Hull City 1-1 Blackpool: Jerry Yates' late strike rescues a point for the Seasiders against 10-man title contenders

The Seasiders were trailing to Mallik Wilks’ strike at the start of the second-half in an even encounter at the KCOM Stadium.

But the game turned on its head 13 minutes from time when Hull defender Reece Burke was shown a straight red for hauling down Ben Woodburn as he surged through on goal.

Yates struck four minutes later to get Pool back on level terms, but Neil Critchley’s side were unable to find a late winner that would have completed a league double over the Tigers.

The Pool boss opted to make two changes to the side that upset Premier League side West Brom in the third round of the FA Cup last weekend.

Marvin Ekpiteta came back into the side to continue his run of starting every league game, replacing Daniel Gretarsson, who picked up a hamstring injury against the Baggies.

Elsewhere, Sullay Kaikai returned to the side in place of Dan Kemp, who joined League Two side Leyton Orient on Friday having been recalled from his loan by parent club West Ham.

Keshi Anderson and CJ Hamilton missed out through injury, while Cameron Antwi was named among the substitutes having returned from his loan spell at Southport.

Ben Woodburn, whose loan spell from Liverpool is due to end tomorrow, was also named on the bench.

Hull made three changes from the team that drew at Sunderland in their last outing, handing a debut to new signing Gavin Whyte.

Out of the two sides it was Blackpool who settled the quicker, Sullay Kaikai creating a half chance in the opening exchanges with a cross in from the left which the Tigers dealt with at the near post, despite Gary Madine almost getting a flick to it.

Hull’s first attempt on goal came on the 10-minute mark from debutant Whyte, who forced a solid save out of Chris Maxwell with a drilled effort from a tight angle.

Pool’s skipper was forced into another important save a few moments later, Maxwell using his legs to steer Whyte’s dangerous low ball away from the dangerzone.

Blackpool came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock with a simple, yet well-worked move.

It began with Grant Ward lofting a long ball into Madine, who nodded the ball down into the path of Sullay Kaikai who drilled agonisingly wide from the edge of the box.

The home side probably ought to have edged their noses in front on 27 minutes when they countered at speed after Ward slipped in the Hull half.

The Tigers worked the ball into the Blackpool box towards the dangerous Mallik Wilks, who dragged his shot wide of the far post.

The Seasiders hit back with a chance of their own, created by the increasingly influential Madine who nodded the ball down to Jerry Yates to volley wide.

Madine was involved yet again as the Seasiders went close through the unlikely source of Ollie Turton.

The off-balance right-back bundled the ball into the side-netting from close range after Madine had played Kaikai’s driven free-kick back across the face of the six-yard box.

The Seasiders were forced to play with 10 men for a few minutes before the interval as Dan Ballard was treated for a head wound, the defender eventually returning to the fold sporting head strapping and a numberless shirt.

Blackpool almost got the second-half off to a perfect start as Kaikai’s driven corner caused havoc inside the Hull box.

The winger’s delivery glanced towards Yates at the back post, but he couldn’t escape the attention of a Hull man and was unable to force the ball over the line.

However it was the Tigers who would take the lead just three minutes later courtesy of Wilk’s emphatic finish.

It followed some hesitant defending from the Seasiders, who allowed a cross in from the right bounce in their own box, allowing Josh Magennis to lay the ball off into the path of Wilks who fired across Maxwell and into the far corner.

Blackpool needed more from their two wide men and it was no surprise to see both Kaikai and Lubala withdrawn from the action shortly after the hour mark.

Lubala, who went down with a knock prior to coming off, was replaced by Ben Woodburn, potentially making his last appearance for Pool before his loan ends tomorrow.

Kaikai, meanwhile, was replaced by Matty Virtue, a change that saw Grant Ward move over to the right.

With Pool again lacking a cutting edge, Hull were happy to sit back, soak up pressure and allow the Seasiders to play in front of them.

The Tigers came close to doubling their lead when substitute Kean Lewis-Potter’s 25-yard free-kick clipped the top of the crossbar and went over.

Blackpool were given a helping hand with just over 10 minutes to go when the home side were reduced to 10 men.

Reece Burke was the man to be sent his marching orders after the centre-back slipped and brought down Woodburn as he burst through on goal.

Madine opted to go with precision rather than power with the resulting free-kick, but his effort sailed harmlessly over.

But Blackpool remained behind for just four minutes, as Yates bundled home from close range to get them on level terms.

It came after Woodburn’s corner had fallen kindly for Madine at the back post, the striker drilling the ball back into the danger zone where it caused pinball inside the six-yard box, before Yates turned it home.

Critchley, wanting his side to capitalise on their man advantage, instantly brought on three more players off the bench, with Luke Garbutt, Jordan Gabriel and Ethan Robson giving them more of an attacking impetus.

Despite launching swathe after swathe of attack, the 10 men of Hull held firm to deny the Seasiders a second league victory over Grant McCann’s men.

Nevertheless, Blackpool will remain satisfied with a point against the side that remain second in the League One table.

TEAMS

Hull: Long, Elder, Burke, Greaves, Emmanuel, Docherty, Smallwood, Honeyman, Whyte (Jones), Wilks, Magennis (Lewis-Potter)

Subs not used: Ingram, Coyle, Slater, Chadwick, Salam

Blackpool: Maxwell, Turton (Gabriel), Ekpiteta, Ballard, Husband (Garbutt), Dougall (Robson), Ward, Lubala (Woodburn), Kaikai (Virtue), Yates, Madine

Subs not used: Sims, Antwi

Referee: Samuel Barrott

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