‘It wasn’t pretty’ admits relieved Hull City boss Grant McCann

The Tigers’ 2-1 success at the KCOM Stadium was their first in 14 attempts and lifts them out of the Championship relegation zone.

“It’s an important win for us, it really is,” the Northern Irishman said after Mallik Wilks’s 91st-minute strike put an end to a wretched run of league form that stretches all the way back to New Year’s Day.

“It’s a good response from the boys since the Charlton game [their first since lockdown] to go two unbeaten so we’re pleased.

“It’s a relief and a monkey off our back. There’s no getting away from it, it’s been highlighted a lot that we’ve been on not a great run, but the boys have come back in a good place and I’m pleased with them tonight.

“The determination they showed, the aggressiveness to defend our box, to stand up and be men, they really did deserve that result.”

City were second best for the majority of what was a scrappy contest, but McCann feels that the character and endeavour his charges demonstrated on the night more than make up for the lack of quality in their performance.

“It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t a great spectacle, there wasn’t much football played, but we knew that was gonna be the case,” he added.

“We had 20 men fighting, for their lives, if you like.

“We’ve got to try and take the positives.

“There might not have been many in terms of football, but what I did see from my team was a determination to fight and to run and to work and pick up the second ball and defend, and that really pleased me.

“It was a great feeling to see Mallik get the winner at the end and to hold on.”

Having seen his team very much on top for long periods, McCann’s opposite number, Neil Warnock, was left frustrated at the final whistle.

“I’d have been disappointed coming here having got a point so you can imagine how I feel,” the Boro chief reflected.

“We’ve only got ourselves to blame, the opportunities we’ve had and we haven’t managed to put a decent cross in.

“It shows we’ve got a battle on our hands.

“We played alright but just that final third... the decision making was so poor.

“I don’t think they could have worked harder to lose a game of football.”

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