Hull City v Cardiff City: Liam Delap delighted how Ryan Allsop bounced back from 'not the nicest few weeks'

A number of crucial saves made the goalkeeper Hull's man of the match in Wednesday's 2-1 win at Middlesbrough, redeeming himself after recent errors often caused by coach Liam Rosenior's insistence on him playing out from the back.

If Wednesday showed Allsop's value, it also underlined the importance of the team ethic on display when the goalkeeper's colleagues mobbed him at the final whistle.

"Ryan's not had the nicest few weeks but we know what a great quality keeper he is and he probably won us the game with four or five brilliant saves in quick succession," argued Delap.

"Every player makes mistakes every game, every week, and as a keeper you're always highlighted more because the mistakes cost more, I suppose, but it's not really his fault.

"That's the way we play and the bravery we show. It's not him making mistakes, it's just the team getting it wrong. Ninety-nine percent of the time it works but it's never going to be perfect."

Rosenior has some difficult decisions to make on Saturday because all five midweek substitutes played so well at the Riverside, Ruben Vinagre and Greg Docherty creating Ozan Tufan's winner.

"Ozan coming on, Adama (Traore), Ruben, Docs (Docherty), Seany (McLoughlin)... it was just so important for us," said Delap. "Players have played a lot of games recently and they're coming thick and fast.

"There's so many games in a season, especially in this period, everyone has to be ready.

"You get injuries when it's three games in a week so you need the full squad to get you over the finish line.

"On Wednesday we came from behind and showed that real togetherness to get the three points."

After four games without, Delap boosted his own confidence with a goal, practically headed in from inside the net after he found a could position at a corner.

"It's probably not my best performance of the season but to get a goal made it better," he reflected. "As a striker that's what you're trying to do.

"If the ball goes in the back of he net it's always the same result. It's nice to get them ones and little... not freebies, but easy ones.

"Greavesey (Jacob Greaves) gets the right contact on the ball. We've worked on it in training and he executed the flick perfectly and put it on a plate, really."

Delap is on loan from Manchester City and kicked off Wednesday's game knowing two fellow academy graduates – Micah Hamilton and Oscar Bobb – had scored their first senior goals for the club in the Champions League dead rubber at Red Star Belgrade which finished before Hull took to the field.

"I saw that before kick-off," he said. "It was really nice for Micah and Oscar deserves that, he's a great player. I'm really happy for them as well.

"It's always nice to see your friends doing well and showing the quality they've got. It's a nice feeling.”