Hull City's driving force Tom Huddlestone remains in defiant mood

IT has been a wretched past month for Hull City.

Since beating Ipswich Town in what looked, on paper, to be one of the club’s tougher remaining assignments, the Tigers’ promotion hopes have hit the skids courtesy of taking just three points from a possible 15.

During the same period, Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion and Derby County have all made double figure additions to their own Championship points tallies with Middlesbrough collecting nine.

The upshot is Hull, who were still in pole position following a goalless draw against Sheffield Wednesday on the final Friday of February, spending the international break sitting fourth in the table.

Five points now separate City from Brighton in the second automatic promotion place and considering their current goal-scoring troubles – Steve Bruce’s men have managed a paltry three in nine league and cup outings – it would be a brave punter willing to put money on the East Riding club bouncing back into the top two by the season’s end on May 7.

Despite that, Tom Huddlestone believes all is far from lost for Hull ahead of the Championship resuming with the visit of Bristol City to the soon-to-be rebranded KCOM Stadium a week on Saturday.

“We have a massive nine games left,” said the 29-year-old midfield play-maker.

“If we can get on a decent run, getting six or seven wins on the spin, then we won’t be too far off. It is still all to play for in this league.

“I firmly believe we can get those wins. If we can put a run on for those six or seven games to take it down to the last two then we will be in with a good chance.

“The opportunity has not gone. It is still all to play for. There are 27 points still up for grabs. We have let a few slip lately but we remain confident we can put that run together.”

Hull produced their best display in weeks when losing 1-0 at Middlesbrough last Friday night, a result that allowed Aitor Karanka’s men to move back up to second place before being usurped by the Seagulls the following afternoon.

Defeat was harsh on the Tigers, though for all their impressive defensive work they still struggled to create much up front.

Robert Snodgrass did fire into the side-netting during the first half, and Ahmed Elmohamady spurned an excellent opening late on when he shot over from close range. Those chances apart, however, the Boro defence were able to cope quite comfortably to pave the way for David Nugent to grab all three points with a ‘91st-minute’ winner.

“It was devastating to lose like that,” added Huddlestone. “In the first half, both teams probably cancelled each other out. But, in patches, we dominated the second half. We had one or two chances but probably not enough. Equally, though, we limited them to not a lot. To concede such a late goal after a fairly decent performance was devastating.

“Snoddy’s chance, from where I was, looked quite a tight angle. Elmo’s was dropping over his shoulder. It is difficult but one I am sure he would fancy putting it away. We probably should have scored one of them.

“I don’t know what the problem is (with regards not scoring). Maybe a bit of luck, maybe we need to create more clear-cut chances. We just have to stick at it.

“It is not as if we are playing horrifically bad at the moment. We are playing all right. We are just not capitalising when the chances come along.”