Hull City fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Preston North End as Oli McBurnie struck twice in a transformed second-half display.
The Tigers were booed off at the interval after a calamitous opening, only for Sergej Jakirovic’s changes to ignite a rousing recovery at the MKM Stadium.
Shambolic First Half Leaves Hull With Mountain To Climb
Preston capitalised on defensive disarray inside ten minutes. After the hosts failed to deal with a set piece, Thierry Small punished hesitant defending to drive across goal and into the far corner. Moments later goalkeeper Ivor Pandur miscued a clearance straight to Ben Whiteman, who fed Michael Smith to guide into the bottom corner with Pandur stranded.
The early collapse, coupled with a flat atmosphere, set the tone for a first period in which Hull’s decision to persist with Cody Drameh on the right backfired, while attacking set pieces misfired as Kasey Palmer’s corner failed to beat the first man.
Jakirovic’s Triple Change Flips The Game
Hull emerged a different side after the break following a triple substitution that introduced Liam Millar, Regan Slater and Joe Gelhardt for Palmer, Adnan Hadziahmetovic and Drameh. Millar’s return after 342 days energised the crowd and his early burst created a headed chance for Noah Ohio Joseph at the back post.
The momentum shift soon told when Ryan Giles overlapped on the left and picked out McBurnie, who finished calmly to halve the deficit. Gelhardt’s free-kick then forced Daniel Iversen into a fingertip save as the pressure mounted.
Preston should have restored a two-goal cushion, only for Alfie Devine to pass up a clear opening before substitute Enis Destan entered the fray. The reprieve proved costly for the visitors. Giles again surged into space down the flank and delivered low for McBurnie to sweep in from close range, the striker’s movement and conviction mirroring the growing assurance of Hull’s play.
Giles later departed through injury, replaced by Akin Famewo, but the hosts continued to threaten and John Lundstram’s late volley was clawed away superbly by Iversen.
McBurnie’s brace rightly earned the man-of-the-match accolade, yet Giles’ twin assists and Millar’s direct wing play were central to the turnaround. Jakirovic’s in-game management, both in personnel and tempo, shifted control of midfield and allowed Hull to play higher with quicker support around the centre forward.
Writer’s View
This was a draw that felt like a marker for Hull City. The first half exposed recurring issues in build-up and concentration, but the second-half response offered a blueprint built on front-foot pressing, earlier deliveries and cleaner occupation of the penalty area.
McBurnie’s sharpness alongside Giles’ service gives the Tigers a potent axis, while Millar’s return adds thrust on the break. Defensive habits still need tidying, yet the resilience shown sets a platform before the trip to Sheffield United and hints that Hull can marry control with cutting edge more consistently.
