Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic was happy with his team’s performance for the first 70 minutes of the Blues’ 2-0 victory at the MKM Stadium last night with the first goal, which he believed his team should have defended much better, the crucial moment.
After an inspiring first half, Town grew into the game and opened the scoring in the 69th minute via a Marcelino Nunez header from ex-Hull winger Jaden Philogene’s cross, the diminutive Chilean having been left to make an untracked run into the box by Kyle Joseph.
Kieran McKenna’s men sealed their victory four minutes later through one-time Tigers loanee Chuba Akpom’s first goal for the club.
"I have a lot of feelings,” Jakirovic said afterwards. "I can split this game into two parts. The first 70 minutes were very good, we played very well with a very good team.
"We expected that they would play like this because they had a lot of possession in this league, so we tried to stop them from controlling everything. We changed our pressing with the two wingers and one striker, two number eights.
"Especially first half, we stopped them completely because they didn’t have a shot towards our goal. Unfortunately, we didn't finish some good counter-attacks, maybe a lack of good pass, first touch, better decision that should have been more precise towards the opponents’ goal.
"In the second half, it was a tactical battle, but for me, it was a crucial moment, the first goal. This is something we must defend.
"It was not such a sharp cross. We are in full defence, so we trained for those situations and this is even more painful for me, for the team, for the staff, for everyone.”
Town were able to make sweeping changes to their side, while Jakirovic’s options were hampered by injuries and suspensions.
"I agree completely because they made six changes in the first XI. I would like to have such a wide roster because we have a lot of problems,” added the Bosnian, whose team dropped from sixth to eighth in the Championship table as a result of the loss.
"Our injured players are important players and they are out. We put everything that we have out there, we tried with substitutions as well, but this goal may have killed us.
"We tried to put more risk after and then the second goal comes. I saw now it was not offside.
"Then we tried with even more risk, but we didn’t have any some situations and they could punish us with the third goal, Jaden hit the post. Congratulations to Ipswich on the three points and we have to be looking forward.”
Jakirovic was adamant his side should have been awarded a second-half spot-kick when Joseph and former Tigers defender Jacob Greaves tussled as they chased a ball down the middle, referee Lewis Smith awarding a free-kick to the Blues.
"Kyle, he won the race,” the Tigers’ boss insisted. "They were pulling each other and then he won the race. He [Greaves] pulled him, so for me, this is a penalty.
"This is something that I am very concerned about because when it is 50-50, it is on the opposite side.
"We haven’t had a penalty yet – and we have reached 17 [games]. I have a few examples of a clear penalty. I am concerned about that because I know football rules very well.”
The one-time Dinamo Zagreb manager confirmed that his fitness coach Marin Ivancic was booked for his protests following Akpom’s goal, which in real time looked offside but with replays clearly showing that Ryan Giles had been too slow off the post following the corner.
"He made one mistake and he apologised to the referee,” Jakirovic added. "He didn’t mean to do that, but for me, they need to manage this situation better because it’s emotional. Sometimes you say [what you don't mean to].
"Now, when we are sitting here, you will never say these words and they need to manage this better because you are working with a human.
"Of course, it’s an emotional game. Your pulse, it’s 150, 160 on the bench, on the pitch is 180, so sometimes you must manage better.”