Hull City 4-2 Derby County: FLW report as Tigers record huge victory vs Rams in 6-goal thriller | OneFootball

FLW report from the MKM Stadium for this Championship fixture

Hull City ended a four-game winless streak with a vital 4-2 victory over Derby County at the MKM Stadium on Tuesday night.

In what was a topsy-turvy encounter, Sergej Jakirovic's side took the lead early on as ex-Tiger, Callum Elder, put into his own net from a corner, only for John Eustace's men to respond less than 10 minutes later through Craig Forsyth.

The Tigers restored their advantage through Oli McBurnie five minutes before half-time, but that lead only lasted two minutes as Sammie Szmodics turned home from close-range.

However, City would seal the win in the final 15 minutes through well-taken strikes from John Egan and substitute, Lewis Koumas, who rounded off the scoring five minutes from time.

Hull City 4-2 Derby County

After a fiesty first four minutes, Joe Gelhardt certainly had Josh Vickers worried for a moment as the City winger's cross only narrowly looped over the Rams keeper's net from a tight angle in the first half-chance of the 90.

However, the Tigers were rewarded for their positive start with nine minutes gone, although it wasn't a happy return to the MKM for Elder, who got the final touch after Amir Hadziahmetovic's corner was glanced goalwards by McBurnie.

Derby's first spell of pressure came after 16 minutes as David Ozoh's drive deflected off Kyle Joseph for a corner, and they were back on level terms as the set-piece was recycled by Lewis Travis, whose initial effort was parried by Ivor Pandur straight into Forsyth's path for the simplest of finishes.

The Rams missed a great chance to complete a six-minute turnaround after Patrick Agyemang outmuscled Egan and advanced into a prime scoring position. Thankfully for Hull, the USMNT forward got his accuracy completely wrong.

Gelhardt, again, almost caught Vickers out with a speculative effort from 25 yards on the half-hour mark after some neat work from McBurnie to create the opening for his attacking partner.

Pandur was then at full stretch to deny a powerful effort from Travis eight minutes before the break, before Matt Clarke was only a matter of inches from heading home a Bobby Clark cross after City couldn't fully clear their lines from the corner.

They were made to pay from the host's next attack as Gelhardt found McBurnie in space, and the Scotsman delivered his 14th of the season as he fired past Vickers after neatly turning Forsyth.

However, Derby would respond immediately in what was a breathless first period as Szmodics netted his first for the club since joining on loan from Ipswich Town after Pandur could only parry Agyemang's initial strike into the playmaker's path.

It was the visitors who forged the second period's first opportunity, with the American attempting an audacious overhead-kick from close-range which looped over the crossbar.

Liam Millar then sent a curling effort way wide for the Tigers, although it came after a stoppage which saw Ryan Giles substituted with a hamstring issue - only adding to Jakirovic's already long injury list. Joseph then came close to restoring their lead with a looping header from a teasing Lewie Coyle cross 12 minutes into the half.

Tensions then flared on the hour-mark after the City captain challenged Travis, with a melee quickly ensuing, although Coyle would receive just a yellow from referee, Adam Herczeg, despite major protestations from the Derby camp and their supporters.

Eustace's side had a golden opportunity of their own midway through the second half as Clark went through against Pandur, but this time the Croat was equal to the Liverpool loanee's lofted effort.

However, the end-to-end contest took another twist with 15 minutes to go as a neat passing move from Hull ended up at the feet of the advancing Egan, who calmly slotted the ball under Vickers from just outside the penalty area.

The newly-introduced Carlton Morris couldn't convert a third equaliser for the Rams six minutes from time after Agyemang found his strike partner in space, and they were caught cold again as Koumas powered an early strike from the edge of the box to put City two goals ahead for the first time in the match.

Hull have now moved up to fourth for at least 20 hours on 56 points, whilst Derby are seven behind on 46, and have slipped to 11th.

FT: Hull City 4-2 Derby County

Player Ratings

Hull City

Ivor Pandur - 6.5

Lewie Coyle - 7.5

John Egan - 7.5

Charlie Hughes - 6.5

Ryan Giles - 6 (Drameh 53" - 6.5)

Regan Slater - 6.5

Amir Hadziahmetovic - 7

Kyle Joseph - 7

Joe Gelhardt - 7.5 (Koumas 82" - 7)

Liam Millar - 6.5 (McNair 82" - 6)

Oli McBurnie - 8.5 (Dowell 89" - N/A)

Unused Subs: D.Phillips, A.Famewo, C.McCarthy, J.Lundstram, M.Crooks

Derby County

Josh Vickers - 4

Callum Elder - 5 (Ward 46" - 6.5)

Matt Clarke - 5.5

Craig Forsyth - 7

Derry Murkin - 6.5

David Ozoh - 6 (Brewster 79" - 6)

Lewis Travis - 6

Ben Brereton Diaz - 6.5 (Morris 79" - 6)

Sammie Szmodics - 7

Bobby Clark - 7

Patrick Agyemang - 7

Unused Subs: R.O'Donnell, D.Sanderson, O.Fraulo, O.Eames, I.Gordon, C.Allen

Sergej Jakirovic reacts as Hull City earn vital win vs Derby County

Reacting to the Tigers' return to winning ways, Jakirovic said: "I'm very happy because the players showed a great team effort and a lot of fighting all around the pitch.

"First and second balls, front-foot, lots of challenges. We changed our style today, and we didn't have our build-up in open play sometimes because of the pitch condition.

"We were very pragmatic, but very aggressive in our challenges, and then we scored two nice goals," he explained.

"The first is a set-piece, but we had good chances that they blocked. I'm very pleased because of the lads, and we have to continue like this.

"I said to the lads that I didn't care about impression. This is for next time, and I just care about how we take three points, and that was very important.

"They played a very good game today."

John Eustace's verdict as Derby County defeated by Hull City

Reacting to the Rams' defeat in HU3, Eustace said: "Disappointing to lose, of course. But I thought it was a cracking game.

"I was very proud of the effort of the group. We've had lots of great chances to score, and unfortunately we could only score two today.

"I'm disappointed in the manner of how they scored. I think we can defend the box much better on all four goals," he claimed.

"I think, after the performance on Saturday, when we were very disappointed and weren't at the races, tonight we've come to a side fourth in the league and battled very well against them and should be coming away with, at least, a point.

"We've had three or four one-v-one chances where we've been clear through," Eustace added.

"I'm really pleased with the effort, and I'm very proud of the boys today after Saturday's result when it wasn't us.

"Tonight it was more like us today, and we could have scored four, five or six goals. For sure."

Attendance

The attendance at the MKM Stadium tonight was 20,391.