Adkins won’t write off play-off chances as Hull beat Ipswich

Posted Sunday, March 31, 2019 by PA

Hull manager Nigel Adkins believes his team are still in the mix for an end-of-season play-off place after they came away from Ipswich with a 2-0 victory.

Kamil Grosicki grabbed both goals in the 14th and 49th minutes to leave the Tigers five points off the top six in the Sky Bet Championships, while the hosts were left firmly rooted at the bottom of the table 13 points from safety and virtually doomed to League One next season.

Hull missed out on adding to their advantage when a shot from Marc Pugh hit the post in stoppage time, but the victory was all that mattered to Adkins.

He said: “We have come away from home and the importance was we needed to get the three points.

“I thought we started the game slowly but we scored an excellent goal. It was a good bit of play and was a good goal. And what a wonderful run by Jarrod Bowen which led to the second goal.

“I thought we should have capitalised on the few chances we had in the attacking third but give Ipswich credit, I thought they played well.

“It about getting the result. Today we didn’t play great football but we picked up the three points. It was a clean sheet and puts us within five of the play-offs with just seven games to go.

“We have got to keep going and we have two home games coming up against Reading and Wigan which are going to be tough, but we have got to pick up the points and who knows what will happen?”

The Tigers took the lead following a slick move down the right involving full-back Todd Kane and Fraizer Campbell, with the latter laying the ball off to Grosicki, who fired past Ipswich keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.

And the Polish international added a second following good work by Jarrod Bowen.

Ipswich had their chances in the match, with the ball being cleared off the goal-line twice in the four minutes before the half-time whistle following efforts from Kayden Jackson and Gwion Edwards. And in stoppage time a header by Edwards was cleared off the line again, this time by Pugh.

Town manager Paul Lambert bemoaned their lack of fortune.

He said: “It was incredible and I can’t quite put my finger on it. We started the game well, we lose a poor goal but we keep going and going and the chances we had were incredible. Two off the line.

“But it’s the story of the season. Goals change games. We played really, really well, our football was good and you can’t ask for anything more.

Lambert also praised the support of the fans, which totalled 15,720.

“I have been at massive football clubs with massive fan bases but what this club has got here is unique,” he said.

“Without a doubt, I have never known this from a team that’s at the bottom of the table and all can say is thanks to them.

“It’s brilliant what they do here. I think they recognise what’s happening here. They know the chances were are creating but my god this football club has got an incredible set of fans.”