Relegation-battling Hull City get late draw against play-off chasing Coventry
Hughes deflected Grimes shot into own net to give Coventry lead
Kamara levelled for Hull with deflected shot
Sky Blues manager Frank Lampard was serving one-match ban
Tigers move three points above drop zone
Sixth-placed Coventry three points above seventh-placed West Brom
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FT: Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Image source, Rex FeaturesSo another night which has brought us the ebb and flow of Championship football.
Coventry were too good for Hull City at times tonight but at 1-0 were always vulnerable and so it proved.
We move on to Good Friday - see you then.
FT: Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Image source, rexCoventry miss the chance to go fifth tonight but pull three points clear of West Brom in seventh as well as Middlesbrough and Millwall.
Hull City are now three points above the drop zone and with a vastly superior goal difference to the bottom three which could still be crucial.
FT: Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Image source, PA MediaCoventry may rue those dropped two points, but they're still looking a decent bet for a second play-off run in three seasons.
Do you think they'll finish in the top six?
Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.
FT: Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Hull City goalkeeper Ivor Pandur kept his side in the game and has been speaking to Sky Sports:
"We showed great spirit which maybe we lacked in the last couple of games but today we showed we can fight.
"We are not happy with a point but it's okay.
"I need to be here for the team and hopefully I can keep playing like that to stay in the league."
Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Image source, PA MediaA point that neither side might be satisfied with in their quests at either end of the table.
Coventry should have put this game to bed long before Hull City levelled through Abu Kamara with eight minutes remaining.
Ivor Pandur denied Haji Wright three times and then Ellis Simms as Coventry threatened to run away with things.
But Kasey Palmer missed the best chance of the first period when Matt Grimes twice cleared off the line.
Grimes is being credited with the goal which put the visitors ahead although home defender Charlie Hughes appeared to get the final touch.
Pandur tipped another Wright effort over the bar before the American forward headed against the post.
Lewie Coyle blasted over before Kamara's equaliser but even then Pandur had to make one final save from Milan van Ewijk.
A potentially big point for Hull City but Coventry will rue not making the most of their clear dominance.
Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Ivor Pandur again!
Milan van Ewijk links with Jack Rudoni and thunders in a shot which the home goalkeeper superbly beats away.
He has had a good night.
Image source, PA MediaHull City 1-1 Coventry
Hull City boss Ruben Selles is cautioned.
One of his substitutes may have earned his team a valuable point tonight.
Hull City 1-1 Coventry
We will have five minutes of time added on.
Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Jamie Paterson scored a last minute winner for Coventry last week.
He's on for Haji Wright.
Paterson was a season ticker holder at Coventry as a lad - living the dream!
Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Hull City swap out two more.
Lewie Coyle and Steven Alzate are replaced by Cody Drameh and Matt Crooks.
Suddenly there's some atmosphere in the stadium.
Hull City 1-1 Coventry
Ellis Simms is off for Coventry and on comes Belgian striker Norman Bassette.
Are they going to pay for not putting this one to bed?
Image source, Rex Features
Abu Kamara (82 mins)
Image source, Getty ImagesHold your horses!
Where has that come from?
Abu Kamara is found in space down the right in the box.
He has a defender in front of him and pauses to weigh up his options.
He hits a left-footed effort from a tight angle which ricochets off Jay Dasilva and beats Bradley Collins at his near post.
Who saw that coming?
Hull City 0-1 Coventry
More jotting of notes and studying of paperwork from the Hull City boss Ruben Selles.
He has won eight of his 24 league games in charge and has taken them out of the relegation zone since coming in.
He would just like to get to the end of the season as a Championship club - any kind of result tonight would be a plus but first they need a goal.
Ten minutes to go.
Hull City 0-1 Coventry
Yeah, John Egan's night is done.
Alfie Jones replaces the Irishman having lost his starting berth to him tonight.
Hull City 0-1 Coventry
A bit of paperwork for referee Andrew Kitchen to do later.
He cautions Coventry goalkeeper Bradley Collins for delaying the restart.
Meantime John Egan is down for Hull City.
Hull City 0-1 Coventry
Oh a HUGE chance for Hull City.
Regan Slater gets in down the right and finds Lewie Coyle but the home skipper shoots over from 12 yards - heads in hands wherever you look.
Will they get a better chance?
Hull 0-1 Coventry
Mike White
Commentator on BBC Radio Humberside
Hull are limping towards the end of the season - and it could get worse.
You can tell the fans are not getting behind the team because they just don't sense that confidence.
No-one is standing out in a black and amber shirt tonight.
How many more points will Hull need from their remaining four games do you think? Possibly a win and a draw?
Hull City 0-1 Coventry
Deary me.
Jack Rudoni goes waltzing past two defenders and whips a cross in but Ellis Simms can't get a touch.
Too easy - it almost looks like a cup tie between a higher ranked side and one from a lower division, mind you....next season...
Hull City 0-1 Coventry
Image source, Rex FeaturesRuben Selles has got the notebook out for Hull City and is in conversation with his staff.
More changes coming?
I wonder if he's a got a fixture list glued into the back of that notebook?
Derby at home and Portsmouth away are their final two games, just in case he hasn't got the list to hand...
Hull City 0-1 Coventry
Ben Sheaf sends an effort wide for Coventry but the Sky Blues captain wants a penalty as Steven Alzate makes just as he gets his shot away.
Referee Andrew Kitchen has had a quiet night and he wants to keep it that way.
On we go.
Abu Kamara's fifth league goal of the season earned Hull a draw against Coventry
Abu Kamara's late equaliser earned Hull City a potentially precious point in their survival bid and kept Coventry City sixth in the Championship despite a dominant display from the Sky Blues at The MKM Stadium.
