzled out as the seconds ticked. The closer to the 90^th-minute, the chances of us of sealing the win became lower. A penalty shootout loomed, which I was very pessimistic about given our composure in-front of goal already in this match.

To my surprise, it was the best shootout I have witnessed. Every penalty was put into the corners, giving their keeper little chance. Phillips was the hero as he saved their fourth penalty. They made us wait until our fifth penalty to seal the win, and Belloumi easily fired the ball into the back of the net.

Not the most exciting game to watch, but a win is a win. A Third Round match awaits.

Yes, you read the title correctly.

Last week, TNT Sports pundit (and the biggest wanker) Joe Cole was asked whether we would stay up. He claimed we would be “gone” before kicking a ball and stated he would be “stunned if they stayed up”. He also accused us of “slipping through the back door” and barely scraping into the topflight. He also joked that he put his phone on Do Not Disturb to avoid covering their opening match. Well, Joe, what do you have to say now? I bet your phone is now on silent whilst you sip from a glass full of your own tears. It was not just tossers like him who wrote us off before we kicked a ball; hundreds of pundits and sports ‘commentators’ tipped us for relegation before the season started. Maybe think again. There’s a reason why we were in this league. Consider this next time you all slag us off.

Now that’s off my mind, what a welcome to the Premier League. I did feel like I was still dreaming from the night before, but reality had finally hit me. And guess what? This match really did happen; we beat Manchester United (one of the most successful English football clubs) and kept a clean sheet. The performance was robust and we executed the game plan perfectly. We did not put a foot wrong in this match, nor did we look nervous. We were calm, composed, tactical and worked as a team. From the first match, we already looked like a Premier League side. Fitness and passing had improved, and we had tightened up at the back. We demonstrated to the league that we are not going down without a fight.

Sergej’s first top-flight formation was a 5-4-1, and he had us lined up as follows: newly recruited Tzolakis, in goal; Coyle, Ajayi, Egan, Mendy (another signing) and Giles as the back five; Crooks and Slater as defensive midfielders, with Belloumi and Stroud (new signing) manning the wings; and McBurnie leading the line. Again, this line-up sparked discussion on social media, as many were quick to call us out for not being prepared and having a starting eleven which would not even make it into the top six in the Championship. It shows you how much football knowledge these guys have. They just judged a book by its cover, whilst they did not see the hard and magical work going on behind the scenes.

That hard work paid off in the opening minutes of the match. We came out of the blocks bursting with energy, giving The Reds a real shock. But it did not take the visitors long to have their first chance of the game. In the 13th minute, Shaw’s inviting cross made it to the back post, finding the right boot of an unmarked Mbueno, whose contact on the ball was not powerful enough to pass the fingertips of Tzolakis, who parried away the danger. Thankfully, this was their only real effort on goal, and we took centre stage from here.

In the 16th minute, we built up some momentum in the final third through Giles, who was found well by Slater in the left channel. The wing-back looked up towards the goal before letting rip and forcing Lammens, their keeper, to tip it over the bar, resulting in a corner. It was this corner in the 17th minute when we registered our first goal of the new campaign. Slater’s dangerous ball into the box was headed on to McBurnie at the back post, who thought he had scored with a right-footed effort. But Lammens made himself big enough to push it onto the post and away, but it rebounded in the direction of Ajayi, who thumped it into the back of the net, making it ripple. What a start.

It got even better. We dominated the game comfortably and gave Manchester United very little to feed off. Tzolakis’ distribution was perfect, and we were able to stretch them at the back, which opened lots of space for us to use. We relentlessly caused them problems and exposed their weaknesses, moving the ball quickly, using the wings and putting balls into the box. This was how we earned our second of the day.

In the 38th minute, we were trying to get into their box, but they kept clearing the ball.

Fortunately for us, the ball came straight back to us. Belloumi fell lucky one time, and after a smart nutmeg on Tielemans, who showed his frustration, he was dragged down outside the edge of the box. Slater’s free kick had the perfect power and direction, which found the head of Mendy, who fired it into the bottom right-hand corner with a bullet header. Pure ecstasy around the sold-out MKM Stadium.

We were 2-0 up at half-time. What was happening? Did we just turn into prime Barcelona? The team I watched in these 45 minutes was certainly not the same team I had to watch last season. And we worked bloody hard for it. No luck, no VAR decisions going our way and United were not poor: we were outstanding and outclassed a team who finished third last season.

We did turn conservative in the second half, but we did not stop fighting. The visitors turned up the intensity and were more attacking, but the quality was not there. They brought on Rashford, and you wouldn’t have noticed he had stepped on the pitch. Their positioning was poor, and it felt they were very disfigured. I don’t know if it was because they were expecting us not to be this good, but Carrick has some work to do.

The second half continued in the same manner as the first. We turned more defensive but were not scared to attack. In fact, we had a couple of strong chances. Belloumi’s effort from range curled just wide of the bar in the 62nd minute, followed by Drameh’s shot in the 73rd minute, which drifted just wide of the post. The gaffer must have thought our luck had ended and made some substitutions which inferred he wanted us to sit back. And he was right. Five minutes later, they had their best chance of the game. A smart swivel and pass from Cunha freed Mbueno behind our defence, but the latter could not find a way past Tzolakis, whose outstretched hand secured our first three points and clean sheet.

A strong performance from us that day, and it was made better by the fact it was the main event on TNT Sports. It was our day, and we thoroughly deserved it. Manchester United had a bad day at the office. And to add insult to injury, the stadium MC announced towards the end of the game that trains from Hull to Manchester had been cancelled, which was followed by huge jeers from the home end.

How did you like those apples? We had just proven every doubter wrong. I do not want to get carried away as it is still early days, but something about this match filled me with confidence heading into the season. Next up, Coventry away next week.

UTT!

Wow! What a feeling. Too many emotions are circulating around my head, and it still does not feel real. We have been waiting years for this moment, and Acun has directed us to where we belong: the Premier League.

We were fighting for our lives last year, as we narrowly missed out on a trip to League One by goal difference. We brought in a new manager, who had never managed in the English Football League, and were shackled with a transfer embargo. All the football ‘experts’ tipped us to go down, and we were the real underdogs heading into the new season. However, 49 games later, we find ourselves back in the top flight after nine years of waiting. What a fantastic and magical turnaround our club has had this season. We’ve had some amazing away matches and vital home wins, but this victory at Wembley surpasses them all.

We headed down to London the day before as we were staying at a friend’s house (Toby Young, a QPR supporter, whose Substack you can find here) for the weekend, and we repaid them by getting them tickets to the play-off final. We soaked up the atmosphere and headed to Wembley a couple of hours early just to ensure we made it to the area, as there were a few disruptions on the train lines. A few stops later, the famous arc was in sight, and the heart rate was slowly creeping up. I had never been to Wembley before, and this was the biggest Hull match I have been to since supporting them when I was young. The area was taken over by Boro supporters, and we had to navigate ourselves past the ultra parade to get to the other side of the stadium, where our section was. For some reason, we decided to travel through enemy territory rather than walk up Wembley Way. Anyway, we got to our seats unscathed.

Sergej, somehow pulling off a suit in the blistering heat, named one change to the starting eleven he fielded against Millwall: Belloumi replaced the injured Kyle Joseph. That meant, in a 3-4-2-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur in goal; Ajayi, Egan and Hughes as half-backs; Coyle and Giles as full-backs; Slater and Crooks as defensive midfielders; Belloumi and Millar as the attacking duo; with McBurnie leading the line. It was a pretty safe line-up and had all our strongest assets on the pitch. We still had some talent on the bench when we needed it.

From the off, Boro were the more confident and dominant side, both on the pitch and in the stands. We had to suffer the direct rays of the sun for the entire game, and our singing vocals were not on display. It was a shame because the build-up to the game was amazing, but once the sun hit us, the east side of the stadium was shunned. It also did not help with Boro’s quick attacking play, as they caused us a few issues early on. The best of their play came in the 19th minute. Some smart passing on the left edge of the box freed up Browne, whose cross was headed over the bar by Strelec. He would also go on to pull his shot wide in added time.

