The Tigers beat Pompey 3-2 and notch up a fifth home win of the season
Barry Cooper Hull City correspondent
14:36, 08 Nov 2025
Enis Destan of Hull City celebrates scoring
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Enis Destan of Hull City celebrates scoring(Image: Getty Images)
Joe Gelhardt's stunning finish was enough for Hull City to come from behind to win a five-goal thriller against Portsmouth at the MKM Stadium and bounce back from defeat at Derby County in midweek.
Despite a promising start which saw the Tigers pass up two good chances, the visitors were in front after 16 minutes when Terry Devlin's volley ricocheted off Kyle Joseph and into the net, a sign of things to come in a frantic first period. The Tigers were back on terms just before the half-hour when Lewie Coyle's cross was swept home by Enis Destan on his full debut.
Kyle Joseph headed in his third goal of the season to make it 2-1 before the break, but unfortunately, City's inability to do the basics of defending cost them a second on the stroke of the break when Amir Hadziahmetovic was too slow on the ball, was tackled and Josh Murphy swung in a stunning cross for Devlin to glance in his second having been left to saunter into the box unmarked.
Gelhardt's terrific finish from a lovely ball over the top from Charlie Hughes was enough for the Tigers to come out on top and match last season's home record before we've made mid-November, and send them off into the international break firmly in the play-off race.
Jakirovic made three changes from the side beaten at Derby County on Tuesday night, with Lewie Coyle and Hadziahmetovic returning at the expense of Semi Ajayi and Cody Drameh, while there was a first start for Enis Destan up front. The striker replaced Joel Ndala, who, like Ajayi and Drameh, dropped to the bench, where there was a return for Mo Belloumi after an eight-game absence with a hamstring injury.
The club's annual remembrance fixture set the tone for a great noise around the MKM Stadium and a near-capacity crowd almost had a fitting start when Slater's superb control and pass fed Kyle Joseph inside right channel and his first-time shot was well blocked by goalkeeper Josef Bursik.
Another big chance came moments later when Gelhardt found himself away down the right, he cut inside and from eight yards out he dragged his shot wide. In truth, City should have been two up inside nine minutes.
As so often happens, City were punished. Amir was penalised for a foul, Pandur punched clear the initial cross but Devlin's wild volley smashed off a Tigers man and fizzed into the net 16 minutes in. The Tigers were toiling for a spell and Murphy's fizzing effort was just about held by Pandur.
The Tigers eventually recovered after a dodgy spell and hauled themselves level when Destan swept home Coyle's pinpoint cross at the near post 11 minutes later, following some neat footwork from Charlie Hughes. It should have been 2-1 ten minutes before the break when Gelhardt crossed for Joseph to head well wide from seven yards out, centre of goal.
Joseph did get the goal his persistence deserved just before the break. Coyle's refusal to give up play earned his side a corner, and from Gelhardt's delivery, Joseph battled off his man to head into the corner and turn the game on its head.
Unfortunately, City find defending difficult. Amir initially did well to win the ball, but dwelt on it for too long and was out-battled, the ball went to Murphy who delivered a stunning cross to the back post where Devlin was unmarked to head in his second in added time at the end of a pulsating half.
Marlon Pack was introduced at the start of the second period in place of Luke Le Roux for the visitors and became the first player booked just after the hour for a lunge on Crooks.
City's best opening in the opening 20 minutes of a quiet second half was when Hughes cleverly picked out the run of Giles, and his cross was met by the galloping Slater to head over. The hosts were dominant without creating anything really clear-cut, and in a bid to change that with just under 20 minutes to go, Ndala and Darko Gyabi were both introduced in place of Destan and Amir, while Devlin came off and on came Zak Swanson for Pompey.
City restored their lead in some style after 79 minutes when Hughes' perfect clip over the top found Gelhardt, who took the ball down brilliantly and finished over Bursik. The visitors sent on Makenzie Kirk and Yang Min-hyeok for Chaplin and Bowat. Mark Koszonszky replaced Williams in eight minutes of added time. Akin Famewo replaced the excellent Slater in the 96th minute and after almost 100 minutes, the whistle went and the hosts claimed a fifth home success.
Hull City: (4-2-3-1) Pandur, Giles, Hughes, Egan, Coyle (c), Amir, Slater, Joseph, Crooks, Gelhardt, Destan. S ubs: Phillips, Ndala, Belloumi, Ajayi, Akintola, Drameh, Famewo, Gyabi, McCarthy.
Portsmouth: (3-4-3) Bursik; Poole, Knight, Bowat; Devlin, Le Roux (Pack 46), Dozzell, Williams; Chaplin, Bishop (c), Murphy. Subs: Killip, Swanson, Matthews, Sizer, Pack, Kosznovszky, Bianchini, Minhyeok, Kirk.
Referee: Tom Nield
Man of the Match: Regan Slater
Attendance: 23,205 (around 1,700 from Portsmouth)
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