Ruben Selles wants Hull’s standards to keep rising after a 1-0 win at promotion-chasing Sunderland boosted his side’s fight for survival.
Black Cats goalkeeper Anthony Patterson fumbled Joe Gelhardt’s corner into his own net in the 18th minute and Sunderland were frustrated by an impressive display from the Tigers, earning Selles’ side a fourth win from their last five away matches.
The focus for Hull now is on Tuesday when Selles hopes his players can secure back-to-back wins for the first time since he took over in December, against a Cardiff side sitting just below them in the table.
Selles said: “It is about us, the next game, our attention to win the game. This was a fantastic job and we had to show character, be good defensively.
“The situation is always more difficult if you concede first but the application from the beginning here, we showed we were a threat. It is exceptional and we tried to put them under pressure and we did.
“We have to be ruthless. If we keep defending as we do, especially away from home, then we will do well.
“Now we have a challenge. We have not been able to back up our results by taking three points in consecutive games. We need to go on Tuesday, perform well, show character and then the score will take care of itself.
“Things happen in football but if we go there with personality and saying ‘nobody wants three points more than us’, that should be the mentality.”
Having withstood some early pressure from Sunderland, which did not result in goalkeeper Ivor Pandur being tested, the visitors quickly gained in attacking confidence.
Patterson, who had team-mate Patrick Roberts in front of him, made a complete hash of his attempt to catch Gelhardt’s corner soon after and could only help the ball in – though he did make a strong save to keep another Gelhardt corner from curling straight in minutes later.
The nearest Sunderland came to levelling before the break was when Dan Ballard headed into the arms of Pandur from Chris Rigg’s delivery into the area.
Sunderland should have been level just before the hour when striker Wilson Isidor headed wide at the back post after he had been picked out unmarked by Trai Hume. Eliezer Mayenda and Roberts also had late chances but Hull did enough to stay in front and give their survival chances a lift.
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris was left frustrated with the outcome and he wants his young squad to learn quickly so they can finish the campaign strongly.
Le Bris, who will be assessing hamstring issues to Enzo Le Fee and Ballard, said: “The own goal changed the dynamic of the game because after that the opponent provided different problems. We tried to break the low block and didn’t find the solution.
“It is a shame because in this kind of game, silly mistakes can change many things. We have to think about these mistakes to improve our game.
“It is not a coincidence (conceding from a set-piece), we have to ask the questions.
“After that the energy of the group was OK. We tried but it wasn’t enough.
“This was the 34th game of the season. We have a small group. That can be a positive, because everyone is really involved, but at the same time, when we have injuries, we know that we can have a bit of a lack of depth in certain positions.
“That is just the characteristic of the squad this year. There are positives and negatives, we just have to try to manage things properly.
“I hope to see a reaction. I hope to have the capacity to react.”
Leyton Orient remain on course for the Sky Bet League One play-offs after a 1-0 win which dented Wycombe’s hopes of automatic promotion.Randell Williams scored the only goal of the game and Orient’s victory, their fifth in succession, leaves them ahead of seventh-placed Reading on goal difference.Defeat for the Chairboys, though, has handed the initiative to Wrexham, who could seal the...
Doncaster clinched promotion to League One after goals from Rob Street and Billy Sharp secured a 2-1 win over 10-man Yorkshire rivals Bradford.In an incident-packed encounter in front of over 12,500 fans – the Eco-Power Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season – Doncaster hit the post through Jordan Gibson before on-loan Lincoln striker Street gave Rovers a 33rd-minute lead with his...
Reading’s hunt for a Sky Bet League One play-off spot will go to the final day of the season after the Royals beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Memorial Stadium.Lewis Wing’s eighth league goal of the season after 67 minutes and Chem Campbell’s added-time effort leaves the Pirates staring at relegation after Noel Hunt’s side had to survive a first-half onslaught from the hosts....
Jamie Andrews struck a late equaliser as Woking twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Eastleigh in the National League.Tyrese Shade put the visitors in front after 14 minutes, played in on goal by Ben Close before finding the bottom corner of the net.Woking then drew level three minutes before the break when Aiden O’Brien headed in from Jacob Jones’ free-kick.Shade had Eastleigh back...
Port Vale secured automatic promotion to League One after beating AFC Wimbledon 2-0 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.Second-half goals by Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Hedley ensured Vale would finish in the top three and also made a dent in the home side’s push for the play-offs.Vale created the first real attempt of the game which saw Lorent Tolaj fire over from 12 yards out following a cros...
Zian Flemming and Jeremy Sarmiento both scored twice as Burnley emphatically maintained their Championship title hopes by hammering QPR 5-0 in their penultimate match of the season.Josh Cullen also netted in a one-sided game as the Clarets, already promoted along with Leeds, won with ease to move to the top of the table, three points ahead of the Yorkshire side.However, Leeds, who are at home to B...
Nicolas Jackson ended his long goal drought to fire Chelsea a step nearer to the Champions League with a 1-0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge.A dominant display was capped by the winning goal scored midway through the first half, the striker’s first since December 15 finished confidently from 20 yards past Jordan Pickford as though he had been scoring every week, as suspended head coac...
Celtic clinched the William Hill Premiership title in style with a 5-0 victory over Dundee United at Tannadice.Nicolas Kuhn and substitute Adam Idah both hit doubles after Ryan Strain’s 30th-minute own-goal kicked off the rout.Celtic had only needed a point but they wrapped up their fourth consecutive championship in similar fashion to last year, when a 5-0 win at Kilmarnock earned Brendan R...
Chris Wilder labelled his side’s 2-0 win over Stoke a “proper away performance” as they got back to winning ways.The Blades had seen their automatic promotion hopes ended after losing four of their previous five, including their last three matches away from Bramall Lane.An improved showing saw Sam McCallum, making just his eighth start of the campaign, score late in the first hal...
Goals from Sam McCallum and Andre Brooks ensured Sheffield United returned to winning ways with by beating Stoke 2-0.The Blades had seen their automatic promotion hopes ended after losing four of their previous five, including their last three matches away from Bramall Lane.McCallum had scored just one goal since his summer move from Norwich but popped up at the back post when Rhian Brewster&rsquo...
- 1 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 2 Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace dazzles in low-cut top and mini skirt
- 3 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 4 We always have a chance – Miron Muslic bullish as Plymouth boost survival hopes
- 5 Tottenham to compete with Man City for defender
- 6 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 7 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 8 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 9 Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola fumes over point claimed at 10-man Crystal Palace
- 10 Daily Laugh - Totttenham 1-2 N Forest