It became an even match after this, with us finding our feet and enjoying some time on the ball. We moved the ball forward nicely at times but struggled to pull anything amazing off. Belloumi had a free shot from outside the box, which sailed wide of the left-hand post. But our biggest chance came in the 45th minute. Millar did well to hold the ball on the left channel and passed it back to Giles, whose dangerous cross was tipped onto the bar by McBurnie’s threatening header. Many Hull fans thought it was heading in (pardon the pun). The whistle was blown, and I headed to get some water, where I would queue for 20 minutes and miss the first five minutes of the second half.

Continuing from the end of the first half, it was quite uneventful, but both sides became more dangerous in attack and increased the tempo. But there was little to get excited about and, as the seconds ticked away, many in the stadium feared the pain of extra time and potentially penalties. Sergej made a few changes, bringing on Gelhardt, Hirikawa and Drameh, who brought some more energy to the team. Boro also brought on their star player, Hayden Hackney, and it felt like both managers were throwing in the kitchen sink.

Alas, the longer the game dragged on, the more it benefited us. We are used to attritional and slow matches this season, but Boro were struggling and became fatigued. They were slow in transition, and there was less of an urge to move forward. We were able to capitalise on this and, from the 80th minute onwards, we dominated the game. Gelhardt had a crucial opportunity in the 82nd minute: Coyle’s long cross was destined to sail over the players and head out, but Gelhardt beat his man to the ball, turned and had a shot which flew past the post. Not to worry, though; we would eventually find the back of the net in the fifth minute of added time.

Boro were doing their best to stay in control of the game and hold out for the draw, but we finally broke through them and exposed the space they left from a lack of tracking back and energy. Gelhardt held the ball on the right channel and released it to Ajayi, who quickly passed it to Egan. He spotted McBurnie and his pass towards the left-hand side was met by Coyle, who drove down the wing. He put Hirikawa through on the left, and his fast-paced cross was spilled by their keeper, with McBurnie there to slot it into the back of the net. Cue pandemonium on the opposite side of the stadium. The roar of the Hull fans was deafening as we were minutes away from £200 million and, of course, the Premier League.

There was a delay due to the celebrations, and we had to suffer at least eight further minutes of tension and anticipation. The referee was letting the game go on for as long as possible, but he finally blew for full-time. The party could begin. The top was off, the flag was in the air, and my voice was lost in the atmosphere of the stadium. To witness something like this is special, and I will cherish it for the rest of my life. Yes, it was a dull game, but we executed the game plan well and it paid off in the end. And it felt like justice was served after the whole spygate saga (which I am not going to delve into) and the treatment we received.

Acun bought the club in 2022 with one very big dream: to get this club back to where we belong in one of the highest ranks of football. He urged us all to believe and be together as one big family. Well, Acun, you’ve certainly made that dream become a reality and have made Hull one of the proudest and happiest cities in the UK. We may not stand a chance in the Premier League, and we already have ‘experts’ predicting us to finish dead last. They said that last time, but look what happened.

We’re Premier League-bound, and I cannot wait to report on my beloved team from some of the best stadiums in the country.

See you next season. Stay safe. Up the fucking Tigers!

‘E I E I E I O up the football league we go’

What a team. What an owner. What a manager. What a night. This result made every long hour of that gruelling journey down to London worth it. Everyone wrote us off this season, and all the odds were in favour of us going down. They laughed at us when we all predicted we would have a good season. Well, they’re not laughing now. Transfer embargoed? Who cares? That did not stop us. We’re Wembley bound!

Millwall were the stronger and more dominant team on Friday night, and we really could have done with scoring and having some sort of advantage heading into the second leg. The Den is known for being notorious, and if the Lions got off to a good start, our players would struggle to cope with the toxic and wild atmosphere. It certainly was deafening in the stadium, but most of the noise was coming from the away section, which was packed with around 2,200 travelling fans. They did have some form of control over the game in the first half, as they held the ball well and had a few chances themselves. But, we did well to soak up the pressure, keep composed and reserve our energy for the second half. That is when we pushed on, scored a couple and silenced the Den. Great tactics from the manager.

Speaking of which, when the line-ups were announced at 6.45, I was sceptical with the team he fielded. Unlike Friday, Sergej went more conservative in this one, putting five at the back and taking a more defensive approach to the game. He made two changes: Ajayi and Joseph started over Belloumi and Gelhardt. That meant, in a 3-4-2-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur between the sticks; Hughes, Egan and Ajayi as the backline, with Giles and Coyle as wing-backs; Crooks and Slater as defensive midfielders; Millar and Joseph down the flanks; with McBurnie leading the line.

The home side controlled the game early, which was par for the course. They had the majority of the stadium on their side, whilst we had to suffer the pressure. My stress levels were extremely high as they got close on a number of occasions. Thierno Ballo’s header from the centre of the box in the 17th-minute was blocked by our defenders. There was a scramble in the box to clear it, but we miscued the clearance and the ball came out to Neghil on the left side of the box. His left-footed shot fired wide of the post. Two minutes later, they had the ball in the box again: Ballo’s right-footed shot was saved by Pandur, who was called up again seconds later to parry a strike from Azeez. The ball was recycled into the box again, but Leornard’s header steered wide of the left post. Early warning signs.

As Millwall were holding the ball well, the only chances we created were on the break after a mistake from their side. This happened on a number of occasions throughout the half, and we managed to conjure up some goal scoring opportunities. The three chances we had were from headers. The first was in the 33rd minute after Egan’s glancing header from the centre of the box was too high and sailed over the bar. McBurnie had his chance in the 35th minute as his threatening header from the left side of the box forced a save from Patterson, who tipped it over the bar. Egan then had another try from the subsequent corner, but this time his header went wide.

It ended up being an equal half regarding opportunities, but it felt like Millwall had more quality over us, especially in the passing department. We still looked nervous. Joseph also picked up an injury towards the end of the half, and Belloumi replaced him. How crucial this change was.

The second half was sensational. The manager’s tactics were spot on, and the team executed it perfectly. Again, the home side saw more of the ball, but they actually did very little with it. We went into attacking mode, and went all out in this half. Our first goal came in the 64th-minute. Starting from a counterattack, Crooks spotted Belloumi on the right-channel and threaded the ball through to him. The number 10 held the ball up well, cut into the box and whipped a beautiful ball into the far left corner of the net, giving the keeper no chance. Cue pandemonium in the upper tier behind the goal.

The home side were looking for a response after this, but this goal startled them. They also looked fatigued as they had been on the front-foot for the hour, and were struggling to cope. They could not rely on their supporters to drive them either, because The Den was silenced, as they were all fearing the worst. A few attacks were created, but nothing to trouble Pandur.

We sealed the deal in the 79th-minute as we doubled our advantage. One minute after making substitutions (Millar was replaced by Gelhardt), we made a fast break, started by Belloumi. He drove down the right wing, with McBurnie and Gelhardt powering down the middle of the pitch, calling for the ball. He passed it to the latter, who took a touch and curled it towards the bottom-right corner. The keeper got a hand to it, but it was not strong enough, and the ball slowly trickled into the back of the net. Now the party could begin.

We parked the bus after this, and prioritised draining the clock. We made some defensive substitutions, whilst Millwall went all out and tried to find a way back in. But, it was too little too late. We could have actually tripled our lead in the 86th-minute. We won the ball from one of their corners, and Koumas’s through ball released Crooks down the middle. He drove towards the box, and was one-on-one with the keeper. But, he tried to chip it over Patterson, who made himself tall to snuff out the danger.

