Grant McCann hails Hull City’s reaction to ‘bad half at Fleetwood’

Grant McCann’s side bounced back from defeat at Morecambe, as a Mallik Wilks brace and a Josh Magennis header earned the Tigers a fifth win in six league matches.

“It’s a really good reaction from a bad half at Fleetwood that cost us the game,” said McCann.

“Since we’ve started the season, that’s all it has been. We wanted to come here today with a real intention of responding in the right way, with the right performance and I think we’ve done that.”

There was an early threat from the home side when Jake Beesley almost got on the end of an Aaron Morley free-kick but the Tigers quickly took control.

A slick move down the left channel ended with George Honeyman side-footing over the top before Callum Elder’s delivery evaded Magennis.

Hull opened the scoring from a corner routine in the 20th minute when Elder’s in-swinger was met at the back post by Wilks and his powerful header beat Gavin Bazunu.

It took a strong hand from Bazunu to keep out Keane Lewis-Potter’s shot at the start of the second half and Dale briefly threatened, with Morley and Matty Lund going close.

However, Hull were always in control and all-but secured the result in the 73rd minute when Wilks fired home his second.

Two minutes later they were 3-0 up when Honeyman’s cross was headed home by Magennis.

Rochdale: Bazunu, Keohane, O’Connell, McShane (McLaughlin 54), Bola, Newby, Lund (Done 85), Morley, Ryan (Dooley 59), Rathbone, Beesley. Unused substitutes: Lynch, Tavares, Hopper, Dunne.

Hull: Ingram, Emmanuel, Burke, Greaves, Elder, Docherty (Slater 76), Honeyman, Smallwood (Alfie Jones 80), Wilks, Magennis (Eaves 76), Lewis-Potter. Unused substitutes: Long, Coyle, Adelakun, Mayer.

Referee: G Ward (Surrey).

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James Mitchinson