Hull City edged a five-goal contest against Oxford United as Oliver McBurnie struck deep into stoppage time at the MKM Stadium.
The Tigers twice led in a breathless first half before being pegged back, only for McBurnie to decide it late to give Sergej Jakirović a first home league win of the campaign.
Joe Gelhardt set the tone inside two minutes, finishing low from a tight angle after linking with McBurnie. Will Lankshear levelled soon after, taking Tyler Goodrham’s square pass in stride and sliding into the far corner. Matt Crooks restored the advantage on 20 minutes, guided in from close range following McBurnie’s persistence, but Cameron Brannagan’s crisp strike from distance made it 2–2 before the interval.
The second half brought pressure without reward for long spells, until Ryan Giles’ delivery found McBurnie, who pounced to settle an absorbing encounter in front of 20,667.
Fast Start, Fierce Response
Hull’s early intensity caused repeated problems for the visitors. Gelhardt’s opener arrived from a turnover and a sharp one-two with McBurnie, and the same combination carved the second when the striker rolled a defender and laid the ball into Crooks’ path. Oxford responded with composure. Lankshear finished confidently for the first equaliser, then Brannagan dragged his side level again with a precise drive from outside the box that skipped beyond Ivor Pandur.
The pattern after the break saw Hull force territory and set pieces while Gary Rowett’s side threatened sporadically on the counter. Jamie Cumming denied Gelhardt from the centre of the area and pushed away a late drive from David Akintola, while Pandur had to be alert to efforts from Will Vaulks and substitute Matt Phillips at the other end. When the decisive moment arrived, Hull worked play out to Giles, whose cross was attacked by McBurnie to spark celebrations in the North Stand.
Fine Margins Decide It
Jakirović will be encouraged by the interplay between McBurnie and Gelhardt, which produced two goals and persistent discomfort for Oxford’s back line. Crooks added penalty-area presence, while Giles’ volume of delivery told in the end. Oxford showed resilience and quality in central areas, with Brannagan dictating spells of the game and Lankshear stretching the defence with intelligent runs. For Rowett, the frustration will be the timing of the winner after a disciplined second-half display that looked set to earn a point.
Writer’s View
On balance, Hull earned this through sustained pressure and the variety of threats in attack. McBurnie’s hold-up play and penalty-box instincts knitted moves together and provided the cutting edge when it mattered. Oxford contributed plenty and looked dangerous whenever Goodrham and Lankshear combined, yet the visitors could not quite clear their lines often enough under late pressure.
If Hull reproduce this blend of front-foot pressing and reliable service from wide areas, the MKM Stadium should see its share of tight home wins this season.