After seven long minutes of extra time, the referee blew his whistle, and the away end erupted. We had done it. It has been 10 years since we played top flight football, and we are 90 minutes away from returning. We had a party celebration with the team from the stands and this would continue on the coaches. It did take us over an hour to get out of London, but oh boy was it worth it. We will face either Southampton or ‘Boro at Wembley on 23rd May, and I will be there. Travel and accommodation has been solved, let’s just hope I can get a ticket.

Hope to see some of you there - enjoy the week off.

UTT!

Hi fellow readers

I would like to inform you that I got out of Millwall safely, and have started my long journey back to Hull. The emotions are too high and I’m exhausted, so I’m sorry to inform you that the match report will be delayed until tomorrow. I will make it a masterclass, just like that game was.

Up the fucking tigers. We’re Wembley bound.

Will update you all tomorrow. Goodnight x

UTT!

I snatched up tickets for this one as soon as they came out. It is the first time I have witnessed a playoff game with my own two eyes, and I wasn’t going to miss it. Fortunately, I also secured tickets for the reverse fixture at The Den on Monday night. The buzz was growing quickly around the city, and the stadium sold out within days. The away stand was also packed to the brim. It was a battle between tigers and lions. The first half of the 180 minutes of tense and thrilling football started under the lights of the MKM Stadium.

Millwall finished 3rd in the table, meaning they had the home advantage over us. They have certainly earned this, losing just four away matches all season, and making a great charge towards the top two towards the latter stage of the season. Finishing on 83 points, they were going to be a tough test. For us, we are the most out of form team from the four playoff teams, and started a downward trajectory at the end of the season. The thrilling win against Norwich last weekend was just enough to secure a spot in the playoffs. Did we have the bottle to go all the way and overcome the mighty Millwall?

The gaffer did not make any changes from the starting eleven he fielded against Norwich last week. That meant, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur, in goal; Coyle, Egan, Hughes and Giles as the backfour; Slater and Crooks as defensive midfielders; Belloumi, Gelhardt and Millar as the attacking trio; with McBurnie leading the line.

The first half started vibrantly and it was entertaining to watch. It was us who kept the possession and dominated the game, having the first real chance within the first 10 minutes. Millar’s smart backheel freed up Belloumi on the left chanell, where he drove into the box, weaved around three defenders, before his shot from a tight angle hit the near post. Brilliant individual play from the number 10, although if he squared it to one of the men in amber in the middle of the box, we could have gone ahead.

The Lions started to find their feet, and settled into the game not long after this chance. They couldn’t half pass a ball around, and completely dominated in that department. We had to do a lot of chasing and ensuring we had men behind the ball. We struggled to cope at times, and they had too much space and time on the ball. Thierno Ballo and Azeez had two free shots, but they fired wide of the post. We had too many let-offs in the first half, as Pandur faced eight shots, thankfully, neither of which hit the target. Both teams struggled to create any clear cut chances.

The pattern of the game continued after the break, but Millwall looked more dangerous on the break as the minutes ticked away. They were highly effective in creating chances and moving the ball up-field; however, our defence was strong and did well to deter them from getting into the box. We forced them to take shots from outside the box, and one of them nearly found the net in the 69th-minute, if Neghil’s shot had not clipped the post.

The gaffer turned to his bench after this, and made some impactful substitutions, Hirikawa being one of them. His cross just 49 seconds after being introduced onto the pitch was headed narrowly past the post by McBurnie. Kyle Joseph, another one of those changes, also put in some dangerous balls into the box, but nobody was able to finish it off.

We dominated the game until the end, but it was the visitors who thought they were taking a one-goal lead back to The Den on Monday. Five minutes from the end, Azeez managed to loop the ball into the box, which was volleyed into the back of the net by Leonard, sending the award crowd into ecstasy. But, little did they know, the referee had blown his whistle for a foul on Hughes after their player committed a foul on him.

The Millwall fans spat their dummies out after this, and started to direct their anger towards our fans. Bottles, missiles, and chairs were being thrown into the home end, and police had to intervene to stop them from climbing over the barriers. Chants of ‘we will see you at The Den’ came from the away fans in the corner, who still believe they are living in the 70s and 80s. The final whistle blew shortly after this, and it will be level heading into the second leg down in Millwall.

Many fans would have taken this result, given how good Millwall have been away this season. We have a real chance heading into the away fixture and it is all to play for. We may be disadvantaged, but we have proven to be stronger away from this season. If we can get any early goal, and have something to defend, I really fancy our chances. I am glad I will be there watching. Let’s just hope I return in one piece.

Wow, what a feeling! Given our recent poor form, winning just two in 10 games, this was a huge achievement and also a great win against a side who have picked up some form in the latter stages of the season. The fanbase were not optimistic heading into the match as it was out of our hands and we had to rely on other teams’ results. Wrexham had Middlesbrough at home, who were fighting for the second automatic spot, and Derby had Sheffield United away, who had nothing to play for. Fans in the stadium had eyes on phones, eagerly watching the action in the other fixtures. It was tense, thrilling and exhilarating.

This was the biggest game I have watched as a Hull fan, and so much pressure was on the players (and our hearts). But, oh boy did they handle it well. They did leave it a bit late, though, and had our stress levels through the roof. They scored first, followed by our equaliser moments later. At this point Derby were winning, meaning they slipped into sixth heading into the second half. But, we had help from our Yorkshire rivals, who turned it around at Pride Park, winning 1-2. This meant we needed Wrexham to lose, who were drawing 2-2. It was looking highly unlikely that Boro were going to score as Ipswich had secured the second spot already, meaning it was meaningless for them. Not to worry, as we went ahead with ten minutes to go, putting us in sixth. The Racecourse was five minutes ahead of us and finished before we did, so all we needed to do was cling on. With great difficulty, we did and the stadium erupted. All the stands were rocking as the players made a lap of honour, and a great buzz spread through the streets of Hull. Playoffs here we come.

And, the gaffer was not even on the sideline to watch it. He was in the stands, serving a one match ban. Nontheless, he made three changes from the defeat to Charlton last week. Hughes, Slater and Belloumi replaced Ajayi, Matazo and Lundstram. That meant, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur in goal; Coyle, Egan, Hughes and Giles as the back four; Slater and Crooks as defensive midfielders; Belloumi, Gelhardt and Millar as the attacking trio; with McBurnine leading the line.

It was a nervous start from The Tigers, who found it difficult to settle under the circumstances. Boro scored early on, which lifted the atmosphere in the stadium and helped the players push on. Norwich, who had nothing to play for, decided to turn up today and play for the win, which made it difficult for us. They were dangerous on the break, and we had to do some early defending. Indeed, they opened the scoring first in the 26th minute. Anis Ben Slimane cleverly chipped the ball into the box, and Toure’s right-footed strike from the centre of the box sent the ball into the back of the net. Derby were also winning, putting us in eight.

Fortunately, we responded well, earning a penalty a minute later after Gelhardt’s break into the box was stopped from a rash challenge from their player. McBurnie was the man in charge, and he was able to slot it into the middle of the goal to put us back in the race.

Cheers started to echo around the stadium as Boro pulled it back to 2-2 just before half-time. The Rams were still ahead, but all we needed to do was get another goal and we could forget about that game. But, we were not playing particularly well and it was looking unlikely that we were going to get another. We needed a miracle as we certainly were not scoring from the run of play. We did manage to keep it level at half-time. This second half was going to be the biggest half of their careers so far.

That bit of luck came our way in the second half. Yes, the football was not the best and not many chances were being created by either side. However, The Blades managed to turn it around against Derby, scoring goals in the 62nd and 69th minute putting them back in eighth. The cheers lifted the atmosphere and instilled some energy into the players, and this helped us score our second in the 67th-minute. McBurnie’s right-footed shot from the centre of the box trickled into the bottom-left corner of the goal, courtesy of Crooks’ headed assist following a set-piece situation. This meant we were sixth, and just needed Boro to keep Wrexham at bay.

