Ipswich Town 0 Hull City 1: Tigers show enough teeth to retain their place at top of table

The Senegal international coolly chipped the ball over Bartosz Bialkowski three minutes into the second half as Hull claimed the points.

It was no more than the league leaders deserved, although Ipswich were unfortunate to see Daryl Murphy strike the inside of the post – an effort later matched by Jake Livermore.

A cagey opening 20 minutes saw Hull’s ex-Norwich City midfielder Robert Snodgrass curl a free-kick that was pushed away by a decent one-handed save from Bialkowski, before Abel Hernandez got the wrong side of Tommy Smith but failed to trouble the Ipswich goal with a shot that flew over the bar from 20 yards.

Hull looked the most likely to break the deadlock, with Andrew Robertson’s low cross just evading Sam Clucas after a neat interchange between Hernandez and Diame.

Ipswich finally fashioned a chance in the 26th minute when Christophe Berra met Ben Pringle’s deep corner but his goalbound header was cleared away from danger by David Meyler.

And they went even closer eight minutes before the interval when Luke Chambers’s header was partially blocked and Murphy rapped the inside of the post from the rebound.

A minute after the restart, a decent move from the visitors ended with Hernandez’s goalbound shot brilliantly blocked by Smith before Meyler’s low drive was held by Bialkowski at his near post.

Hull took the lead soon after when left-back Robertson drifted inside and his through-ball caught the Ipswich defence cold, allowing Diame to calmly lift the ball over Bialkowski.

The Hull forward came within a whisker of adding a spectacular second when his 20-yard shot whistled just over moments later as Hull threatened to run away with the points.

Hull were denied themselves by the post when Livermore smacked the woodwork after his original shot was parried by Bialkowski. Despite the slender lead, the visitors looked comfortable with Ipswich offering little in the final third.

Curtis Davies could have doubled their advantage 10 minutes from time but could only head Robertson’s free-kick across goal, before Brett Pitman flashed a free-kick wide of the far post in a rare moment to get home fans off their seat.

Ipswich still went agonisingly close to grabbing an undeserved draw when Freddie Sears had Allan McGregor scrambling across his goal and Smith poked the ensuing corner just over.

Ipswich Town: Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Douglas, Hyam (Bru 65), Pringle (Varney 80), Sears, Murphy, Pitman. Unused substitutes: Gerken, Tabb, Digby, Toure, Foley.

Hull City: McGregor, Odubajo, Dawson, Davies, Robertson, Snodgrass, Livermore, Meyler (Huddlestone 87), Clucas, Diame (Powell 84), Hernandez (Akpom 68). Unused substitutes: Maguire,Maloney,Jakupovic,Elmohamady.

Referee: Brendan Malone (Wiltshire).