Dame N'Doye scored an 89th-minute winner as Hull City grabbed a dramatic 2-1 victory over 10-man Queens Park Rangers on Saturday afternoon.
Nikica Jelavic opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark, before the visitors shot themselves in the foot midway through the first half when Joey Barton was sent off for a punch on Tom Huddlestone.
Charlie Austin equalised in the 39th minute, but his side couldn't hold on to a point as the Senegalese striker celebrated his 30th birthday with his late strike.
Here's how Sports Mole covered the match.
Good afternoon folks, and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary for today's Premier League relegation six-pointer between Hull City and Queens Park Rangers.
Both these sides won on their last outings to move out of the bottom three, but remain firmly in a relegation scrap that is engulfing as many as nine teams.
The Tigers are in 16th place, while the R's are 17th - and level on points with Aston VIlla in the drop zone. Needless to say, they desperately need the points here.
Hull ended a run of five games without a win with victory against Villa last time out, but the Tigers have found results hard to come by while dealing with a multitude of injuries.
Queens Park Rangers can also claim back-to-back victories for the first time this season at the KC this afternoon, having ended their season-long wait for a Premier League away win at Sunderland last time out.
Team news are now filtering through...
HULL STARTING XI: McGregor, Dawson, Bruce, McShane, Elmohamady, Brady, Huddlestone, Livermore, Meyler, Jelavic, N'Doye
QPR STARTING XI: Green, Furlong, Caulker, Ferdinand, Suk-Young, Phillips, Barton, Henry, Kranjcar, Austin, Zamora
HULL SUBS: Harper, Davies, Robertson, Quinn, Ramírez, Hernandez, Aluko
QPR SUBS: McCarthy, Hill, Traore, Wright-Phillips, Vargas, Zarate, Doughty
So no changes for Steve Bruce's charges this afternoon as forwards Nikica Jelavic and Dame N'Doye continue to lead the line for the Tigers.
Meanwhile, Chris Ramsey hands academy product Darnell Furlong his R's debut at right-back, while fit-again Charlie Austin is back from a foot injury to spearhead the attack for the visitors.
Ahead of this afternoon's game, Bruce told the press that he regrets not bringing Austin to the KC - he had apparently lined up a £4.5m move for the striker, then with Burnley, following the Tigers' promotion to the Premier League in 2013, but the deal fell through.
A ploy to unsettle the R's striker this afternoon, or genuine regret at missing out on a top player? Nevertheless, Austin has definitely delivered for his current side - he scored 20 times last season as Rangers won promotion from the Championship, and has bagged 13 goals to date in the top tier. Could he add to the Tigers' misery later on?
There may be a third of the season still to play - and 39 points to play for - but when you're where these two are in the table, every game is absolutely crucial. I'm sure they could have also done without the distraction of the FA Cup halting their momentum after winning their last league games.
Last time these two faced off, on the opening day of the season, Austin had a penalty saved by Allan McGregor as the Tigers ran out 1-0 winners - one of just five league wins for Hull this campaign.
With games against Sunderland and Leicester City to come, this is potentially a huge three weeks for Bruce's side.
QPR's form is not much better - just six league wins all season, all against teams around them in the table. And after today's game, they have Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur to come, so they probably need to make today count more than their opponents.
Three out of the last four meetings between Hull and QPR have been draws, and I have the sneaking feeling that these two will be evenly matched today too.
If Ramsey's charges secure a win today, though, it will be the first league win for the R's at the KC since February 1970. No pressure then.
Hull striker Dame N'Doye turns 30 today. I'm sure he'd be happy with the winning goals in today's game as a present. Can he set off celebrations in the Humber today with a well-taken strike or two? Maybe even three?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Dame N'Doye celebrates his 30th birthday today! #ManyHappyReturns pic.twitter.com/EbqDIpmfCU
— Hull City Official (@HullCity) February 21, 2015
A quick mention to Joey Barton this afternoon too - the maverick midfielder and R's captain is on a Premier League record run of seven consecutive yellow cards.
The 32-year-old was also embroiled in a Twitter spat with Jamie Carragher in the last few days. And also this week, he wrote a newspaper column describing what he would do if he were Prime Minister. What a busy fellow.
PREDICTION TIME: Alright, just ten minutes until kickoff, so it's time for me to hazard a guess at the scoreline. I reckon 2-2 - N'Doye with a brace for Hull, Austin and Kranjcar for QPR.
Just to let you know my predictions aren't the best though, so don't trust me too much. It'll probably end up 4-0 now. Well, not long to go now before we find out what happens!