It was squeaky bum time as we approached the 90th minute mark and with Wrexham’s match finishing before ours, all eyes were turned to the MKM Stadium as we had to hold on to our one goal cushion. Norwich did not go down without a fight, and were a threat on the attack. They forced a corner in the dying seconds. The ball was lifted into the air, and the hands of Pandur came out to clutch the ball. The referee blew his whistle once he kicked the ball and the roar was deafening.

So, after a rollercoaster of a season, we have finally done it. Ok, it is not automatic, but for the first time in a decade we have a genuine chance at playing top flight football. Standing in our way are two matches with the mighty Millwall. We are at home first next Friday night, and then the reverse fixture will be the following Monday night. Dare to dream?

The last time I visited Leicester’s King Power Stadium we won 0-1 courtesy of Liam Delap’s screamer from range. That was in 2023, the first full season with Rosenior when we were at our peak. We now find ourselves in a similar position as we face The Foxes in our penultimate away match of the season. A win would see us maintain (or even extend) our two point advantage over Wrexham, and also relegate Leicester to League One. A loss would potentially see us lose our position in the top six, and it will be out of our hands. This was one of the most important fixtures out of the remaining three. I was there to witness it.

Sergej made two alterations to the starting line-up: McNair and Amir were dropped for Giles and Lundstram. That meant, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur, in goal; Coyle, Ajayi, Egan and Giles as the back four; Lundstram and Crooks as defensive midfielders; Millar, Gelhardt and Belloumi as the attaching trio; with McBurnie leading the line.

It was a lacklustre match against Birmingham on Saturday, but the best of us came out in the first half in this one. We could not ask for a better performance, as we looked energetic and feisty. Yes, our opponents have won one in their last ten games and are relegation-bound, but we stepped up today, certainly by our recent standards.

We scored in the 16th-minute. The Foxes played the ball out from the back, but our high press forced their keeper to make a misplaced pass into the path of Millar. He composed himself, looked up and curled the ball into the bottom right corner. Some Leicester fans headed for the exits, whilst the far corner was going ballistic. It was handed to us on a plate, but we deserved the lead.

The home side do have the quality and strength, but once they went down, the stadium became toxic with chants of ‘sack the board’ bellowing from every stand, which certainly affected the players. They did have some opportunities when they caught us on the break. Daka’s chance stood out. In the 41st minute, their player breezed past Coyle and Belloumi on the left, allowing him to cross a low ball into the box. Daka made contact, but the side of his foot sent it agonisingly wide of the post.

Towards the end of the half we managed to use the toxicity to our advantage as we could have doubled our lead. Millar had two free shots in the box which were sent high into the stands, whilst Crooks’ smart Cruyf-style shot in the 45th-minute was prevented by the foot of Begovic, their keeper. Perhaps our lead could be larger, but the former Champions of England were crumbling under the pressure and showed little sign of scoring. Tigers draw first blood over the Foxes.

How things change so quickly. There we were, standing in the away end chanting and smiling, believing that we had this one secured. Oh, how wrong we were. The home side came out of the blocks a transformed team, and changed the flow of the game. Their first was helped by poor officiating in the 50th-minute. One of their players went down in the box. The referee did not bat an eyelid at first, but 30 seconds later the linesman waved his flag and then the he pointed to the spot. Who’s actually in charge? Anyway, Jordan James placed the ball down and slotted it into the bottom left corner. They were level.

Ok, nothing we could do about that. But, we could have defended better to prevent their second two minutes later. They were on the break down the right channel after a goal-kick with Bobby Reid, who crossed a perfect ball into the box. Whilst our defenders were scrambling to get back into position, Luke Thomas guided the ball into the back of the net. King Power came alive after this, and we were dumbfounded.

The gaffer had to sort it out, and fast. We looked fatigued and lacklustre. We are so close to the end, and it is in our hands, but the players are not playing like they want it. Fortunatley, a switch was flicked and we found some quality at the right moment. In the 63rd-minute, Crooks’ tenacity enabled him to win the ball deep in their half on the left-channel, and pass it to Millar. He laid it off to an unmarked McBurnie on the edge of the box, who smashed it into the back of the net. That’s more like it.

The game opened up after this as both sides were fighting desparately to win the three points. With 14 shots (compared to our five) and 54% of the possession, it was the hosts who dominated more and had the most chances. They hit the post, fired over the bar, and forced some fantastic saves from Pandur. They could not find the back of the net, and we were let off many times. However, it was us to who had the last opportunity in the dying seconds. Joseph played a smart ball over the top to Egan on the left. He beat his man to the ball first and was one-on-one with the keeper. His right-footed strike from outside the box was saved in the centre of the goal by Begovic. That was it.

So, this result confirmed Leicester’s demotion to League One, but we have slipped into seventh after Wrexham beat Oxford. Many are beginning to worry that it is slipping away from us. There are two more games to play, and the only barrier between the two teams is two goals. It is still possible and not completely out of our hands. We also have the easier run of games against Charlton (20th at the time of writing) away and Norwich (9th at the time of writing) at home. Wrexham have Coventry (1st) away and Middlesbrough (who are clinging on to their playoff spot in 5th) at home. Maybe it’s not over yet. But, it does mean it is likely that it will go down to the wire. Game on.

The rescheduled late kick-off meant I was able to make this game, as I landed early from St Lucia in the morning and got back into Hull in the afternoon. However, I wish I had stayed at home, as not only was it a goalless draw, but I was also exhausted. Nonetheless, like a dedicated Hull City fan, I watched it from my seat. I will not dwell on the details, but instead summarise the game as a whole.

Sergej made five changes from the draw against Oxford (a side we should be beating, considering they are on the road to relegation) on Good Friday. In came Pandur, Egan, Amir, Collyer and Millar. Out went Phillips, Hughes, Lundstram, Joseph and Belloumi. That meant, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur between the sticks; Drameh, Ajayi, Egan and Coyle as the back four; Collyer and Amir as defensive midfielders; Gelhardt, Crooks and Millar as the attacking trio; with McBurnie leading the line.

A point against league leaders Coventry was magnificent. They have been the most consistent and victorious side, leading the table for nearly the entire season. Holding the best away record, this was always going to be a difficult game, especially as we have not been playing well recently, chalking up just two wins in our last six games. We are also slipping in the top six, as the gap between us and seventh continues to shrink every week. If Southampton and Wrexham win their game in hand, there would be only one point between us being in the top six or missing out completely. That meant we had to be up to the mark today; thankfully, we were.

I only watched the first half on Friday, but we seemed bereft of spirit and energy, especially once we conceded the penalty. Today, we had more about us and played some of our strongest football. It was open and end-to-end, as both sides knew the importance of the encounter. We started better in the first half, as Coventry were struggling to create anything. They were giving the ball away cheaply, which we were able to capitalise on. Despite not having anything to show for it, we had the most shots (seven to their four) and the best chance. This came in the 15th minute: Amir’s dangerous cross into the box saw Carl Rushworth (formerly of this parish) fail to claim it, allowing the ball to drop freely. With the loose ball falling to Egan, his shot was cleared off the line by Liam Kitching. Coventry saw a couple of shots drag wide of the post.

It was the same story in the second half, but we managed to limit them to only two shots, with neither hitting the target. Although we had 43% possession, we managed to dominate the half as we used the ball well. We were also fighting and pressing effectively, which was a promising sight. Have we finally realised we have a chance at the playoffs? The only area we struggled in was scoring. We did come close twice: in the 55th minute, Millar’s smart overlap and cross into the box was headed by Gelhardt, but it was too tame. Then, in the 62nd minute, another cross by Millar was headed at the back post into the palms of their keeper. The game became slower as the minutes ticked away, with both teams sitting back and settling for the draw.

With Millwall and Middlesbrough dropping points, a draw for the Sky Blues was brilliant, as they only needed four more points to secure guaranteed promotion to the top flight. For us, we respect the point given the opponent we played, but we really needed to beat Oxford, as we needed four points from six. Nevertheless, our next two opponents are fighting at the bottom end of the table, so it should be a certain six points. First up: Sheffield United (17th) away. I won’t be going to this, as I did not manage to get tickets while away. I will be going to Leicester (22nd) away in two weeks, where I hope to see us edge closer to a guaranteed playoff spot.

