Hull backed up a shock victory against Manchester United by maintaining their 100% start to the Premier League and condemning Coventry to successive defeats. The goal was a sucker punch for Coventry, who were pushing for a winner and looked set to claim at least their first point of the season. Frank Lampard, arms folded, was unmoved as the away end rejoiced.
He and Coventry may wonder where their first point – and, indeed, their first goal – will come from. Next is a daunting trip to Manchester City, before they host Brighton, who began the season with a 4-0 trouncing of Aston Villa. Hull, as they did last season, are exceeding all expectations.
Was losing to another promoted team, one who finished 22 points behind them last season, a mental blow? It depends how you react to a defeat.” For Coventry, as their owner and chair, Doug King, said beforehand, a first Premier League for more than 25 years was a historic day for the city. The buzz before kick-off was palpable, none more so than when King – wearing an elephant brooch on his suit, the animal that adorns Coventry’s badge and the city’s coat of arms – joined Coventry supporters in singing along to The Enemy’s We’ll Live and Die in These Towns, the club’s adopted prematch anthem.
The pyrotechnics left a haze drifting across the pitch as things got under way. At full time, it was down to Millar and Sergej Jakirovic, albeit after a little persuading, to conduct the Hull celebrations. We know our target: 38, 41 points?
We will see.” Both teams lacked quality, but Coventry were undeniably the more threatening side. Taiwo Awoniyi, on his full league debut for the club, sent a weak header at Konstantinos Tzolakis and later forced the Hull goalkeeper into a smart right-hand save after Loum Tchaouna’s cross skidded off the head of Nobel Mendy. Lampard cycled through substitutions, the arrival of Gustavo Hamer, something of a hero in these parts, lifting the home crowd, but they struggled to work Tzolakis.
Millar, who arrived on the hour, had wasted Hull’s best opening with 74 minutes on the clock, Jakirovic wearing a look of disgust after the Canada winger ignored an unmarked Mohamed Belloumi to his right and sent his shot bobbling wide after a clever first-time pass by Oli McBurnie released Millar behind Bobby Thomas. Until then, their only shot on target was Mendy’s speculative shot from 30 yards. But Millar made amends, coolly slotting past Carl Rushworth to cap a devastating counterattack.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
