Hull City 3-1 Reading: Tigers battle back to keep play-off hopes alive

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Kamil GrosickiImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Kamil Grosicki has scored four goals in his past two games for Hull City

Hull City came from behind to beat struggling Reading and keep their play-off hopes alive.

The Royals took the lead against the run of play when Chelsea loanee Lewis Baker thumped home a brilliant shot from outside the area.

Kamil Grosicki levelled for the hosts with a cool finish that went in off the post before Marc Pugh made it 2-1 with a close-range finish after Emi Martinez kept out Jarrod Bowen's initial effort.

Grosicki made the points safe with another composed strike after Fraizer Campbell played him in on goal.

Victory for Nigel Adkins' men leaves them five points outside the play-off places, while Reading are one point clear of the relegation zone.

In Pole Grosicki, the Tigers have one of the division's form players, as his double against the Royals brought his tally to four goals from two games.

But Reading will be left wondering what might have been.

Tigers forward Pugh nearly inadvertently made it 2-0 when he headed a Baker free-kick against his own post before the break and Royals winger Mo Barrow was denied by a superb save from David Marshall when it was 1-1.

Jose Manuel Gomes' men now face a tough trip to league leaders Norwich on Wednesday, while Hull host struggling Wigan on the same evening.

Hull City manager Nigel Adkins told BBC Radio Humberside:

"We started the first half ever so well. I thought we were good...just that final bit of putting the ball in the back of the net was lacking.

"They have gone and scored an excellent strike for the goal, but we kept our composure.

"At half-time it was a clear message, we just had to keep doing the right thing.

"We were clinical. It was an excellent three points. We played some entertaining football and it keeps us right in the mix."

Reading manager Jose Manuel Gomes told BBC Radio Berkshire:

"(It was a) difficult afternoon. Last weekend we were very happy because we did well, we won our game.

"All our direct opponents lost points, but last weekend we were not the best team in the world and now we are not the worst team the world.

"The situation is what it is. This happened, we did the mistakes that we did. In football we cannot relax even for one second.

"I think today for the few seconds we lost the focus we gave the goals to them."

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