Wolves 1 Hull City 1: Latest slip by McGregor costly as Hull continue trend to hurt themselves

If the Tigers could make life hard for themselves in the Premier League, they invariably did so and it seems the summer has done little to eradicate that costly trait.

Certainly, yesterday’s eventful draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers suggested that, once again, one of Steve Bruce’s toughest opponents this season is likely to be his own players thanks to a tendency to make horrible, unforced errors.

After gifting two chances to Wolves that were spurned inside a crazy opening 59 seconds, the Tigers proceeded to literally hand the home side a second-half equaliser in quite ridiculous fashion.

A little under an hour had been played when Nouha Dicko mis-cued an attempted cross and the ball floated harmlessly towards Allan McGregor.

It should have been the most routine of routine catches, Kenny Jackett underlining this afterwards by admitting he had already turned to look at where the City goalkeeper might throw the ball once in his possession.

McGregor, however, never did collect. Instead, he somehow allowed the ball to squirm from his grasp and into the path of James Henry, who simply couldn’t miss from two yards out.

On the balance of play, Wanderers deserved at least a point. That, though, did nothing to ease the frustration of Bruce at the final whistle following the latest in a long line of blunders by his goalkeeper.

“The one thing in football management or coaching that you can’t legislate for is human error, mistakes,” said the Tigers manager.

“We were our own worst enemy with the mistakes we made. Not just Allan, there were two in the first minute. They could have lost us the game.

“But, overall, the way the game went – and especially in the second half, when we were excellent – we could have won it.”

McGregor’s charge sheet of errors last season was far from a short one. The opening entry came at Lokeren in the Europa League, when the Scot’s casual attempted clearance presented the Belgians with what proved to be the decisive goal that sent the Tigers crashing out before the group stage.

He was also at fault for one of Manchester United’s goals at Old Trafford in November along with Loic Remy’s winner at the KC Stadium for Chelsea four months later.

Finally – and the one that persuaded Bruce to drop McGregor and make 40-year-old Steve Harper City’s oldest ever player – there was last April’s tame shot by Jonjo Shelvey that the Scottish international inexplicably spilt to allow Ki Sung-Yeung to break the deadlock in what proved to be a 3-1 win for Swansea City.

At the final whistle, McGregor – who was also at fault for a goal by Sheffield United in pre-season – cut a desolate figure as he headed down the tunnel with barely a backwards glance.

He knew the mistake that had led to Wolves’ equaliser would be the major talking point from a game that had been a hugely entertaining affair.

Wanderers had plenty of chances, as did Hull who ended both halves on top. That only two goals were scored was down to a combination of some admirable defending on the part of both sides and some wayward finishing.

For the Tigers, Curtis Davies was immense. A frustrated spectator for much of last term after being dropped in the wake of a slump in form, the defender lost the captaincy this summer to Michael Dawson.

Yesterday, however, Davies was back to his dominant best with the tone for an impressive afternoon set by a goal-line clearance after just 21 seconds that spared Sam Clucas’s blushes following a weak back pass that had played Benik Afobe clear.

A second Hull error inside that first minute saw Ahmed Elmohamady delay his attempted clearance sufficiently to allow the ball to be charged down and towards Nouha Dicko, but the striker fired over.

In the Premier League, one and probably both of those early errors would have been punished. The Championship, though, is a tad more forgiving.

It can also be a generous division, as Hull discovered on 22 minutes when a needless push by Kortney Hause on Davies left Andre Marriner with no option but to point to the spot.

Jelavic did the rest from 12 yards to claim his first goal since February 21 and ensure City had the lead.

McGregor prevented Wolves replying immediately when saving well from Conor Coady and Hull could have doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time when Chuba Akpom cleverly spun his marker to race clear down the left.

With two team-mates unmarked near the penalty spot, a pull back from the Arsenal loanee would surely have brought a goal – but instead he tried to pick out Elmohamady in the six-yard box and Emiliano Martinez made the save.

Wolves – with more than a little help from McGregor – made Akpom pay just before the hour when Henry headed in to set up a pulsating finale.

Both sides could have won it, Dicko and Dave Edwards just failing to get a touch on inviting crosses for Wolves.

City, meanwhile, hit a post through Akpom after a pull-back from the impressive Jelavic and also wasted a great chance when David Meyler shot wide.

Akpom, a constant threat once again, could have won it at the death only to shoot narrowly over and ensure that McGregor’s blunder would cost the Tigers two points.