It's now back-to-back Championship defeats for the Tigers who have shipped more goals
16:59, 30 Aug 2025
Oli McBurnie argues with referee Gavin Ward following Anis Mehmeti's goal for Bristol City at Ashton Gate. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
A hopeless defensive performance saw Hull City suffer a familiar fate at Bristol City, going down to a 4-2 defeat despite taking an early lead.
City got off to a flying start with Joe Gelhardt clipping in the opener after just three minutes, but that lead lasted 15 minutes before the pressure told and Emil Riis turned in from close range to level it up after some desperate defending, a theme which continued throughout.
The problem was, City allowed the hosts to fashion 17 attempts on their goal in the first half and were punished with three goals before the break; some of their defending would be embarrassing to Sunday league level teams, let alone the Championship.
Emil Riis grabbed two, the second of which came when he robbed Charlie Hughes and slotted past Ivor Pandur as if he wasn't there, while Enis Mehmeti got his annual goal against the hapless Tigers. Max Bird thumped in a fourth in the second half, and though City had plenty of their own chances and scored a consolation in added time through Kyle Joseph, this was a deserved home win.
Jakirovic now has the international break to sort out the mess that is their rearguard approach, because the ease at which they've conceded since the opening day is a major, major concern.
All the focus before the game surrounded Ivor Pandur and Charlie Hughes, but both were named in the starting XI as Jakirovic made two changes from the defeat against Blackburn Rovers a week ago. Hughes came straight back in having recovered from illness at the expense of teenager Cathal McCarthy, while David Akintola was handed a first start at the expense of ex-Robins playmaker Kasey Palmer, who dropped to the bench where he was joined by the returning Lewie Coyle.
If the visitors were looking to quieten the early atmosphere scoring a goal inside three minutes was the perfect way to do it. Akintola picked up on a lapse in concentration to feed Gelhardt inside right, and he cleverly lifted the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.
The opening 10 minutes were like a basketball game with the hosts pouring forward and carrying a threat, but City looking dangerous on the counter-attack. Ndala galloped into space and fed Akintola but he had strayed offside.
City just could not keep the ball, their midfield wide open and when Pandur played a poor pass to Giles, it left the full-back in danger and his clearance was blocked, eventually finding its way to McCrorie, who turned in a cross through the six-yard box which was prodded in by Riis after Drameh was beaten at the back post.
The second was similar as Drameh was beaten to a header at the back post and from the knockdown, Mehmeti appeared unmarked to turn in from a yard out. Quite how nobody tracked him was bizarre.
And City's disastrous 40 minutes was compounded when Riis stole the ball from Hughes midway inside the Tigers half and he breezed clear before slotting past Pandur. Giles shake of the head as he trudged off at half-time summed it up.
Conceding 17 shots in the first half is just asking for trouble, and there was just no way back. Since losing Semi Ajayi, City have conceded 11 goals, and counting.
Jakirovic made a change at the break, with Ndala sacrificed at the break with Kyle Joseph on in his place and almost immediately, the Tigers had a way back into it.
Giles' cross was slammed behind for a corner, and from that, they worked it well to Akintola inside the box but he didn't realise he had so much time, and dragged his effort wide, and he was later booked for a midfield foul.
Yu Hirakwa, replaced Sykes just under 10 minutes into the second half, moments after Lundstram had carelessly given the ball away outside his box and Riis clipped the back edge of the bar with a ball from wide.
McBurnie's header from close range almost had City back in it on the hour but Radek Vitek made an outstanding save down to his right to claw away, and immediately at the other end, Giles' fine block was admired by Lundstram which allowed Riis to tee up Twine who somehow blazed over from eight yards clipping the bar as it headed into the stand.
Joseph then saw a header diverted over the bar, though no corner was given and then his volley into the ground was well turned away by the goalkeeper, as chances flowed.
Jakirovic made a double change 22 minutes from time with Lewie Coyle getting his first minutes of the season in place of Drameh, while Belloumi continued his recovery, replacing Akintola, who showed some real signs of promise. Against his former club, Kasey Palmer was jeered onto the field in the pouring rain against his former club, replacing Gelhardt.
Any lingering doubts about a possible comeback were settled when former Tigers target Bird turned in a cross via the underside of the bar, City's misery compounded.
Bird then crashed an effort off the bar before Rob Dickie was booked, and then McCarthy was introduced into a game that had seen more than 40 chances traded by either side.
To their credit, City kept going and fashioning chances in an end-to-end contest, and gave their supporters something to cheer in added time when Joseph turned in a neat finish to make it 4-2.
A day that started so well had unravelled quickly, and City's wretched record of just two league wins at Ashton Gate since 1965 extends to another depressing trip. Attention now turns to the transfer window, and what may not happen between now and 7pm on Monday evening.
Bristol City: Vitek, Vyner, Dickie, Atkinson, McCrorie, Knight (c), Randell, Sykes, Twine, Mehmeti, Riis. Subs: Lumley, Tanner, Roberts, Bird, Bell, Hirakawa, Armstrong, Cornick, Mayulu
Hull City: Pandur, Giles, Hughes (c), Egan, Drameh, Lundstram, Slater, Gelhardt, Akintola, Ndala, McBurnie. Subs: Phillips, Coyle, Belloumi, Joseph, Williams, Brown, Palmer, Shehu, McCarthy
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Referee: Gavin Ward
Attendance: 21,385 (around 750 from Hull City)
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