Bristol Rovers v Hull City - Grant McCann seeks more consistency in final third

Hull City coach Grant McCann has bemoaned his side’s “inconsistency” in the final third of the pitch, which cost them the leadership of League One.
STEP IT UP: Hull City manager Grant McCann. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.STEP IT UP: Hull City manager Grant McCann. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.
STEP IT UP: Hull City manager Grant McCann. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

The Tigers went top of the table last Tuesday but their stay was short-lived after losing only their second league game of the season, at home to Peterborough United, on Saturday.

Such is the nature of the division, particularly this season, that they do not have to wait long to respond, travelling to Bristol Rovers tonight.

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Hull’s impressive start to the campaign has perhaps owed more to their defensive strength than their offensive firepower, and with the attacking players at his disposal, McCann thinks that ought to change. Not that he is putting all the blame on those whose job it is to put the ball into the net.

“We’re still early into the season but that’s one area where I think we need to be better,” he commented.

“Although we’ve scored some goals, I think we can still be better with the players we’ve got at the top end of the pitch.

“What I think we could also get better at is our delivery into the box when we get up there.

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“It’s a little bit mixy-matchy at the minute – there’s one good, one bad, one good, one bad.

“We need to be more consistent when we get into the final third. Whether it’s midfielders, full-backs, wide players, whoever it is, in those areas we need to be a bit more consistent. Then we’ll score some goals.”

One player who can surely be spared criticism is Mallik Wilks, who already has six goals from nine matches in all competitions this season, but Josh Magennis has only found the net twice so far.

Six clean sheets in eight matches, however, has put Hull firmly in the promotion picture, and Rovers manager Ben Garner expects them to be there all season.

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“They’ve got a very good squad, obviously coming down from the Championship last season,” he said. ”They’ve retained a number of those players and they’ve added as well.

“I know they lost (on) Saturday, but prior to that they’d had a really good start and been strong in the league. I would expect them to be so throughout the season.”

Last six games: Bristol Rovers WLWWLW; Hull City LWWLWW

Referee: B Huxtable (Devon)

Last time: Bristol Rovers 2 Hull City 1, November 29, 2003, Division Three.

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