Matt Grimes had given the visitors a deserved 46th-minute lead when the midfielder's first-time shot from outside the penalty area hit centre-back Charlie Hughes' leg and dribbled past wrong-footed goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.
Forward Kamara replied in equally fortuitous fashion, latching on to fellow substitute Nordin Amrabat's crossfield and seeing his curling effort from an angle hit Jay Dasilva and beat Bradley Collins at the goalkeeper's near post.
Among a string of excellent saves, Pandur denied City top scorer Haji Wright three times during the first half before Kasey Palmer spurned two chances from point-blank range for Hull with half-time looming.
Milan van Ewijk had a chance to win it in stoppage time for Coventry but Pandur palmed the right-back's powerful shot around a post.
Hull are now three points above the relegation zone with four games remaining, and Coventry also have a three-point buffer to seventh-placed West Brom in the play-off race.
Coventry looked comfortable and far likelier to score for much of the second half, with assistant manager Joe Edwards deputising while the suspended Frank Lampard watched from the stand.
Only another fine stop from Pandur prevented Ellis Simms from doubling their advantage when the striker's fierce shot was tipped over the bar as the promotion-chasers piled on the pressure.
Depleted Coventry were without defender Bobby Thomas, who had been almost ever-present this season, midfielder Victor Torp - stretchered off during their late win at home to Portsmouth last Wednesday - and forward Ephron Mason-Clark.
The trio have been responsible for 16 of City's 58 league goals this season, but their side had few problems carving Hull open and Wright went even closer when a post denied the USA international his 12th goal of the season from a flicked header that appeared to catch Pandur out.
Coventry had been on course for a double over Hull but have now failed to win five of the last six meetings between the pair
Only second-bottom Luton Town have a lower tally than the Tigers's 41 league goals this season, and that goal-shy form seemed certain to continue after Lewie Coyle showed a lack of conviction to rival Palmer's astonishing misses when the ball fell kindly for him eight yards out with 16 minutes remaining.
The home fans made their agitation clear to a side appearing bereft of ideas and outclassed, but 21-year-old Kamara's third goal in eight league matches boosted their survival hopes.
As well as the three-point gap to the relegation zone, the Tigers have a goal superiority of at least 12 over any of the teams in the bottom three.
Coventry host West Brom on Friday in what is now an even more crucial fixture for both sides' promotion hopes.
Hull travel to 12th-placed Swansea City on the same day and host Preston North End on Monday, when Coventry visit bottom side Plymouth.
Hull manager Ruben Selles told BBC Radio Humberside:
"Coventry have been particularly good since Frank took over and we knew it would be a difficult game. We managed to be competitive, stayed in the game and created situations like the one for Kasey [Palmer] - we need to start to put those in.
"The game management we showed for the goal we conceded is something we need to stop and eradicate from our game - hopefully forever - because it's costing us points.
"The team showed character in the second half. The subs made a big impact and we managed to get the point and show we can be as competitive as anybody. I know what I have in my dressing room - they are competitors and doing everything for the club."
Coventry manager Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:
"At this stage of the season you have to take a point and accept it, but we deserved more. Our play was really good with just the end bit missing, at times.
"Our defensive game in the first half was really good. They created one chance but it was a foul on Ben Sheaf - other than that, there was no danger and we created a number of chances, particularly at 1-0.
"I'm really happy with the players and disappointed for them that we didn't get three points. No disrespect to Hull, who are a good team, but we played like a team playing for the play-offs and I enjoyed our performance."
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | 25 | 13 | 4 | 82 | 29 | 53 | 88 |
| |
| 42 | 24 | 16 | 2 | 57 | 13 | 44 | 88 |
| |
| 42 | 26 | 7 | 9 | 57 | 33 | 24 | 83 |
| |
| 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 57 | 38 | 19 | 76 |
| |
| 42 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 54 | 45 | 9 | 64 |
| |
| 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 59 | 54 | 5 | 63 |
| |
| 42 | 14 | 18 | 10 | 51 | 39 | 12 | 60 |
| |
| 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 61 | 51 | 10 | 60 |
| |
| 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 60 |
| |
| 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 45 | 45 | 0 | 56 |
| |
| 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 50 | 55 | -5 | 56 |
| |
| 42 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 45 | 51 | -6 | 54 |
| |
| 42 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 63 | 58 | 5 | 53 |
| |
| 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 56 | 64 | -8 | 53 |
| |
| 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 49 | 55 | -6 | 50 |
| |
| 42 | 10 | 19 | 13 | 43 | 51 | -8 | 49 |
| |
| 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 43 | 60 | -17 | 48 |
| |
| 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 43 | 54 | -11 | 47 |
| |
| 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 50 | 66 | -16 | 46 |
| |
| 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 41 | 50 | -9 | 45 |
| |
| 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 44 | 54 | -10 | 43 |
| |
| 42 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 45 | 66 | -21 | 42 |
| |
| 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 37 | 63 | -26 | 40 |
| |
| 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 44 | 82 | -38 | 40 |
|
Manager: Rubén Sellés
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Joe Edwards
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Rubén Sellés
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Joe Edwards
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Championship
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Hull City have lost just one of their last six league games against Coventry City (W3 D2), though that sole defeat did come in the reverse fixture back in December (2-1).
Coventry City will be looking to record a first league double against Hull City since the 2006-07 campaign.
Hull have picked up fewer points at home in the Championship this season than any other side (19), losing nine of their 20 home league matches (W4 D7).
Coventry City have lost both of their last two away league games, last losing three on the spin in November 2023.
Hull City have lost 11 of their last 16 league games played on a Monday (W3 D2). Meanwhile, Coventry have only won one of their last 18 away league games on this day of the week (D4 L13), although that was their most recent at Middlesbrough on New Year's Day 2024 (3-1).
