22 August 2022
Hull City Under-21s secured their first points of the 2022/23 season with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Watford.
Jim Simms netted a hat-trick while winger Sincere Hall and midfielder Harry Wood also got themselves on the scoresheet at MKM Stadium.
Conor Sellars managed the side alongside Under-18s Manager John Anderson, with the Tigers making five changes to the starting XI that faced Bristol City last time out. Thimothée Lo-Tutala replaced Tom Macauley in-between the posts, while Jevon Mills, Callum Jones, Vaughn Covil and Simms were the other changes.
The Tigers created a number of opportunities within the opening quarter-of-an-hour as Covil fired a first-time effort off the crossbar, before he saw a second deflected shot find the gloves of Vincent Angelini.
Hall then crafted himself a shooting opportunity, but the winger curled his attempt narrowly wide past the post. Simms then had the ball in the back of the net after converting McCauley Snelgrove’s low cross, but the finish was ruled out for offside.
Captain Jake Leake was next to take aim for the Tigers, but his left-footed strike went over the bar. The Tigers’ pressure paid off as they took the lead on 29 minutes. From a corner delivery, Alfie Taylor saw his initial header saved by Angelini before Simms was quickest to poke home the rebound from six yards.
Hall almost doubled the Tigers’ lead within a matter of minutes as his looping effort hit the inside of the post. Wood then tested Angelini from range before Conor Sellars’ side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. Great football from one edge to the other saw Hall place his finish into the bottom corner.
The second half continued in the same fashion as just 11 seconds from the kick-off, a long ball by Wood caused a defensive mix-up, which Simms capitalised on with a simple finish. Five minutes later and Simms secured his hat-trick as he met Covil’s cross at the back post, after the attacking midfielder produced great strength to maintain the ball initially.
Hall looked to secure his brace and the Tigers’ fifth, but his volleyed strike went over the bar, while Taylor poked his attempt over the bar from a Wood corner.
The game seemed to quiet down in terms of chances past the hour mark, with Hull City keeping possession really well and defending resolutely when Watford broke forward.
With a minute of normal time to go, Wood netted the Tigers’ fifth of the evening. A lovely placed free-kick from 25-yards out beat the wall before finding the far corner of the net.
Hull City (4-3-3): Lo-Tutala; Leake (C), Mills, Taylor, Jacob; C. Jones (O. Green 61’), Wood, Covil; Snelgrove (Wallis 86’), Simms (Hinds 76’), Hall.
Subs Not Used: Macauley, Leckie.
Watford (4-2-3-1): Angelini (C); Andrews, Holding, Abbott, Batzelis; Davis (Adu-Poku 46’), Gaspar; Trialist A, Grieves (Taylor 67’), Hunter (Trialist B 33’); Adeyemo.
Subs Not Used: Marriott, King.
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