Oxford United 1-1 Hull City: FLW report as Tigers frustrated by spirited U's in Good Friday clash

In partnership with

Football League World

·3 April 2026

Oxford United 1-1 Hull City: FLW report as Tigers frustrated by spirited U's in Good Friday clash

FLW report from the Kassam Stadium for this Championship fixture

Hull City's inconsistent run of form in recent weeks continued against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on Good Friday, with the Tigers and U's playing out a 1-1 draw in windy conditions.

Video OneFootball

Sergej Jakirovic's team did make the perfect start when Mohamed Belloumi marked his first start since Boxing Day with his second goal of the season after four minutes played.

However, Matt Bloomfield's men pegged them back less than 10 minutes later as Will Lankshear was felled inside the area, before Cameron Brannagan confidently tucked away his penalty.

The hosts certainly had chances to complete a comeback against the Tigers, who will certainly feel it was two points dropped in their bid to secure a play-off place.

Oxford United 1-1 Hull City

Although Oxford mustered the first chance when Lankshear couldn't capitalise on Semi Ajayi's lapse in concentration, the Tigers took the lead inside four minutes as the Nigerian centre-back picked out Belloumi, who drifted inside and slotted the ball past Jamie Cumming.

The hosts were level just nine minutes later, though, as Charlie Hughes tripped Lankshear just inside the box, with Brannagan confidently dispatching the subsequent penalty, even with Dillon Phillips diving the correct way.

Lankshear was extremely unfortunate not to have netted his ninth league goal of the campaign on 22 minutes, as he was left unmarked before sending a diving header from Stan Mills' inviting cross just past the right-hand post.

With six minutes of the first period remaining, Hull looked to regain the control they had largely lost since the U's equaliser. Belloumi sending a hopeful toe-poke towards goal which evaded the bottom corner and Kyle Joseph, before the latter was smartly denied by Cumming seconds later.

A comedy of errors just before the break nearly resulted in Bloomfield's side completing a first-half turnaround as Phillips was initially able to deny Myles Peart-Harris, before Jamie Donley couldn't round the City keeper to score the hosts' second.

Three minutes after half-time, Michal Helik was unable to add his fourth career goal against the East Yorkshire side, as the tall Polish centre-back headed Ciaron Brown's flick-on over the crossbar before landing awkwardly.

Phillips then pulled off a stunning save as Brannagan lined up a stunning effort from 25 yards out, before the experienced shot-stopper's intervention stopped it from flying into the top-right-hand corner.

Improvisation from all of Oli McBurnie, Matt Crooks and Belloumi then saw City trouble the Oxford defence for the first time in the second half, with the ball eventually falling back at Crooks' feet before he fired high and wide.

A chaotic scramble would then ensue in the Hull penalty area 15 minutes from time, with all of Lankshear, Brown and Donley unable to turn the ball home under pressure.

With four minutes of stoppage-time signalled at the end of the match, Oxford substitute Mark Harris saw his name up in lights as he latched onto Mills' teasing delivery, before somehow directing his effort off-target from a matter of yards out.

Ultimately, it was the hosts who were left more satisfied with the result despite the fact it doesn't take them out of the bottom three, whilst Hull remain fifth on 67 points, four clear of Southampton in seventh.