Hull City vs Bristol City. Sky Bet Championship.
MKM StadiumAttendance19,491.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Hull City and Bristol City at the MKM Stadium as Nakhi Wells' first league goal since February earns Robins draw after Ozan Tufan opener
Friday 25 August 2023 23:03, UK
Nakhi Wells' first league goal since February earned Bristol City a 1-1 draw at Hull.
The 33-year-old forward ended a 15-game personal drought with a second-half equaliser after Ozan Tufan had climbed to the top of the Championship's early-season goal charts with a 17th-minute opener following his hat-trick against Sheffield Wednesday in the Tigers' previous home contest.
The visitors exerted early pressure but Jason Knight's far-post header from a free-kick, floated in by skipper Matty James, failed to unduly extend keeper Matt Ingram.
Hull gradually found their stride and, on the quarter-hour mark, Adama Traore drilled into the side netting after being picked out by Jean Michael Seri.
Moments later, Tufan's long-distance attempt was safely gathered by Max O'Leary but the Bath-born keeper was beaten by the Tigers' Turkey international shortly afterwards.
Liam Delap outstripped Zak Vyner for pace down the right flank and the on-loan Manchester City striker's low centre was turned in first time by Tufan from eight yards.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Hull saw Lewie Coyle and Delap's 25-yard drives test O'Leary before the Robins rallied as Sam Bell cut in from the left and unleashed a shot that was blocked with Mark Sykes unable to keep his follow-up effort down.
Joe Williams was also guilty of lofting a 10-yard opportunity over an unguarded net after Wells' raid down the right had taken Ingram out of the equation.
A firm drive by George Tanner was then kicked off the line by Alfie Jones, who went on to go close at the other end with his far-post header from Scott Twine's free-kick pushed on to the inside of an upright by O'Leary before his defensive team-mates scrambled the loose ball to safety.
The visitors thought they had levelled in stoppage time at the end of a pulsating first period but a very delayed assistant's flag saw Vyner's effort chalked off after Knight's deflected shot had fallen to him six yards from goal.
Following the restart, Knight's header narrowly missed the target from a Cameron Pring corner and, after a Seri shot was deflected away from goal, Nigel Pearson's men drew level.
At the end of a slick passing move, Sykes' low and inviting 63rd-minute cross was tapped in at the far post by Wells, who was only denied a second moments later when an improvised, hooked effort over his shoulder was blocked by Sean McLoughlin near the goal-line and seized upon by a grateful Ingram.
Back at the other end, a fierce Twine free-kick was tipped over by O'Leary and substitute Aaron Connolly charged clear on goal but shot straight at the advancing away keeper.
Fellow replacement Oscar Estupinan also warmed O'Leary's gloves after being picked out by the imperious Seri, while Harry Cornick failed to beat Ingram at his near post in stoppage time, meaning Hull have now only been beaten in one of their last 12 league games at the MKM Stadium.
Hull's Liam Rosenior:
"When you go a goal up at home and don't get three points, you have to view it as two dropped.
"I thought the first 25 minutes was exactly what I wanted. Then we were trying to score with every attack and it became a bit of a basketball match, which suited Bristol City.
"I think if we had carried on playing the way we were and keeping possession, we would have exhausted Bristol City of their oxygen.
"But I also have great respect for Nigel Pearson's teams. They were winning the ball back and played with four up front and two full-backs high up the pitch, so they were playing really offensive football as well.
"I was delighted with how we were putting bodies on the line and defending long throws, but it was happening too often. We then regained control after they scored and I felt that we could have won the game, but we could have easily lost it as well because it was really open."
Bristol City's Nigel Pearson:
"Apart from 10 to 15 minutes in the first half when we didn't get it right in terms of how we pressed, I thought we played very well and created lots of chances. I saw bravery out there with players wanting the ball and doing positive things on the pitch.
"We need to see that character in home games now because people talk about coaching and training, but the most important day in the week is match day.
"Sometimes though, away from home, it's more straightforward to go with a gameplan that's not about entertaining and we were conceding more ground, but it was like springing a trap and we are very good at that.
"They also defended their goal with a lot of commitment and but for that, I think we would have won comfortably."