It's hard to call - even historically, these two sides are very evenly matched. In the 44 meetings in all competitions between the Tigers and QPR, there have been 15 draws, 15 QPR wins and 14 Hull victories.
The teams are out, and kickoff is just minutes away. It's Hull against QPR - and it's coming up!
Hull line up with their traditional 3-5-2, while QPR are in a 4-4-2 formation.
KICKOFF! Hull get the game underway!
From Brady's throw-in, Meyler appeared to have won a corner for the Tigers, but it's been given as a goal kick to the visitors instead.
Did Henry have the last touch? Nevertheless, it's a restart and Green lumps it up the field towards Zamora.
Huddlestone looks to find N'Doye with a first-time pass, but it's too heavy and Green can collect.
Now QPR are probing forward - the ball is chipped into the Hull box in a bid to find Zamora, but again it's heavy and McGregor can gather.
CHANCE! Hull on the attack again and Elmohamady sends a cross into the box. Meyler blasts a volley towards goal but the debutant Furlong clears.
McShane leaps up for the resulting corner inside the box, but it's eventually cleared by Austin.
Hull are having the best of the early exchanges, with the majority of possession. Nothing too concrete just yet in terms of chances though.
Meyler appears to be bundled to the floor by Young as the Hull man looks to charge into the box, but referee Taylor waves play on.
Brady loses the ball to Furlong in midfield. The R's youngster hasn't had too much to do so far, but on the whole he appears solid and composed when called into action.
GOAL! HULL 1-0 QPR (Nikica Jelavic)
And it had been coming! Just moments earlier Jelavic had missed a great chance following a good Elmohamady ball that was headed just over - but the QPR defence was caught napping just there, and the Croatian striker made the most of a ball landing to him in the box from Huddlestone's free kick, rifling it home past a stranded Green! He was given so much time to finish off that move.
CHANCE! And at the other end, QPR nearly level through young Furlong - McGregor is at full stretch to tip his seemingly goalbound header behind for a corner. From the resulting corner, Livermore heads clear.
CHANCE! More action as Jelavic holds the ball up well before laying it off into the path of Livermore, but the resulting effort from the edge of the box flies just over.
QPR are awarded a free kick when Bruce is judged to have brought down Zamora, and from the resulting set piece, Phillips' cross is headed away by Dawson before an offside flag is raised.
The game has settled now following that explosive spell. Not too much of note happening as a series of fouls and tackles break up play.
Phillips produces a fine ball into the box from a free kick which is headed behind by Dawson, with Austin's subsequent effort from the corner blocked at the last - Zamora's foul in the box is then penalised, bringing the danger to a close.
Huddlestone's free-kick from 20 yards out floats to McShane, who stretches his neck to loop a header towards goal, but Green is able to save with little difficulty.
RED CARD! Joey Barton receives his marching orders for a needless act. Furlong was about to be booked for a clumsy challenge, and following a bit of a melee, the temperamental midfielder punches Huddlestone in front of the referee. Easy decision in all fairness, and QPR will not be happy with that.
CHANCE! Jelavic so close to his second of the game, but he heads narrowly wide from an Elmohamady cross. The visitors need to regroup quickly because this game could completely slip away from them now.
GOAL! HULL 1-1 QPR (Charlie Austin)
"This game could completely slip away from them now"... well, haven't I been proved wrong! Following Barton's dismissal and Jelavic's subsequent chance, QPR push forward, Phillips lashes a cross into the box and the returning Austin is there to soar highest between Dawson and Bruce and smash a header past McGregor. Game on!
BOOKING: For the record, Furlong received a yellow card prior to Barton's sending off. The midfielder appeared to hit Huddlestone in a sensitive place. He'll no doubt get the book thrown at him by the powers that be (again).
CHANCES! Huddlestone comes close to finding the back of the net, but his long-range effort flies narrowly wide. Moments earlier, Green spilled the ball in front of goal following a free kick, but Ferdinand was there to clear.
There will be a minimum of three minutes added time at the end of the first half.
Elmohamady loses the ball to Phillips, with the midfielder charging 30 yards down the pitch before playing Zamora in, but Dawson is there to clear.
HALF TIME: HULL 1-1 QPR
So both sides are level at the break, and what an opening 45 minutes it's been. We've had two goals - Jelavic scoring for the hosts and Austin equalising for QPR, but most of the discussion will be centered around the actions of one Mr Barton.
So young Darnell Furlong was about to be booked for his challenge just after the half-hour mark, which led to a bit of a scuffle. Nothing unusual so far. Then out of the blue, Barton hit out with a punch towards Huddlestone, which appeared just a tad below the belt. Straight red for the ex-Newcastle man.
