Aston Villa 2 Hull City 2 - Report

The Tigers looked destined for a seventh straight win when they led through goals from Jarrod Bowen and Evandro.

But James Chester gave Villa hope with a header just before half-time, before Tammy Abraham struck his 17th of the season to complete the comeback.

Neither team could then find a winner during a rousing finale, as Villa’s winless run at home extended to five league games.

Analysis

The result saw Dean Smith’s men fall seven points behind sixth-placed Derby, yet in the context of the game it was very much a case of meltdown averted.

There was an angry atmosphere around Villa Park when Hull cantered into a two-goal lead, courtesy of some all too familiar kamikaze defending from the hosts.

Villa’s fightback, in that respect, was impressive. True, they did not get the win which would have given their promotion hopes renewed momentum. Yet there was a sense of stopping the rot after the previous week’s miserable 3-0 defeat at Wigan.

By the same token, they have now won just once in eight Championship games and conceded two or more goals in their last six at home.

Those are trends which have to change - and quickly - if they are to maintain hopes of a top six finish for much longer.

Smith made two changes from the team which folded so meekly at Wigan.

That included a return for Alan Hutton at right-back, in place of James Bree, while Albert Adomah came in for Anwar El Ghazi.

Andre Green, this week recalled from a loan spell at Portsmouth, was named on a bench which also included the fit-again Jonathan Kodjia.

Villa’s biggest problem this season has been conceding sloppy goals and they were given enough warnings before Bowen fired Hull ahead.

Were it not for a spectacular goal-line clearance by skipper James Chester, they would have trailed inside the opening ten minutes.

With his back to goal, the Wales international somehow managed to hook Kamil Grosicki’s deflected shot to safety, after Conor Hourihane had been guilty of losing the ball in his own half.

That began a pattern of the hosts playing their way into trouble and they were fortunate to escape when Hutton failed to make much contact with a header and allowed Grosicki to run at Villa’s defence, the Poland international seeing a low drive deflected wide.

It felt inevitable their luck would run out and it duly did son 27 minutes. A simple long ball caused consternation at the back and when it dropped for Bowen, on the edge of the box, he hit a low drive which went in under Kalinic.

Ten minutes later, things got even worse as Evandro duly doubled Hull’s advantage.

Grosicki, played in to the box by full-back Stephen Kingsley, duly lifted a ball to the far post where Evandro, in acres of space, hit a volley which flew in despite the efforts of Chester and Kalinic to block on the line.

With boos raining down from the stands, Villa then caught a barely deserved break when Hull were forced into a change, Jordy de Wijs the man replaced.

The visitors were still getting organised when Hourihane whipped in a free-kick for Chester to head beyond David Marshall and halve the deficit.

Tempers flared before the break, with both Hourihane and Henriksen booked after clashing off the ball.

Villa began the second half on the front foot but, unable to make much headway against a stubborn Hull defence, Smith opted to introduce Green and Anwar El Ghazi just prior to the hour mark.

The latter duly started the move which led to the equaliser, Hutton sending in a low cross which Abraham drilled home at the second attempt, after his first-time effort had been blocked.

Reece Burke headed over for the visitors as both teams went in hunt of a winner.

In the end the best chance fell to the visitors but Kalinic saved superbly at point-blank range from Chris Martin.

Key Moments

27 GOAL - Hull take the lead. Villa fail to deal with a long ball and Jarrod Bowen hits a first time shot which flies under goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic.

37 GOAL - Hull double the lead. Villa’s defence is again taken apart as Kamil Grosicki crosses and Evandro volleys home at the far post.

45 GOAL - Villa back in it. Conor Hourihane whips in a free-kick and James Chester sends a header beyond David Marshall.

64 GOAL Villa back level. Tammy Abraham fires home at the second attempt after his first shot is blocked.

Teams

Villa (4-3-3): Kalinic, Hutton, Elphick, Chester, Taylor, McGinn, Bjarnason (Kodjia 75), Hourihane, Adomah (Green 59), Abraham, Bolasie (El Ghazi 59) Subs not used: Hause, Kodjia, Elmohamady, Davis, Steer (gk).

Hull (4-4-1-1): Marshall, Kane, Burke, de Wijs (McKenzie 44), Kingsley, Bowen (Lichaj 90+1), Henriksen, Stewart, Grosicki, Evandro (Batty 73), Martin Subs not used: Lichaj, Dicko, Milinkovic, Campbell, Long (gk).