Valerien Ismael thrilled with Blackburn’s away-day win at Hull

Valerien Ismael praised his players for the way they bounced back from successive defeats to beat Hull 3-0 at the MKM Stadium and open their Championship account for the season.

Goals from Ryan Hedges, Yuki Ohashi and Todd Cantwell saw Ismael’s side claim a first win of the league campaign against the Tigers, who followed up a goalless draw at Coventry and a 3-2 home win over Oxford with a lacklustre showing.

“When you win the first game it’s really good because you start your Championship season,” said Ismael.
“We have a difficult couple of weeks behind us. Congratulations to the boys to react like that after losing last week.”

Rovers held the lead into injury time against Birmingham who took the three points with two late goals last weekend and Ismael added: “We took the right things from last week because we played well against Birmingham.

“We learned from last week, how we lost last week it was painful. The good thing in football you have the chance in one week to change things.

“We stayed calm, and we stayed focused, we dealt with the adversity we had in the last couple of weeks.

“Since I have been in charge of the club it is the best away performance. We know how we could hit Hull City and the guys did it perfectly.

“We showed our quality. Today everything was fine. The game last week helped us to do better.”

The Tigers went close in the first half but ultimately paid for failing to take their chances.

Balazs Toth turned team-mate Yuri Ribeiro’s header round the post before getting a hand to Oli McBurnie’s header from the corner.

The Tigers forced Toth into another save from Joel Ndala’s curling shot.

Rovers claimed the lead through Hedges who got onto a ball behind the defence from Augustus Kargbo before chipping over Ivor Pandur with 18 minutes gone.

Blackburn doubled their lead less than two minutes into the second half as Cantwell’s low free-kick found an unmarked Hedges in the left channel and his low cross was side-footed home by Ohashi.

Rovers soon made it 3-0 as Cantwell fired in from the edge of the area after Hull failed to clear from an Alebiosu break down the right.

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic revealed he was without several players against Blackburn because of a virus at the club.

He said: “Before this game we had a lot of problems with a virus and we missed some players.

“Some of the players were ill for three days, they didn’t train, and we were short in some positions. But we were bad today.

“From the beginning of this game, I didn’t feel good energy or good intensity.

“When we conceded a goal, it was very difficult for us, we were not good on the ball. I can just congratulate Blackburn for this deserved win.”

Jakirovic will look for his side to respond against Bristol City, adding: “It is very important for us because if we miss one or two players like today it is not easy for us.

“You can be punished in the Championship if you don’t do things well. You can find better solutions if you don’t play with fear.

“In the transitions we didn’t sprint and that may be because of the virus.”