Hull City 0-1 Charlton Athletic: Jason Pearce header earns points in relegation six-pointer

Fresh start, same old story for free-falling Hull who were plunged into the Championship’s drop zone courtesy of Jason Pearce’s stooping header and appear destined for a second relegation in three years.

Two bottom-half finishes followed their drop from the the top flight in 2017 and Jarrod Bowen, the last remaining player from their Premier League days, was sold to West Ham for £14million in January. Without him they seem doomed.

Last month, it was revealed that Hull vice-chairman Ehab Allam had written to the EFL and rival clubs to express his belief that the season should be voided. No wonder given one look at the Yorkshire club’s form this year. Their only win came on the opening day of 2020 and they managed just two points from 11 matches before the Covid-19 hiatus.

Jason Pearce scored the winner as Charlton Athletic secured a crucial victory over Hull City

Pearce celebrates after giving the Addicks with a stooping header at the KCOM Stadium

The defeat plummeted Tigers into the Championship relegation zone and are set for the drop

The sinking feeling only deepened when three senior players in captain Eric Lichaj, Jackson Irvine and Stephen Kingsley refused to agree contract extensions to complete the delayed campaign and Marcus Maddison opted not to continue his loan spell.

But on the eve of Sunday/today’s first anniversary in charge, manager Grant McCann insisted: ‘If I didn’t have hope I wouldn’t be sat here. There will be lots more twists and turns.’

Charlton resumed their own quest for survival in similar circumstances: Lyle Taylor, their 11-goal top scorer refused to play with his deal up at the end of the month and Turkish giants Galatasaray and Rangers potentially offering top-flight football at the age of 30.

But Lee Bowyer’s team carried much greater potency in the final third and, spared an early deficit when Jon Toral and Josh Bowler both placed headers wide, took the lead in the 18th minute.

Tomer Hemed created an opening down the right and picked out Aiden McGeady, whose effort from the edge of the area was tipped over the top by Hull goalkeeper George Long.

From the resulting corner, Hemed flicked on and Pearce launched himself headlong to force the ball over the line at the far post.

Had Macauley Bonne made any kind of contact from a similar area on the field five minutes later, the visitors would have been two goals to the good. Hemed swung a piercing cross field pass right to left, Albie Morgan and Adedeji Oshilaja combined to create the over-lap but Bonne could not make contact on the stretch.

Jackson Irvine is one of three players who will not finish the season and will leave this month

Tomar Hemed was on hand to supply defender Pearce with the assist from a first half corner

Bonne was also guilty of failing to test Long in the 64th minute when he nodded wide after peeling into space between Hull’s two centre backs.

One of that defensive duo, Angus MacDonald, provided a rare case of a good news story from a Hull perspective. This was MacDonald’s first appearance in 662 days, following a catalogue of horrific injuries and ailments. Initially ruled out in August 2018 with a dislocated shoulder, deep vein thrombosis followed before the bombshell discovery 10 months ago that he had bowel cancer. After two major operations, just getting back on the field must have felt like a triumph.

However, the crucial three points went south after Charlton inflicted the 11th home defeat on McCann’s team this season – no other club in the top two divisions has managed double figures.

As a result, Bowyer’s team leapfrogged Hull in the Championship’s lower reaches, a matter of hours after a dozen players signed new deals.

Hull’s Angus MacDonald made his first appearance in 662 days following injuries and illness

The win lifts Lee Bowyer’s men above Hull and one point above the drop zone in 19th

‘It’s now in our hands. I believe in the players and I have said that all along,’ Bowyer said.

Meanwhile, Charlton will provide information to the EFL in the coming hours to prove their new board under new chairman Paul Elliott is fit for purpose.