Express & Star

Hull City 1 West Brom 0 - Report and pictures

Albion's blip in form is fast becoming a slump that is seriously damaging their promotion credentials - and the worrying this is that it currently shows no signs of letting up.

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Jackson Irvine of Hull City and Matt Phillips of West Bromwich Albion. (AMA)

At the start of October, Albion were top with 20 points, but they've only picked up five points in the six games since then and have subsequently slipped to seventh.

And things are getting worse. Having won just one point from a possible 12, they're losing ground on the pacesetters fast. This defeat to lowly Hull was arguably the worst in the run.

It may not have been the thrashing that Derby handed out at The Hawthorns, but Albion's hosts had only won one of their previous eight league games.

Regardless whether it's home or away, these games, particularly after such a poor run, need to be won. And yet the Baggies were outplayed by their hosts.

Hull boss Nigel Adkins has lost all five of his previous meetings with the Baggies as manager, but in the end a simple Fraizer Campbell goal in the 38th minute proved enough to secure him his first win over Albion.

Darren Moore's team still can't keep clean sheets, but now the goals have dried up at the other end. They have only scored two in their last four.

They may be missing Dwight Gayle through injury, but they should still have enough quality in the squad to overcome opposition like this.

After going behind, Moore made the changes many have been crying out for.

At half-time he switched to a back four, and with 25 minutes left he brought on the pace of Bakary Sako and Oliver Burke. It didn't work.

Moore started the game with a tweaked 3-4-2-1 formation. James Morrison kept his place in the line-up following a promising performance in midfield last weekend but he was shuttled further forward to play behind lone striker Jay Rodriguez alongside Harvey Barnes.

Gayle, Gareth Barry and Kieran Gibbs all remained sidelined with injury, which meant a second successive start for Conor Townsend, born and bred in Hull and a product of the Tigers academy.

It was Townsend's boyhood club who started the brightest, and it took less than five minutes for the hosts to hit the bar when Kamil Grosicki put in a deep cross which Jarrod Bowen headed back towards goal.

Sam Johnstone got a glove on his header and tipped it onto the underside of the woodwork, before Ahmed Hegazi hacked clear.

The Tigers were finding far too much space down Albion's right in the early stages.

Grosicki curled two shots over the bar in quick succession from promising positions after getting in behind Craig Dawson.

Hull were being more direct than Albion, and it was paying off. It wasn't until Harvey Barnes burst forward on a counter-attack did the visitors threaten, but Jay Rodriguez's volley screwed just wide.

The Baggies started to get a foothold in the game after that, and had a spell when they were in control of possession.

Morrison shot over from the edge of the box after being found by Rodriguez and Townsend was threatening down the left.

Shortly before the half-hour mark the left wing back wanted a penalty when he got in behind the Hull defence, but referee Keith Stroud said no, even though it looked a clumsy challenge from Bowen.

Moore was forced into his first change of the afternoon shortly after that when Chris Brunt went off holding his thigh, and was replaced by Sam Field.

But Hull continued to use the ball more efficiently and urgently than Albion, and they continued to threaten Johnstone's goal.

Tommy Elphick headed a free-kick wide before Fraizer Campbell blazed over from a central position 12 yards out after being afforded too much space.

That was a let-off for the Baggies, but it didn't last long because seven minutes before half-time Campbell had given Hull the lead.

Johnstone watched helpless as Jackson Irvine's initial header from a clipped-in cross smacked the upright, but Campbell reacted quickest to sweep the ball home from four yards.

It was an inept first half lacking incision, and something desperately needed to change.

So at half-time, Moore switched to a back four in order to match Hull's 4-2-3-1 formation and pushed Barnes out left with Morrison at No.10.

Although that solidified things at the back, it left Rodriguez isolated at times up front and the Baggies struggled to create many chances of note.

They were also still making errors at the back, and Hull might have added a second after Hegazi let Markus Henriksen rob the ball on the byline, but Dawson's chest got in the way of the home skipper's cross.

It wasn't until the hour mark that Albion created a chance, but Elphick's strong challenge blocked Rodriguez's shot after Morrison had won possession high up.

They were still too ponderous, too slow, and lacking incision, so Moore sent on Bakary Sako and Oliver Burke for Morrison and Phillips in an effort to rescue the game.

But Sako's contributions gave an insight into why he didn't start, and Burke also struggled to make an impact.

Hegazi had to be on hand to make an important tackle five yards out to deny Campbell from adding a second, as Hull kept their visitors at arm's length.

The dying embers of the game were spent largely in Albion's half, as the visitors ended the game devoid of ideas.

After the draw with Blackburn, Moore said he was looking forward to having a week with his team, but at the moment, Albion are showing few signs of any progress.

KEY MOMENTS

04 Hull hit the bar when Bowen's header back across goal is tipped onto the underside of the woodwork by Johnstone.

28 Albion want a penalty when Townsend is felled by a clumsy challenge from Bowen, but referee Keith Stroud says no.

39 GOAL HULL - Campbell sweeps home from four yards out after Irvine's initial header cracked the upright.

65 Moore brings on Sako and Burke in an effort to save the game.

68 Hegazi makes an important tackle five yards out to deny Campbell from adding a second.

ALBION MAN OF THE MATCH

Tosin Adarabioyo - The young defender barely put a foot wrong all game.

POSITION IN THE TABLE

7th, with 25 points from 16 games.

TEAMS

Albion (3-4-2-1): Johnstone; Dawson, Hegazi, Adarabioyo; Phillips (Sako 65), Brunt (c) (Field 34), Livermore, Townsend; Barnes, Morrison (Burke 65); Rodriguez.

Unused subs: Myhill, Mears, Burke, Hoolahan, Sako, Robson-Kanu.

Hull City (4-2-3-1): Marshall; Burke, Elphick, De Wijs (McKenzie 81), Lichaj; Henriksen (c), Barry; Grosicki (Kane 90+2), Irvine, Bowen; Campbell (Martin 72).

Unused subs: Long, Stewart, Kane, Keane, Sheaf.

Referee: Keith Stroud