Blackpool 3 Hull City 2 - ‘I’m the worst loser in the world’ admits beaten Grant McCann

MISFIRING Hull City stayed top of League One despite conceding a dramatic 93rd-minute winner.
Hull City's Mallik Wilks.Hull City's Mallik Wilks.
Hull City's Mallik Wilks.

Mallik Wilks fired the Tigers ahead, but Jerry Yates and Keshi Anderson hit back with goals to put the Seasiders in front.

Reece Burke thought he’d salvaged a point with an 89th-minute header, his first league goal for three years.

But CJ Hamilton won it at the death with a stunning strike.

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Tigers boss Grant McCann said: “I’m angry losing the game, especially because all three goals are soft. It’s raw we’ve lost the game and I’m the worst loser in the world.

“But we’ve got to pick the players up again because we’ve got Portsmouth on Friday. We need a response.

“Losing two games in a row is not great, but were not panicking. It shows how well, we’ve done up to this point.

“We’re still in a good position and there’s a long way to go. There’s going to be bumps and bruises along the way.

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“The players are hurting, but we’ll pick the players up. We’ve got a really good group of lads.

“Tonight we weren’t poor like were against Shrewsbury on Saturday, but ultimately the three goals have cost us.

“At 2-2, though, we were still trying to win the game.

“I don’t know whether we’ve raised expectations after such a good start, we’re just trying to get on with our jobs really and trying to do as well as we can.”

McCann made four changes to his starting side that suffered a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

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Lewie Coyle, Tom Eaves, James Scott and Regan Slater were handed the chance to shine at Bloomfield Road as the visitors looked to get back on track.

And McCann’s men started brightly, defender Jacob Greaves heading wide of the far post after only two minutes.

The home side sprung into life and Anderson’s deflected strike was nearly bundled into his own net by flapping Tigers’ keeper Matt Ingram.

Full-back Luke Garbutt came agonisingly close to rifling the Seasiders into the lead, but his venomous left-foot strike flew just wide of the right upright.

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Midfielder James Scott forced a smart save from shot-stopper Chris Maxell with a right-foot strike, while at the other end Hamilton had a powerful shot blocked.

But the breakthrough came seven minutes before the break when Callum Elder whipped in a lovely delivery and Wilks beat Maxwell from close-range.

However, Yates levelled on the stroke of half-time, smashing into the roof of the net from Garbutt’s powerful low cross into the six-yard box.

Maxwell produced a stunning fingertip save 33 seconds after the restart to thwart Scott, whose curling shot looked destined for the top right corner.

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Anderson fired the hosts with a sweet strike into the bottom right corner in the 67th minute.

But even though Burke netted late on, there was still time for Hamilton to win it in dramatic fashion.

Blackpool: Maxwell, Robson (Virtue 79), Anderson, Yates (Woodburn 88), Kaikai (Madine 60), Dougall, Turton, Ekpiteta, Hamilton, Gretarsson, Garbutt. Unused substitutes: Fojticek, Gabriel, Husband, Kemp.

Hull: Ingram, Coyle, Elder, Burke, Smallwood, Wilks, Eaves (Magennis 65), Scott (Lewis-Potter 65), Slater (Adelakun 79), Greaves, Docherty. Unused substitutes: Long, Batty, Emmanuel, McLoughlin.

Referee: B Speedie (Liverpool).

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