Day to forget as City slump to first defeat

Hull City were brought down to earth with a huge Championship bump as Blackburn Rovers thumped the Tigers 3-0.

- BY BARRY COOPER

A first-half strike and two goals in the first five minutes of the second period inflicted a first league defeat on Sergej Jakirovic, with his side well below par and torn to pieces by a Rovers side who claimed their first points of the season.

The start was in stark contrast to the flying one a week ago, with City labouring in possession and dominated by the visitors.

City recovered and had a couple of good chances through Oli McBurnie and Joel Ndala after Rovers’ Yuri Ribeiro almost put through his own net.

Rovers hit the front after 18 minutes when City were caught sleeping at the back, and the impressive Augustus Kargbo fed Ryan Hedges to lift in the opener over Ivor Pandur.

Jakirovic was forced into two changes from the side, which left it late to beat Oxford United on Sunday, with Charlie Hughes and Matt Crooks unavailable through illness and injury, respectively with a virus sweeping through the camp in the days before the game.

Teenager Cathal McCarthy, who joined the academy from UCD in the summer and impressed during preseason, was handed a debut in the back four alongside skipper John Egan. There was also big news on the bench with Mohamed Belloumi returning to a matchday squad for the first time since damaging his ACL late on in the defeat at Oxford United on Bonfire Night.