Hull City bench pressed into action to stop dogged Doncaster Rovers sneaking a point

Hull City do not just look like the best team in League One, they have the best squad too.
WINNER: Callum Elder (left) celebrates with goalscorer Tom EavesWINNER: Callum Elder (left) celebrates with goalscorer Tom Eaves
WINNER: Callum Elder (left) celebrates with goalscorer Tom Eaves

So dominant against Doncaster Rovers, it looked like they would be punished for not putting Darren Moore's team to bed when substitute centre-forward Tyreece John-Jules equalised from nowhere.

Anything you can do, Darren...

Grant McCann looked over his shoulder and told Tom Eaves to warm up. Within two minutes of his introduction, he had given the scoreline a more realistic look. His 87th-minute goal was decisive in a 2-1 win that ought to have been more comfortable, pouncing on the rebound when Joe Lumley saved Richie Smallwood's long-range effort.

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Doncaster have beaten Ipswich Town and Lincoln City when they led the table earlier in the season, but on this evidence, Hull are different gravy.

They utterly dominated the game but the longer the second half remained at 1-0, the greater the nagging doubt.

The returning Greg Docherty hitting the post offered a partial explanation, but it was still a surprise the Tigers only scored once after playing most of the opening 45 minutes – and indeed the game as a whole – in Doncaster territory.

The opening goal was as much about brute force as strength and inevitably Mallik Wilks played a part.

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The winger, who wore red-and-white hoops in McCann's time, was a constant threat to Hull and Joe Wright brought him down just outside the area after 25 minutes. George Honeyman, a man who did not look like he had been told the barbers have reopened, tapped the ball and Josh Magennis hammered it in.

To say it was on the cards was an understatement.

Unsurprisingly with Magennis in the team and two wingers to feed him, Hull's strategy was to get the ball wide, then crossed. Coming in off the left, Wilks stabbed a volley wide when Tom Anderson touched a right-wing cross into his path, then put over a delivery himself which went all the way through to right-back Josh Emmanuel without a touch. He shot wide.

Hakeeb Adelkun had a deflected shot over, fed by a chest pass from Honeyman, a busy bee in the hole often peeling out to Adelakun's side. Just as impressive was the way Wilks went past Josh Sims in the build-up. Magennis headed the corner over.

Magennis volleyed wide, not quite able to contort his foot around a Wilks cross.

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All Doncaster offered was nearly moments, Matt Smith almost mishitting a cross in after Brad Halliday did well to win the ball, and Reece James not quite able to stretch to Ben Whiteman's curling delivery a minute later.

They ended the half with Taylor Richards pulled back from the hole of a 4-2-3-1 into the deepest of three central midfield roles.

They might have ended it 2-0 down as well. Not only did Docherty hit the post but Joe Lumley had to save well both from Adelakun's follow-up, then Wilks as the ball stayed alive.

The second goal would not come. When Cameron John swung at fresh air, Joe Lumley sprinted off his line at Wilks, who went to ground. It was the Hull man who was booked, for diving.

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Centre-back Jacob Greaves had a shot deflected and a header wide from a corner.

Keane Lewis-Potter was Hull's first substitute and instantly gave them more sting, replacing Adelakun. He turned a Honeyman free-kick goalwards, curled a shot narrowly wide and played Magennis in one-on-one when a more selfish striker might have taken the worse option of shooting.

When Lumley stretched out his right boot, Lewis-Potter hit the rebound wide.

Within a minute, the Tigers were punished, John-Jules putting away a right wing cross.

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For a moment it looked like Doncaster's doggedness might burgle a point. Then McCann turned to his bench again.

Hull City: Ingram; Emmanuel, Jones, Greaves, Elder; Docherty, Smallwood; Adelakun (Lewis-Potter 67), Honeyman, Wilks; Magennis.

Unused substitutes: Long, Coyle, Burke, Eaves, Scott, Slater.

Doncaster Rovers: Lumley; Halliday, Wright, Anderson, John; Whiteman, Smith; Sims (John-Jules 64), Richards (Coppinger 64), James; Okenabirhie.

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Unused substitutes: Lokilo, Jones, Williams, Butler, Hasani.

Referee: A Backhouse (Carlisle).

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