Hull City boss Andy Dawson bemoans poor second half as Birmingham City chief reveals delight that goals were too big

Managerless Hull lost 2-0 to the Blues, who scored with a penalty from Troy Deeney in the 13th minute and a thunderbolt from Juninho Bacuna two minutes after the interval.

The Tigers never looked like getting back into a game that had been delayed by 20 minutes after referee Leigh Doughty had spotted the goal at the North Stand end of the MKM Stadium was two inches too tall.

Dawson said: “First half I was really pleased with the boys. The intensity of our play in and out of possession. Whenever they went long we were in good positions to win first and second balls.

“We gave a really poor goal away which is a theme with us. We have to do better. It was a penalty there were no arguments there.

“I was pleased with the first half I have got to say but the second half was the opposite to that.”

Dawson admitted Hull were punished when Birmingham hit them on the break for their second goal.

He said: “If you are not going to do the hard yards you are going to struggle. Not sprinting back and running, if you don’t do that in a game of football at whatever level you play you won’t win.

“We have to learn and learn quickly. The Championship is relentless and we have to work hard for everything we are going to get.”

Birmingham boss John Eustace praised his players for maintaining their focus despite the delayed kick-off.

Eustace said: “It probably helped us, we got a little bit more focused.

“I thought the first 20 minutes we were very good. But when we scored we gave Hull too much possession.

“The lads policed it themselves at half-time. We were giving them the ball back too easily in the first half but we were much better in the second half.

“The most pleasing thing was the way the group policed themselves at half-time.”