I did not go to this one; I watched it from home after work as I had little time to get to the stadium. It was great to see us win, but I am starting to wonder if I am a bad luck charm: the games I have been to since the away win to Blackburn in December we have lost, whereas the ones I am not able to go to we win. Nonetheless, this was a guaranteed win, even before kickoff. Sheffield Wednesday have not won in over 30 league games, and are the first team to be relegated this season. If we did not win this, we did not deserve to be in the playoffs.

With Southampton and Wrexham on the charge, this was a must win. Recent results and performances have been below par, as we have been dropping down the top six week after week. The defeat against West Brom last week put a dent in our can of hopes, but we managed to put things right this weekend. The only way is up from now, as we head into the final furlong of fixtures.

Sergej made three changes from the game last weekend. In came Drameh, McNair and Joseph. Out went Hughes, Coyle and Koumas. That meant in a 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur in goal; Drameh, Egan, McNair, and Ajayi as the back four; Slater and Crooks as defensive midfielders; Millar, Joseph and Gelhardt as the attacking trio; with McBurnie leading the line.

The Owls came out of the wood flying high in the opening period, keeping the ball well and forcing us on the backfoot. We were happy to sit and soak the pressure, but the sponge hit capacity, and they swooped ahead in the 23rd minute. It started from a set piece, which we failed to clear, and Jamal Lowe was able to stick his leg out, and steer it into the corner of the net. How were we trailing to a side who have not won since last September?

Not to worry though as we equalised a minute later. Some nice work between McBurnie and Joseph on the right released the latter, whose low cross into the box was finished off by Matt Crooks’ right foot. A great response, but we should never have gotten into the situation from the start. Hopefully we could push on and take control of the game.

They controlled the game after this, and were on the front-foot. They were not acting like a relegated side, but they certainly turned up to play football today. The sold-out away corners were the key catalyst for this, as they were chanting and cheering from the first whistle to the last. They had five shots to our two in the first 45 minutes, and used their time on the ball better than us, but only had one goal to show for their efforts. However, they gave us our second in the sixth minute of added time. We were awarded a free-kick from a dangerous position, and Gelhardt’s cross was glanced into the back of the net by one of theirs.

It was not an entertaining half from our angle; we needed to step up a few gears in the second period. Thankfully, we were able to do this and put a cap on the game. Our strength and stamina outmatched Wednesday, who struggled to get a grip on the game when we took a two goal lead. And, our third came in the 58th-minute. McBurnie did well to hold the ball in the box, and lay it off to Joseph, whose beautiful strike fired into the bottom left corner of the net.

The game became tedious and uneventful after this and the home crowd were in silence, easterly waiting for the final whistle. The visiting side provided a few scares, but despite having 54% of the ball, they did not trouble Pandur. Credit to the travelling supporters, who continued to chant despite losing and knowing they will be in League One next season. The team also gave us a run for our money, and deserved at least another goal for their efforts.

It was a vital win, but the performance and manner of the game does not really give me hope heading into the remaining seven games. Yes it was a win, but we let Wednesday get too close for comfort at times, and given their recent record, it should have been a walk in the park. Nevertheless, we got the goals, and keep the three point gap between us and Wrexham. I suppose at this stage it does not really matter how we win, just as long as we are.

Next up: Oxford away on Good Friday. I will miss this due to being in St Lucia. I will be back for the home game against Coventry.

Over and out.

We have not won at The Hawthorns since 2008, and I travelled down as I had some hope that this would be a guaranteed victory. But, that record continued as we fell to another 3-0 self-inflicted defeat to West Brom. They were in the relegation zone, and had not won in 14 games prior to this. We were up in the playoffs and had the opportunity to create a six point advantage over Southampton (who have a game in hand) in 7th. However, we threw it away and it is likely that it will go down to the wire.

Money thrown down the drain, and a miserable journey home. The odds were completely in our favour, but it’s typical City to lose to a relegation team. Although, it is always difficult playing a team in the drop zone; they fight more and are a ‘banana peel’ team as they always trip up those teams at the top. We fell for that today.

Sergej made three changes to the starting eleven from the mid-week game against Wrexham. McNair, Amir and Drameh started on the bench; Ajayi, Coyle and Crooks started on the pitch. That meant in a 3-4-2-1 formation we lined up as follows: Pandur in goal; Ajayi, Hughes and Egan as the centre-halves, with Coyle and Millar as full-backs; Crooks and Slater as defensive midfielders; Koumas and Gelhardt as midfielders; with McBurnie leading the line.

For the first ten minutes, the baggies were on top, controlling the game well. They had a header glanced past the post and were forcing corners. We were on the back-foot and had little involvement over the game. It was like we were in the relegation zone, and they were in the top six. Our defence was all over the place, and it was mistakes at the back that led to their goal.

In the 25th minute, Pandur’s goal kick went wrong, and fell to Wallace. He broke down an open right-wing and crossed a low-ball into the box. It went through two of our players before being put on a plate for Maja, who slotted it into an open net. If this is not a sign to drop Pandur, then I do not know what is. He has cost us valuable points this season.

And, just to pour salt into the wound, we went down to 10 men in the 36th minute. Their player beat Hughes and got in behind, but before he could charge into the box, he was dragged down by our number four, who was shown a red card for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity. This was a bit harsh, given there were bodies in the box and he was not the last man.

The only exciting moment for us was in the 21st minute. A pass back to their keeper was misplaced. The clearance came out to McBurnie. He took too long to shoot and allowed their defenders to get back and block the shots. Millar’s subsequent effort trickled wide. Other than this, we had nothing. They had 70% of the possession in the first half, with 13 shots compared to our five. We were on the ropes and could have been well behind. They failed to capitalise on our jumbled formation and inadequacy.

We were vulnerable from the whistle. But, we did come out of the stops more switched on than the first half. They still had most of the possession, but we were fighting for the ball, and had more counterattacks. They didn’t come to anything, but promising signs of us trying to get back into the game, despite being a goal and man down.

But, they took a two goal lead in the 68th minute to put a lid on any hopes that we had. They won the ball high up in our box, and Heggebø was played in behind our back-line. His shot into the far corner made the net ripple and we were out of the game. To seal the three points they scored again in extra time. The break started from the middle, and the ball was played to the right. It was put into the box and finished off by an unmarked Price—it was similar to their first goal. But, we deserved it. If you gave us an extra ten men, and another 45 minutes, we still would not have scored. We were horrific from the first whistle, even with 11 men.

That was a shambolic away performance for us. We had six shots to their 26, and there was nothing to dance and shout about in the sold-out away end. We deserve to be compensated for having to watch that shower of shit. These are the games that we should be winning, but instead we bottle it and have to rely on beating the better teams (we still have Coventry, Birmingham and Norwich to play). We still have a six point gap (which could be reduced to three) but if we play like this every week, we will find ourselves slipping out of the playoffs.

Next up: Sheffield Wednesday. They have already been relegated, but it would be just like us to lose.

I did not go to this one, as I have chosen to go to West Bromwich on Saturday. Instead, I watched this from home.

After defeats to Ipswich and Millwall (two fellow play-off contenders) this game became one of the most important of the season, and it was a vital win. If we had lost, Wrexham would have overtaken us in the league and taken a three-point advantage, with a game in hand. We would have slid into sixth. One moment we were a couple of points outside the automatics; now we are fighting to stay in the top six.

Wrexham are unbeaten in their last five, winning four and drawing one, as they begin their charge into the play-offs. They also gave Chelsea a run for their money in the FA Cup tie on Saturday, making it difficult for the World Club Champions to progress as they took them to extra time. They were going to be a test, but if we had any chance, it would be away from home.

