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Julio Enciso strikes again to earn Ipswich a point against Hull | Premier League


Hull maintained their unbeaten home record, but their winless run stretched to eight games after Julio Enciso earned Ipswich a draw at the MKM Stadium.

Ipswich had the lion’s share of possession in the first half, cutting through Hull’s defence repeatedly and Nobel Mendy and Konstantinos Tzolakis were unable to prevent Florentino Luis’s 22nd-minute opener as he sliced through on the right unhindered.

After 37 minutes, the visitors appeared to have doubled their lead as Enciso headed in from a corner, but the effort was disallowed for a foul on Oli McBurnie.

Hull upped their game after the break and after 58 minutes Tim Iroegbunam raced down the right and fired home the equaliser.

The pattern of the game changed entirely and 10 minutes later McBurnie slammed the ball beyond Christian Walton from a free-kick to giveHull the lead.

But it lasted only six minutes as Enciso worked his way through Hull’s backline to produce a stylish leveller from just outside the area. It followed his equaliser last week that earned his side a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest.

“We were excellent, the better side for almost all of it,” said the Ipswich manager, Gary O’Neil. “There’s disappointment that it doesn’t get us three [points], but a point on the road in the Premier League is still something.

“There was a lot of promise that we were much better than them in their own stadium. That takes some doing, they’re a good side and they’ve been doing well. You have to give them credit, they’ve done this against everybody.

“They don’t dominate the game, they don’t batter your goal, but if you make a mistake they will capitalise on it and that was the case today.”

After dominating possession early on Ipswich were rewarded with Florentino slipping past Mendy to leave Tzolakis with no chance as the ball flew past him and into the right corner.

Oli McBurnie celebrates after putting Hull 2-1 ahead against Ipswich. Photograph: Dave Lofthouse/Action Plus/Shutterstock

Just over 10 minutes later the visitors threatened again, this time turning a corner, but it was chalked off as the referee, Thomas Kirk, adjudged McBurnie had been fouled by Abdul Fatawu.

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After the break, Ipswich continued to cause Hull problems, with Emersonn hitting the side-netting, having worked his way neatly through Hull’s back four. At the other end Walton was tested by a Lewie Coyle cross.

The hosts were pressing and the equaliser arrived when Iroegbunam was played through in space by a fine McBurnie pass and fired home.

The home side continued to look increasingly threatening, with Coyle going close with a shot that went wide before McBurnie stuck a 68th-minute free-kick through the wall.

Hull could not keep hold of the lead, however, and Enciso picked his way through the defence to fire home impressively and make it 2-2.

“We should have controlled the last 20 minutes better because Enciso scored an excellent goal, but still we could have defended it,” said the Hull manager, Sergej Jakirovic. “But if you cannot win, at least don’t lose. I know we are waiting now for almost two months for a win, but I am still positive.”


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