Hull 2-1 Cardiff: Tigers confirm place in the Championship for next season

‘It’s never dull in Hull’ they say around these parts and under new owner Acun Ilicali, life following Hull City certainly promises to be a rollercoaster.

Just last week the Turkish media mogul announced plans to take 500 of the club’s most loyal supporters on an all-inclusive holiday to his homeland this summer.

And today Hull boss Shota Arveladze requested that the Tigers play in their black-out away kit, rather than their traditional Tigers stripes, in search of turning around their dismal home form.

Whether that decision impacted this result is up for debate, but the former Rangers did avoid setting a club record for seven consecutive home defeats.

Hull City opted to wear their blackout away kit for the home clash with Cardiff City

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh scored the opener as he found the net in his first home start for Hull

‘We don’t have to do it, it’s not about superstition,’ Arveladze explained. ‘We love our main colours and it makes us different from others because there’s no similar colours. The shirt doesn’t make the job, it was the players doing well and getting an important three points for us.’

Arguably more important for Hull was that the result, which was far from plain-sailing as Cardiff rallied in the second-half, meant they will be playing Championship football again next season.

The visitors have also secured their status in the division and manager Steve Morison took the opportunity to make seven changes from their 2-1 win at Reading.

The Bluebirds’ sluggish start against a side lacking form and confidence at home infuriated the former Millwall striker as they gifted the Tigers their opener in the 8th minute.

Cardiff made errors in the opening 10 minutes and were punished by the ruthless Tigers

Aden Flint gave Cardiff hope but they were not able to salvage a point as Hull held on

Defender Mark McGuinness’ weak back pass was intercepted by Iranian forward Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, making his first start at home for the club, who rounded goalkeeper Dillon Phillips and stroked the ball into an empty net.

‘It was horrendous,’ Morison said. ‘It was shambolic stuff in the first ten minutes.’

Three minutes later it was 2-0 after a heavy touch by Cody Drameh gifted the ball to Regan Slater before Lewie Coyle applied the finishing touch with a curling effort into the bottom left corner beyond Phillips.

Morison made a double substitution at the break and the visitors were much improved although Phillips did have to be alert to save a Keane Lewis-Potter effort from close range.

Victory ensured Shota Arveladze’s Hull will be playing Championship football next season

‘We did a hell of a lot better in the second-half,’ Morison said. ‘I was really pleased with the second-half, the lads carried out what we asked them to do and it shows when you do that you can dominate teams and play really well.’

Defender Aden Flint’s sixth goal of the season gave the visitors some hope and they could have gone onto win the game if Mark Harris had been able to steer his lob over the on-rushing Matt Ingram goal-bound.

Despite some nervous moments, the Tigers defence battled through the Cardiff onslaught to secure just their sixth win at home all season.

It has been a tumultuous start on Humberside for Arveladze who has been entrusted by Ilicali with overseeing matters on the pitch in the club’s new era.

‘We have four games to play and you can see this group love to play football,’ Arveladze said. ‘They care not only about the points but the game we have.’

But to match the owner’s ambition of challenging for promotion next season, his side will have to focus on picking up more points at home.

With a summer of promised investment ahead, there could be several new faces hoping to ensure Hull are competing at the right end of the table.