Sergej made further alterations to the starting eleven as he struggles to find a set line-up he is confident in. Out went Ajayi, Lundstram, Joseph and Coyle; in came McNair, Koumas, Amir and Egan. That meant, in our typical away 3-4-2-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur between the poles; Egan, McNair and Hughes as the back three, with Millar and Drameh down the flanks; Amir and Slater as defensive midfielders; Gelhardt and Koumas in the middle; with McBurnie leading the line.

It was a slow start to the game as both teams took time to find their feet. The first real sign of danger came from us in the 20th minute. Drameh cleverly intercepted a loose pass from their player and drove towards goal before his goal-bound strike deflected over the bar and went out for a corner. We had a strong spell after this as we tried to break down Wrexham’s back line, which held up well. We should have capitalised on this as we had them on the ropes, but despite holding the ball, we did not pose much of a threat.

To highlight our dominance: in the first 25 minutes we had four shots to their zero and 53% of the possession, but had nothing to show for it. The home side were very sloppy as they struggled to settle. Their only good chance came in the 28th minute from a counterattack. They caught us lacking numbers at the back and, with Longman (formerly of our parish) on the ball, he passed it through to Windass, whose shot from the edge of the box forced a great parry from Pandur.

We took the lead out of the blue in the 40th minute. We were awarded a controversial free kick from a shootable position after Hughes was taken to the ground following a collision with Doyle. Gelhardt was the man behind the ball, and from the right-hand edge of the box he beautifully curled the ball into the top-right corner. The first set piece we have scored this season. Lovely stuff.

Two minutes later we won a penalty after our goalscorer was taken down in the box by their player before he could get his shot off. The build-up was excellent after some intricate one-two passes on the edge of the box. Gelhardt was given the responsibility, but his strike towards the bottom right corner was saved by Okonkwo, their keeper. Would this come back to haunt us at the end of the game?

We did continue to apply the pressure and did not let the miss affect our momentum. We kept hold of the ball and dominated, but Wrexham made it difficult for us as they parked the bus and were desperate for the whistle. They did not play well in the first half, mostly because we did not allow them to have any of the ball. We also outperformed them and executed our game plan well. They certainly had to step up in the second half. But if they had been keeping track of our record, they would know they have a better chance of beating us as we are more vulnerable when leading matches. Nevertheless, we headed into the second half with the lead.

The Hollywood Fairytale stars came out of the blocks much quicker than us, trying hard to find a way back into the game. But, like the first goal, we doubled our lead virtually out of nothing. We had a counterattack which resulted in a corner. The ball was crossed too deep and Millar collected it on the left flank. He recycled it back into the box, and Koumas’ glancing header was guided into the far corner of the net. After this, we stepped up the gears and pressed for more.

But the next goal came from the home side, not us, in the 76th minute. A one-two on the right side freed up Kabore, who sent an accurate ball into the box which fell to an unmarked Broadhead to slot into an open net. The dynamics suddenly changed after this as Wrexham started putting up a fight. It was squeaky-bum time.

The pressure was relentless from Wrexham as they fought hard to get an equaliser. They were forcing corners and putting us on the back foot. Five minutes were added and we had to keep our composure and stay tight at the back. We managed to hold them off, securing the three points.

That was a massive win, and I now feel a sense of regret for not going. It was a solid performance and made up for those two recent defeats. We just have to continue this into Saturday when we face 22nd-placed West Bromwich.

If we can’t beat those teams around us in the playoffs, then we don’t deserve to be up there at all. And today proved we are not play-off material as we fell to a shocking 1-3 loss to play-off contenders Millwall. They did not even play particularly well, we just gave it away in the second half and paid the price for not taking our chances. We could have ran away with it in the first half as well; we were by far the better side. But, in typical City fashion, we let go of another game that should have easily been ours to win. We had 23 shots overall and only one counted.

Alex Neil’s side came into the match with four wins and one defeat in their last five matches and sat just above us in the league in fourth. For us, we had lost three and won two of our last five matches as we struggle to pick up any form.

The manager made four changes to the starting eleven from the defeat to Ipswich in the mid-week game. Ajayi, Lundstram, McBurnie and Drameh came on for Amir, Famewo, Koumas and Egan. That meant in our usual 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur between the poles; Coyle, Ajayi, Hughes and Drameh as the back four; Slater and Lundstram as defensive midfielders; Millar, Gelhardt and Joseph in the middle; with McBurnie leading the line.

After a promising and energetic start, our first opportunity came in the 6th minute. Lundstram played a quick free kick which he passed to Gelhardt in the centre of pitch. He teed up Joseph to his right, but with bodies in the way his shot failed to go anywhere near the goal. He doesn’t give up though and picked up the free ball; this time his shot took a deflection and went out for a corner.

Then in the 11th minute Joseph got even closer. A great attack starting down the middle with a few intricate passes, got the ball to Lundstram on the right-hand edge of the box. He looked up and chipped a perfectly weighted ball to Joseph, whose header crashed onto the bar.

But, after all the hard work, it was the visitors who opened the scoring—from another set piece, something we are very susceptible to this season. In the 14th minute a challenge on their player was given from the left-hand side of the box. A beautifully curled ball towards the back-post was headed upwards, and Cooper’s subsequent header hit the crossbar and crashed up into the roof of the net.

We drew level in the 19th minute to silence those in the away corner. A ball goes astray to their keeper after a misjudged pass by Drameh, but Joseph’s press forced the keeper to make a misplaced kick. It landed back to our player, who passed it up towards the edge of the box, where three players in amber awaited. Three passes allowed Joseph to play through Gelhardt in on goal, and one-on-one with their keeper, he slotted it into the back of the net.

We found the back of the net again in the 30th minute after a header from Joseph hit the bar and went in. However, the ref blew for a foul on their keeper as he apparently jumped on top of him and knocked the ball out of his hands— it was disallowed. This came moments after a challenge on McBurnie in the box which was not given for a penalty. Where do they get these referees from?

It was all us for the rest of the half, save for a few set-pieces from them, but nothing came from them. We hit the bar three times in the first 45 minutes, had 13 shots with 4 hitting the target and 51% of the possession. It was one of the most enjoyable halves of the season, and hopefully the same followed in the second half—this time, it would be nice if we scored a few more goals. Oh, how wrong I was.

The second half started slower than the first, but we were the most dominant side. We had an early chance after McBurnie’s header went wide after a Lundstram cross in the 52nd minute. After this, it became scrappy, and we were relentlessly attacking their half of the pitch. We all felt a goal was coming. Again, how wrong could I be?

In similar fashion to the first goal we conceded, there second came out of the blue. We had control over the ball, and had all the chances, however they had an attack in the 70th minute and scored. The ball was was played out to the right chanel, and a low cross was played across the box. Pandur came out to claim it, but it went straight through his hands and Ivanovic slotted it into an open net.

Dynamics changed after this as they went two to the good in the 78th minute. We were playing it out from the back, but Ajayi’s pass to Hughes was weak and Coburn picked it up the loose ball, ran into the box and struck it into the bottom left corner of the net. How on earth were we 1-3 down?

We made some changes and tried to find a way to get back into it, but found it difficult as Millwall put every man behind the ball and parked the bus. What first started out as a hopeful game which we could take something from, turned out to be a disappointing defeat.

Let’s not take away that first half performance, however it needed to be backed up by a similar second half; it wasn’t. We handed it to them on a plate, and we are now at risk of being leapfrogged in the table by Wrexham, who will be our next game on Tuesday night. So not only can they overtake us, but can form a three point gap if they win on Tuesday. We are in such a vulnerable position, but we only have ourselves to blame.

Today, we lost to promotion contenders Ipswich Town under the lights of Portman Road. This is a tricky ground to play at as only Charlton have beaten them in their own backyard this season and they are now favourites to slide into second if they win their game in hand against Portsmouth. So we did well to hold them off and only lose by one goal. And it is fair to say that the scoreline does not reflect the effort and fight we put into the game, especially after we conceded. It is disappointing to leave Suffolk empty handed; a point would have been more reasonable and a reward for those 600 fans who made the long journey down.

