Hull City 1-0 Sheffield United: FLW report as Akintola and Pandur give Tigers edge over Blades | OneFootball

FLW report live from the MKM Stadium for this Yorkshire derby

Hull City piled on the misery for Sheffield United with a 1-0 victory in a Yorkshire derby at the MKM Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

David Akintola was the match-winner with his first goal in black and amber after 30 minutes gone, as he fired home from a tight angle following a smart passing move.

Meanwhile, Ivor Pandur was the hero late on for the Tigers. The Croatian kept his first home clean sheet of the season and a first in eight games by keeping out Harrison Burrows' penalty with two minutes remaining.

Hull City 1-0 Sheffield United

It was the visitors who created the first chance with Chiedoze Ogbene's strength seeing him past Ryan Giles before Gustavo Hamer could only fire a close-range shot into the body of Charlie Hughes.

The Blades' creator-in-chief then fired over the bar with a free-kick on 10 minutes after more smart work from Ogbene yielded the first set-piece of the encounter.

Hull's first dangerous attack came after 20 minutes, with a neat passing move falling to ex-United midfielder Regan Slater, with his placed effort diverted wide by the experienced Ben Mee whilst the resulting corner came to nothing.

The best opportunity of the early exchanges came through Hamer as he was left unmarked following a corner, firing a rasping effort that cannoned off the inside of Pandur's right-hand post.

However, Wilder's men would live to rue those chances on the half-hour mark. Coyle was able to advance forward once more, eventually finding Akintola, who showed great composure when chesting his cross down under pressure before delivering a stunning effort which flew past Cooper via a slight Ogbene deflection.

Sydie Peck should've levelled the scores ten minutes later, with his header somehow ending up over the bar from just yards out as Hamer once again showcased his individual quality.

It was the Steel City outfit who started the opening period of the second half the better, although Cooper had to be at full-stretch to deny Oli McBurnie a fourth goal of the week against his former employers after the City striker looked to take advantage of Ben Mee's initial mishap.

Akintola saw his name up in lights again just before the hour-mark, but the Nigerian's second strike of the afternoon was well wide of the mark, before the hosts' ramped up their pressure as his cross intended for the onrushing Darko Gyabi was sent behind for a corner.

The Blades were left frustrated once again shortly afterward, with a 20-yard effort from Hamer stinging the palms of Pandur. Midway through the half, the Dutchman would fizz another teasing set-piece into the box that evaded all in white.

Unbelievably, United continued to let Hull off the hook towards the game's latter stages, with Hamer again given plenty of time to curl an effort that had Pandur beaten, yet lacked the accuracy to find the top corner.

Substitute Danny Ings then found himself out wide, with the experienced forward visibly distraught as no United player could connect with his wicked delivery 12 minutes from time.

The home quarters of the MKM almost saw McBurnie turn home another low cross from Ryan Giles, if it wasn't for Mark McGuinness' last-ditch intervention.

With the Tigers looking to shut up shop, United were thwarted twice in a goalmouth scramble on 86 minutes as neither Ings nor Tom Davies could find their way past Pandur or Matt Crooks.

In a frantic ending to the encounter, Pandur kept his side's lead intact after United were awarded a penalty as Ings was judged to have been fouled by Semi Ajayi, with the Croatian gathering Burrows' spot-kick to the relief of Tigers supporters.

A win moves Sergej Jakirovic's side up to 10th ahead of the 3PM kick-offs, whilst the visitors' spell at the foot of the table continues with an eighth defeat in nine.

FT: Hull City 1-0 Sheffield United

Player Ratings

Hull City

Ivor Pandur - 8

Lewie Coyle - 7.5

John Egan - 7

Charlie Hughes - 7.5

Ryan Giles - 7

John Lundstram - 6 (Hadziahmetovic 15" - 6.5)

Regan Slater - 6.5

Joe Gelhardt - 6 (Destan 82" - 6)

Darko Gyabi - 6 (Millar 62" - 6)

David Akintola - 7.5 (Crooks 62" - 7)

Oli McBurnie - 7 (Ajayi 82" - 6)

Unused Subs: Dillon Phillips, Cody Drameh, Akin Famewo

Sheffield United

Michael Cooper - 6.5

Japhet Tanganga - 6.5

Mark McGuinness - 6

Ben Mee - 6.5

Chiedoze Ogbene - 6.5

Sydie Peck - 6.5 (Davies 63" - 6)

Alex Matos - 6 (Barry 81" - 6)

Sam McCallum - 6.5 (Burrows 72" - 6)

Callum O'Hare - 6.5 (Ings 63" - 6.5)

Gustavo Hamer - 6.5

Tyrese Campbell - 6 (Cannon 72" - 6)

Unused Subs: Adam Davies, Tyler Bindon, Femi Seriki, Djibril Soumare

Hull City vs Sheffield United Attendance

The attendance at the MKM Stadium for this Yorkshire derby was 21,030.

This included a sold-out away allocation of 2,036 Sheffield United supporters.

Sergej Jakirovic reacts as Hull City beat Sheffield United

Addressing the media post-match, Jakirovic initially praised the heroics of Pandur between the sticks.

"Thank god Ivor saved the penalty. It's a very big confidence boost for him especially," the Bosnian began.

"I'm very happy because of the victory and the clean sheet. Today, we were very strong defensively and didn't allow them much space behind us.

"We were lucky because they hit the post," he claimed. "But, in the second half, we could've finished the game with Oli McBurnie's chance as 'Gilo' (Ryan Giles) played his pass too early.

"The penalty is also luck for us," Jakirovic added. "But I'm very happy for Ivor because I know he needed that. It's a big boost for him and his confidence.

The City boss then praised the overall endeavour of his side.

"For me, from the first second I saw a battle for every inch of the pitch," he explained. "Especially long balls, second balls and with great energy and intensity in duels.

"When we had calm possession, we tried to switch sides very fast with Coyle and 'Gilo' that deliver these situations.

"We scored with four or five players inside the box. For me it is an unbelievable goal from Akintola, because it's not easy to finish it with an opponent trying to block you," Jakirovic stated.

"I'm happy because of David, and we also had lots of problems before this, with the wind especially."

Chris Wilder's verdict as Sheffield United suffer Hull City defeat

Speaking to the press post-match, Wilder's initial reaction was one of unsurprising frustration.

"Of course I'm interested, externally, about the results before and since I've come in, 100%," he said. "Charlton, Southampton and now today.

"It was typical Championship football,really," he claimed. "Not a lot in the game, I didn't think so. I'm not seeing it through rose-tinted glasses as well.

"Situations that we needed to deal with. Ryan Giles, who I know well, most assists off the left, highest in the league and most goals scored from crosses, so we dealt with that.

"I thought we dealt with Oli McBurnie, got on top of John Lundstram - obviously he came off - that was a situation.

"(We) deal with the crosses. There weren't as many going in as there had been previously. But, the one we needed to deal with we never dealt with.

"Stop the cross, defend inside the goal. We tried to stop it, didn't defend inside the goal.

"On the flip side of that, is, from a tactical point of view, getting the ball where you want to get it, however you do, however you play a game of football.

"We did that," Wilder added. "We got ourselves into some fabulous positions.

"But, yet again, as what happened against Charlton, Southampton and today, game-changing moments that change the direction, feel and flow of the game.

"Hull City have done what they needed to do to get a result. From our point of view, it's something we've not been able to deliver when we get in those positions," the Blades boss explained.