December 24, 2024
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Hulldailymail.co.uk – WIGAN, Liam Rosenior’s resurgent Hull City continued their fine turnaround with a 4-1 win at bottom side Wigan Athletic to kick-off the New Year in style. Victory extended their unbeaten run away from home to seven games.

The brilliant, marauding Jacob Greaves fired City into the lead their dominance deserved after 15 minutes when he turned an effort in from a corner, and despite their control, they failed to really take the game away from the hapless hosts in the first half.

Though Wigan punished a sloppy start to the second half from the visitors, Oscar Estupinan’s now regular late goal made it 2-1, before Tyler Smith on at the break for Allahyar Sayyadmanesh rattled in a third and a fine fourth to make it a perfect start to the New Year.

Unsurprisingly, Rosenior made the decision to keep faith with the same starting XI that performed so well at Birmingham City on Friday evening, with the only squad change seeing Lewie Coyle come into the bench at the expense of Xavier Simons.

An energetic start from City saw them take early control of proceedings dominating possession and looking confident but it was Seri who picked up a booking after just six minutes for a late lunge in the middle of the park on ex-Tigers man Will Keane.

That free-kick was wasted, and the City wave of attack continued this time with Christie’s deep cross for Allahyar winning his side a third corner, from which Slater fed Jones and his shot was blocked – from the next corner, McLoughlin glanced a header goalwards and hit Oscar before bouncing an inch wide of the post.

Their dominance paid dividends after 15 minutes when Greaves won the ball just inside the Wigan half following a swift press, he slotted in Allahayr down the left before seeing his cross blocked behind, and from that, City hit the front.

Allahyar flew over in the box and amid penalty claims from the away supporters, Greaves curled a delicious effort beyond Jamie Jones and into the corner of the net.

It was a deserved goal for City, though it sparked Wigan into life and the visitors needed Jones to head clear at the near post before Ingram needed to be alert to collect a Max Power cross after good work down their right.

Though their control of the half continued, the visitors didn’t test Jones enough with Docherty slamming a controlled volley wide after Slater’s effort had been deflected behind.

City’s biggest moment of concern came in added time at the end of a dominant first period, when Allahyar sat himself down holding his hamstring and though he walked off at the break, he did not reappear for the second half, Tyler Smith coming on in his place.

Toure made a change at the break sending on Nathan Broadhead in place of Callum Lang, and after a quiet start to the second period, made a double change after 10 minutes of it, with Tom Naylor and Thelo Aasgaard replacing Cousins and Fletcher.

With the game meandering along and nothing happening, the hosts pulled themselves level when Broadhead was given space to plan a header beyond Ingram from a corner with 25 minutes left.

Rosenior will have been furious with the concession, and the lack of intensity his side had shown since the interval.

A flurry of corners later saw Tilt head over with the crowd suddenly in the game and Wigan looking like a side capable of scoring again.

In a bid to change the momentum, Longman was sacrificed for Ryan Woods with 25 minutes left followed by Ozan Tufan for Seri.

Just over 10 minutes were left when Wigan’s defence parted in a way only a team at the bottom can, to allow Estupinan to poke the ball into the net and see City back in front.

Rosenior then took off the excellent Christie and Estupinan for Tobias Figueiredo and Lewie Coyle to try and see it out.

He need not have worried, as Smith now playing through the middle raced away, took the ball past the goalkeeper and from a tough angle, rattled in the third with five minutes left.

There was still time for City to inflict a third straight 4-1 defeat on the hapless Latics, when Slater’s fizzing cross was turned in at the back post by Smith.

More than 2,500 away supporters were having a great time behind the goal, now to take this form back to the MKM Stadium when Huddersfield Town visit in a couple of weeks.