I thought that I would have missed the start of this game as I have spent a couple of days in London and arrived back into Hull just before 7pm, giving me 45 minutes to get back, unpack and mentally prepare. I managed to watch every minute, but I knew from the off that it was not going to be an easy game. Ipswich had more attacking quality than us, and we were sitting back too much. The day had not been going well either for me as a few things were going wrong–I can always rely on Hull City to ruin my evening, I just did not want them doing it again tonight.

Sergej made four changes from the Portsmouth game: in came McNair, Drameh, Millar and Crooks, out went Famewo, Amir, Joseph and McBurnie. This was rash from the gaffer, given the number nine is our top goal scorer, and we needed him in a game like this. Nevertheless, we lined up as follows: Pandur in goal; Coyle, Egan, Hughes, McNair and Drameh as the back five; Slater, Crooks and Millar in the middle; and Koumas and Gelhardt as the attacking duo.

It was an uneventful, and conservative half of football as both teams were playing it safe and not trying anything. Although, we were happy to soak up the pressure and welcome their attack. This was a great tactic from the coaching team as Ipswich do not like playing against teams who sit deep; they thrive on open and fast-paced games as they have the quality to do that. Thus, they had 72%, but due to keeping a strong backline, we limited them to just five shots, with only one hitting the target. We had some great counterattacks, but our final pass and touch let us down, and their keeper was not called into action. The home fans were shunned, putting us in a great position heading into the second half.

It is worth mentioning that Koumas was incredible in this half as he outpaced his defender and had him in his back pocket. He was causing a real threat down the wings, but he is still a bit too hesitant on the ball and slow to release it. He created one or two vital chances, but his execution was poor and let him down.

The first half of the second period continued in the same manner as the first. The Tractor Boys looked more like they were going to score as they were piling on the pressure around our box. The only opportunity we had was after a brilliant run made on the left channel by Millar, who drove into the box and from a tight angle fired the ball over the top. An onrushing and open McBurnie was furious that he did not tee him up. This miss proved to be costly.

We were doing quite well until the 71st minute when they opened up the scoring—and they did it in some style. We could not quite clear the lines and they continuously attacked, building around the box. Mehmeti drove with the ball into the danger zone and passed it to Davis who pulled it off to Matusiwa. He had a bit of space on the D, opened up his body, and drilled it into the top right corner of the net, giving Pandur no chance.

We seemed to play much better after we conceded. A few changes were made and more energy and determination was shown on the field, making more attacks and getting the ball into the box. We just lacked the execution. But we were causing them a lot of problems. We managed to just edge them in the possession, having 51%, which was a huge improvement from the first half and the start of the second. The crowds were becoming a bit frustrated and worried that we would equalise, but yet again we made it easy for them as we only had one more shot, which did not even hit the target. They parked the bus and did well to see the game out.

In the attacking department we were poor, but were robust defensively. You can only credit and applaud our efforts tonight, but Ipswich had one perfect opportunity and they took it well. This defeat does not change anything in the table, it just stopped us from being third heading into the weekend, when we face another playoff contender, Millwall (at home). If we fail to take anything from this, then we have to rely on beating Wrexham (who are also flying, and in the playoffs) away from home. The pressure has well and truly ramped up.

Apologies for the delay on getting this out, I have been working all weekend, meaning I also missed the game. This will be a brief overview.

Hull was able to pick up a hard-earned win over Pompey on Saturday, in the early kick-off. Just under 1000 fans woke up in the early hours of the morning to make the 540 mile round-trip and they were rewarded for their efforts. According to fans who made the trip, it was one of the hardest and toughest games to watch. And, I can believe them. We had just two shots throughout the entire game, whilst the home side had 22. Pandur had to make some vital saves, and we must have put every man behind the ball. From watching the highlights, it seemed we were facing attack after attack.

The goal came from a defensive error in the 75th minute after a misplaced pass back to their keeper. The keeper tried to quickly clear the ball, but an onrushing McBurnie forced a mistake and the ball came out to Crooks on the edge of the box, who guided it into the back of the net. They continued to dominate after this, but were not clinical enough in-front of goal, and after 90+7 minutes of being on the back-foot, we hung on to the three points.

Back-to-back wins now puts us comfortably in 5th, with a game in hand, which will be played tomorrow night away against promotion contenders, Ipswich. This will be one of our most difficult games, but it will not get any easier after this: Millwall and Wrexham are up after this, two more teams that are in the playoff chase. A minimum of five points would be really good as we will be taking points away from these too, so they would not be able to overtake us in the league.

I hope this time tomorrow night I am reporting about a 1-2 away victory.

That’s more like it. Getting mauled one day, mauling the next. Many were certain that we would struggle in this playoff clash against Derby, who came into this game three points off the top six. We have had a poor record against the Rams in recent years, with our last win coming against them in 2019. But, by some miracle, we managed to put four past them and win it late on with goals coming from Egan and Koumas. It was one of our more entertaining and exciting matches at home this season, as it was end to end and it could have gone either way. Both sides were poor defensively, but dangerous up-front. It was all down to who took their chances; we won in that department.

Unfortunately, I had a sickness bug the night before and could not make it to the game, but managed to stay up and watch it on TV. Originally, I did not mind missing this as our form recently has been dire, but in typical City fashion, we won the one game I missed, making me feel like I should have pushed through it and turned up. The atmosphere did appear to be lacking last night, with many empty seats in the family stands. The away section was packed, who were all mocking us for all the empty seats. They do have a point, as it was a huge game, but if you have watched us these past few games, you can understand why people did not turn up. Nonetheless, those who turned up were rewarded with a spectacle.

The gaffer made two changes to the starting eleven who started against QPR on Saturday: Hughes and Joseph in for McNair and Hirakawa. That meant in a 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur in goal; Coyle, Egan, Hughes and Giles holding the fort; Amir and Slater as the defensive midfielders; Joseph, Gelhardt and Millar as the attacking trio; and McBurnie leading the line. Hirakawa seems to have picked up a nasty knock, which will see him out for a while, however, we had Crooks back on the bench.

We started off well in the opening 10 minutes, as we managed to take an early lead after forcing a corner in the 9th minute from some strong attacking football. Amir was the man behind the ball at the left corner and he whipped a perfectly-weighted ball into the box, which was helped into the back of the net by their own player, Elder (formally of this parish). We seemed to have a hold on the game after this, as the away team struggled to settle.

But, they started to get themselves into the game, picking up some rhythm and equalising in the 17th minute. They had a corner themselves, and Elder’s deep cross missed everyone in the box and was picked up on the edge of the box. It was recycled into the box by Travis who seemed to put it towards the far corner, which forced a save from Pandur. However, the follow-up was tucked away by a well-positioned Forsyth. Poor defending from us, as those in black and amber around him seemed to stand still.

Derby dominated the game after this and seemed more likely to score again, but they were not clinical enough in front of goal, and this proved costly in the 39th minute. They were playing it out from the back, but Elder’s misplaced pass was collected by Gelhardt, who was quick to spot McBurnie in the box. He expertly turned his man inside out, and his strike made the net ripple.

Alas, our celebrations were cut short three minutes later as Derby once again pulled themselves back into the game. This time, they worked it well on the right hand side of the box, and Agyemang (their star player, who caused problems all game) put a low ball across into the box. Pandur decided to come out and parry it, but like their first goal, the rebound came out to Szmodics, who slotted it into an open net. This was the last action of an eventful first half.

The second period was slower than the first, but Derby certainly had control over the game, and should have gone clear early on. They saw an acrobatic kick from Agyemang fire just over the post. Clark was through on goal, but Pandur made himself big and snuffed out the danger. Then, moments after he was substituted on, Carlton Morris saw his effort fire wide of the post from close range. These missed chances proved to be costly at the end of the match.

