Hull City secured a vital 2-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle in a Sky Bet Championship match at the MKM Stadium on Tuesday night. The win bolstered Hull's campaign to avoid relegation, while Plymouth slipped further from safety, now sitting six points adrift with 11 games remaining. Joe Gelhardt opened the scoring for Hull City shortly after halftime, and Abu Kamara sealed the victory, leaving Plymouth unable to threaten Hull's goalkeeper, Ivor Pandur.
Hull City dominated possession throughout the first half, gradually creating opportunities after a subdued opening 15 minutes. Despite failing to capitalize before the break, Hull's persistence paid off swiftly in the second half. Joe Gelhardt's goal came less than three minutes after the restart, setting the tone for the remainder of the match. Abu Kamara added to the scoreline, ensuring Hull City's critical win.
Plymouth Argyle struggled to mount any significant challenge, with their manager Miron Muslic expressing disappointment in his team's performance.
"We simply didn't show up today in a game that we knew was a big one for us," Muslic commented.
The match's outcome left Plymouth facing an uphill battle as they aim to secure their Championship status for another season.
Ruben Selles, Hull City's manager, praised his team's performance while acknowledging areas for improvement.
"It's three points. I'm very pleased with the performance of the team," Selles stated.
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome but stressed the need for consistency and competitiveness in upcoming matches.
"I don't want to think about a second win in a row because every time we sit here talking about that – it's happened five times, this is my sixth victory – we end up not getting it," he added.
Selles emphasized the importance of maintaining control over their fate in the league.
"As much as we can keep the situation in our hands – remember when we had the first press conference, we were rock-bottom and a couple of points away from anyone," he reflected.
The match also highlighted areas where Hull's performance could improve. Despite controlling the game, Selles noted that his team missed fighting for every inch on the pitch.
"The team's idea was to be solid in the things they do and only then get a result," Selles explained.
In contrast, Plymouth Argyle's Muslic criticized a significant refereeing decision which he believed impacted the game.
"Of course, I just went to him (the referee) after the game and wished him all the best and just said at this level, that's a big decision against us. It's a big game and I think we can do it better," Muslic remarked.
Looking ahead, Selles remains focused on preparing his team for their next challenge.
"For me it's important that we arrive on Saturday and make the game very competitive. That's the only way we can go there and get three points," Selles concluded.
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