Hull City: Grant McCann aware of how Tigers need to learn fast in order to survive Championship life

The Tigers went down 2-0 at Stoke City as Mario Vrancic and Nick Powell scored goals in either half to see the Potters secure their first win in three matches.

But they were made to work hard for the victory against an energetic Hull side who tested Stoke inside the opening half hour.

Adam Davies made a good save from Tyler Smith before Lewie Coyle hit the post.

But, once Vrancic broke the deadlock with a clinical finish, it was a match which Stoke always looked like winning.

The Tigers are without a victory since the opening day of the season and have yet to win away.

“From the outside looking in, it is another defeat where we aren’t creating chances, but that is not just the front three, it is the team as a whole,” said McCann.

“We were not clinical enough, but up until their goal what we were doing was really good.

“We had a chance with Tyler Smith and we hit the post. Then we made a decision to jump and press the ball and they are breaking against us and score.

“We started the second half well but it was backs against the wall once they scored the second.

“We are in a different division and there are top quality players in this league week in, week out who will punish you.

“There are things we have to control like not giving away soft free-kicks. It is another frustrating day for us.

“It is a big jump from League One to Championship and we are still learning and adjusting. We believe in the group and we believe things will turn.

“We have got a good changing room that is giving us everything. We have to take our chances in the key moments.

“It would have been a different game if we had turned the early pressure into a goal. That is the danger you face when you come to a place like this.”

Stoke boss Michael O’Neill recognised the early threat posed by the visitors.

“I have to give credit to Hull, they came here and they pressed us well and we didn’t build our game as well as we have done this season.”

Stoke City: Davies, Wilmot, Souttar (Batth 78), Chester, Duhaney, Clucas, Sawyers, Vrancic (Surridge 66), Tymon (Doughty 71), Powell, Brown. Unused substitutes: Bursik, Thompson, Ostigard, Ince.

Hull City: Ingram, Coyle, Jones, Greaves, Elder, Smallwood (Cannon 61), Docherty, Wilks (Longman 70), M Smith, Lewis-Potter, T Smith (Moncur 61). Unused substitutes: Eaves, Emmanuel, Baxter, Bernard.

Referee: Thomas Bramall (Sheffield).