In the 75th minute, we had an attack on the left hand side. Small intricate passes around the box between Slater and Millar opened up space for McBurnie to receive the ball and pass it to Egan. Their defenders were slow to react and Egan was able to slot the ball under the keeper and into the back of the net before they could close him down. Pandemonium in the stand behind the goal. They were up on their feet moments later. A ball was played over the their backline, and it rebounded off the back of Clarke, who seemed to be unaware of his surroundings, and into the path of Koumas. With just the keeper to beat, he took it down neatly and fired it into the top-right corner of the net. The vital three points were secured.

So, an unexpected win, but one that we desperately needed. The performance overall was much stronger than previous games, and we seemed to have gelled more last night. I think benching the January signings and bringing them on late really helped, as they haven’t really settled yet, and have been quite disruptive recently. There is still a bit to work on, but we need to do it quickly as we have a tricky run of games coming up–Ipswich, Millwall and Wrexham. But, before that, we have an away trip to Portsmouth next Saturday. They sit in 19th-place, meaning we have to take something from it. But, as is our wont, we will get battered, but then win our next three tricky games afterwards. Watch this space…

You know a performance is really bad when even I–who has never left a match early–heads for the exit before the final whistle. This was another lacklustre and tedious home performance, and the playoffs are slowly slipping away from us. We were completely lacking desire, energy or fight today and the manager has some questions to answer. Since the draw against Watford and the defeat to Bristol, we still have not changed tactics, and continue to play risky and ineffective football. It worked at the start of the season, but teams are exposing us easily. Too much time is spent down the wings getting boxed in and dispossessed, and that was the case today.

The Young family–our QPR friends–decided not to travel up to this match, not least because they lost to Blackburn last week, but it was a 12.30pm kickoff, making it difficult for them to make the trip and organise a meetup. I bet they wish they at least came up to watch the game. They did not play well, either, but were more clinical in the final third and that is what separated the two sides today. They looked more like a playoff side too, whilst we are becoming a mid-table Championship side at best.

The manager made three changes from our last outing: McBurnie, Gelhardt and Pandur made the starting eleven. That meant, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Pandur between the poles; Giles, Egan, McNair and Coyle as the back four; Amir and Slater as defensive midfielders; Millar, Gelhardt and Hirakawa as the attacking midfielders; with McBurnie leading the line.

We made a positive start to the match and had our first opportunity in the 3rd minute. The ball was switched to Millar on the left flank, who took it down and cut across the edge of the box, before seeing his beautiful strike glance past the far post. He is definitely capable of scoring from those distances, and it was great to see a player showing enough confidence to strike from range.

The game became really sloppy, but it was the Rs who opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. They had a corner and Harvey Vale’s (formally of this parish) in-swinger corner was put into the back of the net by our own McNair. Many thought it went straight in, but it was put down as an own goal as the ball was going off target.

We equalised in the 39th minute after we had a dominant spell on the ball. A fast and effective counterattack released Hirakawa on the right flank, who drove all the way into the box before pulling it back to the danger zone. The ball seemed to get away from their keeper and deflect towards the goal, but an onrushing Gelhardt made sure and put it in the net. We were level at the break.

We continued the momentum from the end of the second half into the start of the second and forced a corner moments after the restart. Gelhardt’s in-swinger was heading towards the back post, but nothing came from it, and QPR were able to clear. This was the only action we had in the second period.

The game became slow, dull and uneventful. We were not showing any threat in-front of goal, and were not able to get an attack going. QPR were quick to attack down the flanks and blocked any ball coming in, and they had their men positioned well behind the ball. They had a game plan; they executed it perfectly. We could not break them down, and despite having 59% of the possession, most of it was wasted. We actually reverted to playing out from the back; this is when the problems started and we started to crack.

The visitors were switched on and capitalised on our lack of energy and were able to have a counterattack of their own in the 84th minute. They played the ball well around the edge of the box, and created gaps in our defence. It was played out to Bennie on the left-hand edge of the box, who rifled it into the top-left corner of the net.

This was followed 10 minutes later by another counterattack on the left wing with Kone on the ball with open space and nobody bothering in-front of him. He ran into the box and slotted it into the far corner of the goal to get their third and seal off the three points. I left at this point, but can guarantee we played just the same and I did not miss much.

So, back-to-back losses keeps us in the playoffs but the gap between us and 6th could be closed to 5 if teams below us win the later kickoffs. We still have a game in hand, but it’s against Ipswich, and I don’t see us taking anything from that game. We go again on Tuesday night against Derby at home.

This result was par for the course. We never stood a chance against Chelsea – holders of the Club World Cup and currently 5th in the Premier League – who certainly put us in our place last night. They were formidable and outclassed us in every department. They had 76% of the possession and chalked up eight shots on target to our three, managing to put four in the back of the net; we were fortunate it was not more. It felt like we were just playing for pride and the occasion, and it was great to experience a top-flight team competing at the MKM. Let’s just hope next year we are a top-flight team too.

Sergej made six changes from the league defeat to Bristol City last week: Phillips, McCarthy, Amir, Millar, Koumas and Hirakawa came in for Pandur, Hughes, Lundstram, Gelhardt, Joseph and McBurnie. That meant, in a 3-4-2-1 formation, we lined up as follows: Phillips in goal; Coyle, McNair, Egan, McCarthy and Giles as the back five; Amir and Slater as defensive midfielders; Hirakawa and Millar as the attacking duo; with Koumas leading the line. Hughes and McBurnie were rested completely, with the manager clearly prioritising the league over the cup.

We made a strong start to the game, defending well and keeping our shape. However, it was the visitors who had the first opportunity to open the scoring in the 20th minute. Phillips had the ball in the box, and an onrushing Delap was able to get a touch, which sent it towards the crossbar. The former Hull City striker stopped in his tracks and started to celebrate, but the ball came back out of the goal. This allowed defenders to rush back and block Delap’s subsequent effort. We should have been a goal down.

Our best chance came in the 24th minute after we won a free-kick on the edge of the box. Giles was the man behind the ball and his effort curled towards the bottom-left corner of the goal, but Sánchez got down quickly to snuff out the danger and put it out for a corner. This was our only shot on target in the first half, and it was all Chelsea after that.

After relentlessly knocking on our door and holding possession well, they finally broke the deadlock in the 40th minute. They worked the ball around the box and were able to get it to Delap, who held it up and teed up Neto. He found a gap in our backline and beautifully struck the ball into the far-right corner of the net, giving Phillips little chance of getting a hand to it. Thankfully, this was the only goal of the half, and we were still in it.

Both sides came onto the pitch unchanged, but it did not take the Blues long to find the back of the net again. They had a corner in the 51st minute, and it was Neto who whipped the ball in. It headed towards the front post and found itself in the back of the net without touching another player. These guys are built differently. They scored again eight minutes later. A ball was played over the top, and Delap (again causing trouble for us) expertly took it down and drove into the box before pulling the ball back to Estavo, who converted from six yards out.

They killed the game off and there was no way back for us. We made some substitutions, bringing on Gelhardt and Lundstram in the 64th minute, but they did not have time to make an impact because the side from West London rounded off the scoring in the 71st minute. Delap made a clever run into the box and used his strength to provide a perfect lay-off for Neto to seal his first senior hat-trick, putting the result beyond doubt. We did have our chances, the best of which came in stoppage time, but we were unable to find a route past Sánchez, who did well to turn an effort from Koumas onto the post with his fingertips.

It was not our night, but it would have been nice to celebrate at least one goal. The best part of the night was reconnecting with former head coach Liam Rosenior, who made sure to clap the whole stadium. He also gave our manager a big handshake at the end of the game, and it is reported that they will have a pint together before Rosenior also visits our owner. The home atmosphere was electric as the fans started to have a laugh and joke despite being four goals down. Nobody really expected us to get anything from this game; we were just there for the occasion.

We are now able to focus solely on our promotion push and a potential return to the Premier League. All eyes are now on our next fixture against QPR at home next week.