Tim Walter on the keys to Hull City's first point of the season: Wingers and 'big balls'

An-out-and-out winger and "big balls" were behind Hull City's dramatic opening-day draw, according to coach Tim Walter.

With plenty of transfer business still to be done and Anthony Racioppi, Finley Burns and Liam Millar added too late to be realistic starting options, the Tigers looked nowhere near ready for the start of a new Championship season once Bristol City got to grips with their tactics.

But the Robins lacked sharpness in front of goal and took until the 84th minute to take the lead, through Fally Mayulu.

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A goal so late looked decisive, certainly to the many home fans who left at that point, but Oscar Estupinan showed his nerve to score a stoppage-time penalty created by Millar, whose impact from the bench helped change the game.

Bringing on Millar and Will Jarvis on the hour gave Hull more attacking threat, even if their risk-taking always left them vulnerable at the back. Until then left-back Ryan Giles and playmaker Abdulkadir Omur had been on the flanks.

"It was good from the stands, very energetic, but not for us at the beginning because especially in the first half we created some changes for sure but we did not have the possession I want them to play (only 40 per cent)," said Walter, taking charge of a team in the Football League for the first time.

"In the first half we needed more courage to play, we needed more ball speed and we didn't have it today.

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"We changed a bit in the second half and it was better because it's important to have a winger on the pitch who can go one on one and drop the other side a bit deeper. That's how we did it in the second half but unfortunately we conceded a goal.

POSITIVES: Hull City coach Tim WalterPOSITIVES: Hull City coach Tim Walter
POSITIVES: Hull City coach Tim Walter

"At the end they showed character and they have a really good mentality so that's okay for today but not for me maybe because I want to win all the time."

On Millar's impact, Walter said: "It's important if you play in possession that you push back the other side a bit more and if you go with speed in the last line it's important to have a player who's very good in one-v-ones.

"He showed a lot of courage and the energy was great to see. It's important for our game so we can create more chances."

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There was praise too, for the way Hull responded to the opening goal.

"It's all about character, it's all about mentality," said Walter. "We want to do it together to create a family mentality.

"That's important for us and the fans did a great job bit we have also to do our jobs better and better.

"We'll still keep working because that's all we can do at the moment.

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"We need more players in but they will come. My job is to train them hard and develop them and try to bring (out) the mentality in them.

"In the end they did a really good job because they showed everybody they showed everybody they have big balls.

"He (Estupinan) had many chances to score and he didn't do it but the penalty is also a goal."

Walter said summer signing Cody Drameh and Jean Michael Seri were missing due to minor injuries he was vague about.

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Walter is keen to bring in more signings – he clearly needs them – and defensive midfielder Oscar Zambrano was watching from the stands ahead of an expected loan from LDU Quito. The coach said the deal for him is not yet done, but he is optimistic it will be.

Bristol City had no complaints about the penalty – awarded when Joe Williams fouled Marvin Mehlem as the summer signing ran onto Millar’s lay-off – and said there has been no movement in the stand-off over Tommy Conway. Hull and Middlesbrough are amongst the clubs interested in signing the striker, but are yet to strike a deal. Conway was not involved n Saturday as a result.

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