HULL CITY head coach Sergej Jakirovic admitted his side's failure to prevent Ipswich Town from making the breakthrough midway through the second half was a 'painful' moment on a night when the Tigers' impressive six-match unbeaten Championship home sequence came to an end at the MKM Stadium.

After a committed and organised performance, City - who were without the attacking trio of Matt Crooks, Oli McBurnie and Liam Millar - fatally erred on 69 minutes when Marcelino Nunez was left unchecked in the box to head home a left-wing cross from ex-Tigers winger Jaden Philogene, who had entered the fray a few minutes earlier.

Ipswich then killed the game four minutes later when another replacement in one-time City loanee Chuba Akpom tapped in a rebound as the Suffolk outfit jumped above Hull in the table.

It was tough on Hull, who were the better side in the first half.

Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirović. Image: Gareth Copley/Getty Images.

placeholder image — Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirović. Image: Gareth Copley/Getty Images.

But Ipswich's squad strength - Kieran McKenna made six changes from last weekend and had some marquee talent on the bench and in his starting line-up - eventually wore the hosts down, allied to a key defensive switch-off on 69 minutes.

Jakirovic said: "We were very good. We played against a very good team.

"We expected they would play like this because they had a lot of possession in this league. We tried to stop them, to control everything. We changed our pressing today with two wingers and one striker and two number eights.

"I think that we stopped them completely because they didn't have a shot towards our goal (in the first half).

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.

"Unfortunately, we didn't finish some good counter-attacks. Maybe a lack of a good pass, first touch or better decision to shoot more precisely towards the opponent's goal..

"In the second half, it was a tactical battle. For me, it was a crucial moment. 1-0 - goal.

"This is something we must defend. It was not a sharp cross. We are in full defence.

"We trained those situations and this is even more painful for me, for the team, for the staff, for everyone. But congratulations to Ipswich. Three points and we have to be looking forward."

"They made six changes in the first eleven. I would like to have a wide roster because we have a lot of problems. Our injury players, important players, are out.

"We put in everything we have. We tried with substitutions as well, but this (first) goal maybe killed us. We tried to put more risk after and then the second goal."