With regards to the more standard talking points of the half, Hull had the best of things in the early stages, which culminated in Jelavic's opener, and following Barton's sending off - how QPR fans would be wishing he continued his run of consecutive yellow cards instead of upping the ante with a red - really stood a good chance to add more to their tally.
And then along came Charlie Austin. The man whom Steve Bruce wanted to sign around 18 months ago. A well-taken header by the English striker which followed a brilliant cross by Matty Phillips that was just begging to be converted.
Jelavic has also earned his place in Hull history with his goal today - it was his 12th in the Premier League for the Tigers, making him the club's all-time record goalscorer in the top tier.
Both teams are back out on the pitch - the second half is coming up.
KICKOFF: Ten-man QPR get the second half underway. Can they hold out - or even storm to a win - or will their man disadvantage cost them? Let's find out!
Austin lets rip with a shot from distance, but it's well wide of McGregor's goal. Testing the waters more than anything.
Brady whips in a dangerous ball from the left which Ferdinand clears at the near post. Huddlestone takes the subsequent corner and Dawson gets a head to the ball, but it flies wide.
Zamora tries his luck with a long-range effort from Kranjcar's cross, but it's well wide of the target
SUBSTITUTION: Gaston Ramirez replaces Alex Bruce for the hosts.
BOOKING: Little happening in the last few minutes save for Huddlestone's ball into the box for Jelavic which proved too long. Zamora is then booked for a high challenge on Brady - the culmination of a series of persistent fouls.
Neither side with any concrete chances at the moment, both playing a lot of the game in the middle of the park as they both probe forward looking for an opening. An hour gone and it's still 1-1.
SUBSTITUTION: Michael Doughty comes on to replace Zamora in the QPR line-up.
Both sides are defending stoutly, but a draw won't do either team much good. The front lines are unable to do much at the moment.
SUBSTITUTION: Abel Hernandez comes on to replace Jake Livermore for the hosts.
There's a lot of frustration within the home crowd - after Barton's dismissal, there was much hope that the Tigers could have gone on from there, but they've not carved out many opportunities.
As there's not much going on in this game at the moment, I'll mention that Swansea City are now leading Manchester United 2-1. Jonjo Shelvey with the goal.
CHANCE! And after a bit of a lull, McShane sees his header deflected out for a Hull corner - and from the set piece, N'Doye nods over the bar. Around 15 minutes left here for either side to try and find a winner.
SUBSTITUTION/BOOKING: Mauro Zarate replaces Charlie Austin up front for QPR - and almost immediately gets himself a yellow card for a late foul on Huddlestone.
SUBSTITUTION: QPR make their third and final change as Armand Traore replaces Nico Kranjcar.
BOOKING: Phillips is booked for a late foul on N'Doye. Moments later, a tame Caulker header is easily gathered by McGregor. Little more than a half-chance.
SUBSTITUTION: Sone Aluko comes on in place of David Meyler for the Tigers.
The game is petering out here, with little happening. Almost as if both sides will be happy with a draw. Which we know wouldn't be at all ideal given their precarious positions at the lower end of the league.
CHANCES! Hull are giving it one last go against their ten-man opponents, with Hernandez heading over Elmohamady's cross, before Aluko sends a half-volley towards goal which is gathered by Green.
GOAL! HULL 2-1 QPR (Dame N'Doye)
And the birthday boy gives himself and his team cause for celebration as he strikes what is likely to be the winner for Hull! Brady's pinpoint cross from the left falls perfectly to the Senegalese - his glancing header from close range plunges into the net and the KC is jumping for joy!
There will be a minimum of five minutes added time - can QPR level proceedings one again?
Green will be gutted with that - moments before the goal, he had pulled off a great save to keep out N'Doye's initial drive.
QPR are throwing everything forward now - it's last-chance saloon for them. If the scoreline stays like this, Ramsey's charges are in deep trouble with fixtures against the North London sides coming up.
FULL TIME: HULL 2-1 QPR
The referee blows the final whistle and the home contingent celebrate a vital win - and what a way to get it! Dame N'Doye heads home a late winner on his 30th birthday to give Hull all three points against QPR, right at the death!
The Tigers climb to 15th in the Premier League table and give themselves some breathing space with a four-point gap between themselves and QPR, who hover just above the drop zone.
Thanks for tuning in folks, and don't go anywhere, because Sports Mole will bring you all the latest reaction, match analysis and player ratings from this and many other games this afternoon! Enjoy the rest of your day and weekend!
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
