[Archived] Match Report: Hull City 1 - 1 Blackburn Rovers

[Kamy100]

Parsonblue's match report from the Hull City match:

Saturday 26^th September 2015 – Football League Championship

Hull City 1 v 1 Blackburn Rovers

Hull City (0) 1

Hernandez 73

Allan McGregor; Moses Odubajo, Michael Dawson, Curtis Davies, Andy Robertson (Jake Livermore 65); Ahmed Elmohamady, Tom Huddlestone, Mo Diame (Shaun Maloney 61), Sam Clucas; Abel Hernandez (David Meyler 89), Chuba Akpom

Subs not used: Eldin Jakupovic (gk), Harry Maguire, Isaac Hayden, Sone Aluko.

Manager: Steve Bruce

Blackburn Rovers (0) 1

Rhodes 90 + 1

Jason Steele; Adam Henley, Shane Duffy, Grant Hanley, Marcus Olsson; Ben Marshall (Tommy Spurr 83), Corry Evans, Danny Guthrie (Hope Akpan 8), Craig Conway; Tom Lawrence (Nathan Delfouneso 79); Jordan Rhodes.

Subs not used: David Raya (gk), Lee Williamson, John O’Sullivan, Darragh Lenihan.

Manager: Gary Bowyer

Referee: Mr. A. Haines

Bookings: Hull City – Curtis Davies, Michael Dawson

Blackburn Rovers – Grant Hanley, Corry Evans

Attendance: 16,486

Blackburn Rovers grabbed a late, but thoroughly deserved equaliser to take a share of the points from a hugely entertaining afternoon of football at The KC Stadium. It was fitting that Jordan Rhodes should mark his 150th appearance for the club with the goal that enabled the team to continue its recent revival. With Fodé Koita being ruled out by injury, Tom Lawrence began the game playing just behind Rhodes whilst fit again Tommy Spurr had to settle for a place on the bench.

The Rovers started brightly with Lawrence running at the home defence before being fouled. However, he kept his feet and the referee played a good advantage to enable him to get into the area but instead of going for goal he attempted to pass the ball to Rhodes and this was cut out and cleared for a corner.

Hull retaliated with an attack of their own down the right but an attempt at a cross from Moses Odubajo sailed over the bar.

The Rovers were then struck by an early injury blow to Danny Guthrie who had to be replaced by Hope Akpan after only eight minutes.

Undeterred the Rovers continued to take the game to Hull with Lawrence proving a real handful when running at the home defence. Virtually, every time he got the ball he was brought down as the defenders struggled to cope with his direct style.

A Craig Conway free-kick produced a moment of danger but as two Rovers’ players went for the ball neither could get a clear header and the ball went out for a goal-kick.

Hull came back with an excellent move which saw Ahmed Elmohamady find Abel Hernandez with an inch perfect cross but the Uruguayan’s header flew narrowly wide.

Hernandez, who was proving to be a real handful, muscled Grant Hanley off the ball on the edge of the area but the danger was cleared before anything could develop.

Jason Steele was then on hand to comfortably collect a cross from Andy Robertson.

Hanley then got himself into trouble when the ball was played to him in the area. He tried to take it out of the area but slipped as he neared the byline and was robbed by Hernandez who then tried to beat Steele at the near post rather than crossing to those waiting in a more central position. Fortunately, Steele read the Uruguayan’s intentions and made a good save at his near post.

Adam Henley and Corry Evans then combined to win a corner which produced a goalmouth scramble before the ball was cleared.

Lawrence then ran at the Hull defence but when his shot was blocked it came back to Henley who put the ball back into the area for Rhodes to head over.

The game was proving a very open one with both sides looking to go forward at every opportunity.

Steele was at full stretch when he dived to palm away a shot from distance from Elmohamady for a corner which resulted in Hernandez attempting a spectacular over-head kick which went wide.

Shane Duffy then opened up play with a superb cross field pass to Conway who killed the ball in an instant before a last ditch tackled prevented him from cutting inside the penalty area.

Conway then whipped in a cross to the near post which Allan McGregor collected with relative ease.

Hernandez, who was giving Hanley a torrid time, got the better of the Rovers’ captain again, before laying the ball off to Sam Clucas who hot wide from distance. Mo Diame then showed a neat turn but then shot well wide.

