Hull City v AFC Wimbledon - Tigers taking no prisoners this time

Josh Magennis says one of the best squads in League One is leaving no stone unturned to get Hull City back into the Championship.
Northern Ireland's Josh Magennis: Missed Hull's defeat as he was on international duty in Oslo. Picture: PANorthern Ireland's Josh Magennis: Missed Hull's defeat as he was on international duty in Oslo. Picture: PA
Northern Ireland's Josh Magennis: Missed Hull's defeat as he was on international duty in Oslo. Picture: PA

The side that limped so meekly out of the second tier last season has returned with a more determined attitude and a reinforced squad, and with the exception of a televised humbling at Fleetwood Town, the results have been impressive.

Take away the 4-1 defeat at Highbury, as they wish they could, and it has been a 100 per cent start to the season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With leaders Ipswich Town at Doncaster Rovers tonight, the second-placed Tigers are ready to pounce on any slip-up when they host Wimbledon at 7pm.

“Not to be over-confident, but I do believe the squad we have here at Hull is one of the best in League One,” said Magennis, who missed the trip to Fleetwood because he was on international duty with Northern Ireland.

“We made a commitment to ourselves that this season we were going to be better in both boxes and we weren’t going to take any prisoners. Everyone in the squad has a role in the team, and you have to know that role and be accountable.

“We’re trying to take every positive from each game, leaving no stone unturned to try and get the maximum out of these matches.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Defensive strength rather than free-scoring football has been the hallmark of Hull’s revival, yet to concede in any of their five league wins. But at Rochdale on Saturday they added goals, scoring three times, with Magennis finding the net and Mallik Wilks scoring twice, taking his tally to five in all competitions.

“It was a great reaction from the game at Fleetwood,” said Magennis. “We didn’t do ourselves or the club justice, given the start to the season we’d had.

“As much as we wanted to win two or three-nil, it was important that we got our performance right, too. We would’ve taken a 1-0 win with a fantastic performance but we were clinical with the chances that fell for us.

“It’s always nice for individual accolades and trying to try to get as many goals as you can, especially as a striker, and for Mallik as well.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tigers chief Grant McCann will assess centre-back Jordy de Wijs’s readiness to return after missing the trip to Spotland. The Dutchman trained on Thursday, having missed the previous two days and was in McCann’s plans but took the decision that with the player still suffering a headache, he was not ready for Saturday’s game.

It allowed Jacob Greaves, son of former City player Mark, to make his league debut.

Last six games: Hull City WLWWLW; Wimbledon LWLLWW

Referee: J Oldham (Derbyshire)

Last time: First meeting.