Blackburn 0 Hull City 1: Adkins delighted with 'exquisite football'

Ola Aina's first senior goal gave Championship strugglers Hull a 1-0 win at League One Blackburn in the FA Cup.
Hull CityHull City
Hull City

The on-loan Chelsea defender rose highest in the 58th minute to head home the goal which ended a five-match winless run.

Paul Caddis hit the crossbar for the hosts and Danny Graham missed a gilt-edged chance as Rovers exited at the third-round stage for the first time since 2014.

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The first half was a dour affair but Caddis almost lit it up early on with a superb strike that cannoned off the crossbar.

The Tigers took the lead in the 58th minute when Jon Toral’s deep corner was met by Aina, whose header somehow evaded Jason Leutwiler in the Rovers goal.

Jarrod Bowen almost scored a carbon copy goal a minute later but hit the side netting.

Graham should have equalised but missed the target with only goalkeeper David Marshall to beat, and Derrick Williams prodded over as Blackburn’s 18-match unbeaten run was ended.

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Hull boss Nigel Adkins praised his side’s resilience and “exquisite” football.

He said: “We’ve played against a good side in Blackburn, you see them at the top of the league. Both teams obviously made a few changes. I thought the first half, probably for 35 minutes, we played some exquisite football. We just missed that final bit of putting the ball in the back of the net, with some of the football we played.

“In the second half, we scored a goal from a set-play. Obviously, when they put (Danny) Graham on, they were a bit more threatening, putting balls in especially from deep. But we’ve had to show that resilience, and block things to see out the game and the lads have gone and done that.

“Our performances have been excellent of late. We’ve been on the wrong end of a 1-0 defeat with some good performances. But today we’ve won the game, so it helps with the spirit moving forward.”