Marshall delivered a good cross into the box which Rhodes met with his head but McGregor made a decent save to deny the Rovers’ striker.

Despite the 0-0 scoreline, the first-half had been a fairly open and entertaining affair.

Straight from the re-start, Marshall ran at the home defence and then struck a powerful shot from about 25-yards out which flew narrowly over the bar.

On 52 minutes Steele had to be alert to save from Tom Huddlestone after the former Tottenham man hit a powerful drive from distance.

Lawrence had an effort blocked as both sides continued to trade blows in search of the opening goal. Olsson, who was up against a tricky opponent in Elmohamady made a great recovery tackle after the Egyptian winger threatened to get away from him. Within minutes he showed the other side of this game when he raced down the wing, cut inside into the area and forced a corner. His pace at both ends of the pitch was proving to be a major asset to the Rovers.

Steve Bruce rang the changes with Shaun Maloney and Jake Livermore being introduced in a bid take control in midfield. As a result the home side started to enjoy more possession and with Lawrence fading, Rhodes became increasingly isolated up front.

The Rovers came close to scoring when Huddlestone tripped Conway when the winger had moved into a central position. From Conway’s free-kick, Hanley headed just wide.

Hull responded immediately and after Clucas had a cross blocked, Maloney fired wide from a good position.

When the home side finally broke the deadlock, after 73 minutes, it was as a result of yet another controversial refereeing decision. Rhodes had got in front of Davies and was about to enter the penalty area with the ball at this feet when he went down under a clumsy challenge from behind by the Hull defender. It looked a clear foul but, to the consternation of the Rovers’ players, the referee waved play on and the home side broke down the right wing before Elmohamady delivered an inch perfect ball, low across the face of the goal, for Hernandez to fire home at close range on the far post.

The goal rocked the Rovers and Hull, within minutes, had two excellent chances to increase the lead. Hernandez dragged a good opportunity wide whilst Maloney had a free header in front of goal which he also sent wide.

Steele then produced an excellent save to keep out a header from Huddlestone at his near post.

In search of an equaliser, Gary Bowyer introduced Spurr at left-back and pushed Olsson forward to use his pace in the final third of the pitch.

Gradually, the Rovers started to see more of the ball in and around the Hull penalty area and a cross from Conway eventually fell to Rhodes but as the striker tried to hit a spectacular volley he missed his footing and fell over.

With the game entering the first of six minutes of added time the Rovers got the goal that they so richly deserved. Conway delivered a corner to the near post and Rhodes got in front of his marker to head home.

The Rovers continued to press and Olsson went on a blistering run down the left before coming inside into the area but his cross as blocked. The corner from Conway then dropped at the feet of Akpan who struck a powerful volley which McGregor blocked without knowing anything about it, such was the ferocity of the shot.

However, Davies then found himself unmarked in front of the Rovers goal but, incredibly, headed wide from close range.

Both sides had to settle for the draw from what had been a thoroughly entertaining affair.

Once again, there were many positives to take from the encounter for the Rovers. Jason Steele continued his fine run of form between the posts and clearly the challenge of David Raya is bringing the best out of the former England Under-21 international.

In defence, Shane Duffy had a much improved game whilst Marcus Olsson again demonstrated that his pace is a more than useful weapon in both attack and defence.

In midfield the partnership of Corry Evans and Hope Akpan worked extremely well with Akpan again impressing with his work rate and ability on the ball.

Craig Conway had another fine game on the wing creating chances with a succession of dangerous crosses.

Tom Lawrence caused the home side no end of problems in the first-half as he continually found spaces between the Hull back four and midfield. Whenever he ran at the home defence they seemed to panic and resorted to bringing him down. A more capable referee would no doubt have handed out bookings for several cynical challenges.

Jordan Rhodes, up until his equaliser, had a very quiet game and struggled with the role of lone striker. However, when the chance came he was again in the right spot at the right time.

Although still too close to the bottom for comfort, there is no doubt that recent weeks have seen a welcome upturn in form and this was again on show in this game. The change in style is certainly beginning to pay dividends as the Rovers look to make up lost ground. There is no doubt that at the moment they certainly aren’t playing like a team that need have anything to fear in terms of a relegation dogfight.