Huddersfield Town 2 Hull City 2: Diomande rescue act does not mask Hull problems

Adama DIOMANDE is the first to admit his debut season in English football has been something of a write-off.
Adama Diomande rises highest to head home Hull Citys stoppage-time leveller.Adama Diomande rises highest to head home Hull Citys stoppage-time leveller.
Adama Diomande rises highest to head home Hull Citys stoppage-time leveller.

Arriving at Hull City for £1.7m in the final few hours of last summer’s transfer window, the Norwegian international was in the form of his life and looking to make a big impact.

The reality, however, has been very different with a groin injury sustained in his final game for Stabaek meaning he had to wait more than three months to make his Tigers’ debut.

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Diomande did score a last-gasp winner at QPR on New Year’s Day but that owed more to Rob Green’s flawed decision-making than any great skill on the part of the striker and since then he has managed just three brief appearances from the bench in the Championship.

Mo Diame and Joe Lolley of Huddersfield Town battle for the ball.Mo Diame and Joe Lolley of Huddersfield Town battle for the ball.
Mo Diame and Joe Lolley of Huddersfield Town battle for the ball.

The third of those cameos came against Huddersfield Town and the 26-year-old is hoping his second goal in Hull colours – a 93rd-minute equaliser – can herald a long-awaited change of fortune to help banish the frustration of the past few months.

“It has been very tough for me mentally because I have missed maybe 30 games because of the abductor injury,” said Diomande, who before joining the Tigers had netted 25 goals in 26 appearances for Stabaek in his native Norway.

“Against Huddersfield, the manager just told me to go on and change the game. There wasn’t too much energy so he brought me and Sone (Aluko) on and we turned the game.

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“Of course, it was a good moment for me to score. It gives me confidence and was a bit more like the old me, before the injury. I have not played much and am not match fit. But if I can finish strongly now, it will help to make up for the season I have had. I want to score the goals that could take Hull up to the Premier League.”

Abel Hernandez of Hull City celebrates after scoring Hull City's equaliser.Abel Hernandez of Hull City celebrates after scoring Hull City's equaliser.
Abel Hernandez of Hull City celebrates after scoring Hull City's equaliser.

If Diomande is to get his wish and be in the top flight with the Tigers next season, it increasingly seems that will have to be achieved via the play-offs.

City’s dramatic rescuing of a point against the Terriers may have kept hold of fourth place despite Derby County’s thumping of Bolton Wanderers but Steve Bruce’s men now sit nine points behind Middlesbrough and 10 adrift of Burnley.

It is an advantage that even if Hull were on top form – and they most definitely are not right now – would seem a tall order to cancel out over the remaining halfdozen matches so the play-offs look the most likely route for the Tigers.

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“Everything is possible but it (automatic promotion) is a long way off,” added Diomande. “We just have to concentrate on winning the remaining games and see where that takes us.”

Mo Diame and Joe Lolley of Huddersfield Town battle for the ball.Mo Diame and Joe Lolley of Huddersfield Town battle for the ball.
Mo Diame and Joe Lolley of Huddersfield Town battle for the ball.

Hull’s relief at avoiding a third straight defeat on the road was matched by the sense of frustration felt by Huddersfield at letting what would have been a first win of the season against any of the top eight slip away.

Town had taken the lead in the 90th minute courtesy of a Harry Maguire own goal, the defender only able to head past Allan McGregor when trying to cut out a Harry Bunn cross following some wonderful link-play down the left flank.

“To concede an equaliser so late on does hurt,” admitted the Terriers’ head coach David Wagner. “I have been in this business long enough to know it is only over at the final whistle. But, to me, the result is fair. I can accept this result because we performed well against a very strong side.”

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Wagner’s praise for Huddersfield was well deserved. They played a full part in an entertaining contest that kept the 12,883 crowd hooked until the very last kick.

Abel Hernandez of Hull City celebrates after scoring Hull City's equaliser.Abel Hernandez of Hull City celebrates after scoring Hull City's equaliser.
Abel Hernandez of Hull City celebrates after scoring Hull City's equaliser.

With Bruce switching to a three-man defence with wing-backs Ahmed Elmohamady and Andrew Robertson given licence to roam, Town tweaked their gameplan to play that little bit deeper than normal. Hitting the visitors on the break was the order of the day and the plan left City defence looking horribly exposed at times.

Rajiv van La Parra, so ineffective on his debut at Leeds United three weeks earlier, was a revelation on the left, linking up impressively with James Husband to give Elmohamady a torrid afternoon in defence.

It was no coincidence that Town’s opener on 40 minutes should come down that flank, as Husband again exploited a huge gap before pulling the ball back to Jamie Paterson.

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With three centre halves on the pitch, Hull should have closed Paterson down much quicker and the Nottingham Forest loanee made them pay with a sweet finish.

It was a justified reward for an enterprising attacking display that also saw Joe Lolley and Paterson waste gilt-edged chances.

It was a similar story at the other end in those opening 45 minutes with Abel Hernandez heading straight at Jed Steer and Alex Bruce somehow blazing over when set up by Robert Snodgrass, “Totally ridiculous,” was how Steve Bruce described his son’s miss and the Tigers manager was again clutching his head in disbelief when Tom Huddlestone’s deflected shot crashed against the crossbar just before the hour mark.

City equalised 13 minutes from time when Hernandez fired in following excellent work from Sone Aluko out wide to set up the frantic finale that saw Town go ahead through Maguire’s own goal and Diomande rescue a dramatic point by heading in a Shaun Maloney cross that took a wicked deflection off Dean Whitehead.

“I am satisfied with the performance,” added Wagner. “We criticised ourselves after Middlesbrough and we were all determined to show a reaction.”