Grant McCann lauds performance of Josh Magennis

Posted Sunday, September 13, 2020 by PA

Josh Magennis’s all-round performance set the platform for Hull’s 2-0 victory over Gillingham, according to boss Grant McCann.

The Tigers’ first game in League One for 15 years could hardly have got off to a better start as Keane Lewis-Potter fired low into the net after just three minutes and Magennis then wrapped up the win on 82 minutes when he headed home George Honeyman’s free-kick.

Other chances went begging between those two goals but McCann was keen to praise his Northern Ireland international striker.

“It was a great delivery and a great header from Magennis,” said McCann. “I’m really pleased for Josh – I thought he led the line brilliantly.

“It’s not easy for him to be up against two 6ft 4in centre-backs but I don’t think he lost a header. He gave us a really good platform to build off.

“It’s a good result and a good performance. It possibly should have been bit more had we been more clinical at the top of the pitch.

“I can’t grumble too much – Gillingham are very difficult to play against; they would have probably finished in the top six last season.

“We handled everything they threw at us all game. We were in control and we possibly could have come away with more goals.

“You could see fitness levels kick in towards the end when we could have had another one or two goals. Our sports science department have done a tremendous job.”

Gillingham’s best chance came just a couple of minutes after Lewis-Potter’s early opener but John Akinde shot straight at Matt Ingram when through on goal and Gills boss Steve Evans believes that miss was crucial.

“They’ve scored a goal early when we’re not doing our jobs and within 90 seconds we missed a one-on-one to equalise,” moaned Evans. “From there until when they score again there’s nothing in the game.

“If we get the equaliser we’d have been in the ascendancy – it’s probably the easiest chance of the afternoon but we don’t take it.

“There’s a little spell at the start of the second half in which we controlled the game. We probably showed them too much respect in the first half.

“If I summed the game up, there’s been three clear-cut chances: they’ve scored two and we missed one. We’ve got lots of work to do.”

But Evans was eager to try and take the positives from the fact that his side weren’t totally outclassed despite the financial disparity between the clubs.

“I don’t think there’s a lot in it, especially when you consider that they’re sitting there with a £7million or £8m budget,” he added.

“I don’t think that gulf showed at any time – they were a bit more clinical than us and we paid the price.”