Championship match report: Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town

A goal from the returning George Hirst was cancelled out by Ozan Tufan, and while Omari Hutchinson bagged a stunning brace of long-range strikes, Liam Delap cancelled out the first before Noah Ohio struck late on to earn a point for the hosts.

Town had their first real break in the fifth minute as Cameron Burgess’ lobbed pass to Hirst saw the striker duck out of the way, allowing Hutchinson to pick it up and run down the left. He tried to pick out Wes Burns, who was running alongside him, but the ball was collected by Ryan Allsop.

George Hirst the opening goal just 19 minutes into his return from injury (Image: Pagepix Ltd)

The match felt open without any real concrete chances. Hull had dominated possession and looked sharp when they pushed forward, but it was Ipswich who took the lead with 19 minutes on the clock as Burns played a low cross into the box from the right. It bobbled past everyone and landed at the feet of Hirst, who calmly slotted it into the net to open the scoring on his return to action.

The Tigers piled on the pressure in the immediate aftermath, coming close from a free-kick down the left after Conor Chaplin fouled Fabio Carvalho.

The Blues carved out an impressive opportunity of their own just after the half-hour mark as Chaplin fired wide from a trademark free-kick routine, with Massimo Luongo prodding the ball just wide of the post from the resulting corner.

Massimo Luongo came close to making it 2-0 (Image: Pagepix)

The visitors were managing the game the game well, but a mistake from the skipper let Hull back into it. Sam Morsy was robbed of possession by Jean Michael Seri, who raced through and set up Tufan to fire into the roof of the net to equalise in the 40th minute.

It took just seven minutes for them to restore their lead, however, having applied immediate pressure after the equaliser. A corner was cleared to Luke Woolfenden, who wisely opted against shooting to play the ball to Hutchinson down the right.

The Chelsea loanee cut inside and took aim, curling a stunning effort into the corner to put his side back in front.

Ryan Allsop was unable to keep Omari Hutchinson's curling effort out of the net (Image: Pagepix)

Hull started fast after restart, almost scoring from their very first attack. Three minutes later, Tufan inexplicably fired wide after the Tigers played a short corner routine into the box, heading over the crossbar from point-blank range.

Although Town enjoyed more time on the ball, the hosts' equaliser came in the 56th minute as Carvalho's low cross from the right found substitute Delap in the box. The Manchester City loanee was afforded too much space, slotting it past Vaclav Hladky to make it 2-2.

Ipswich started their search for a third goal, coming close on the hour-mark after Hutchinson was pulled back on the counter. Leif Davis delivered a pinpoint free-kick onto the head of Cameron Burgess, who hit the crossbar.

Hutchinson put Town ahead for a third time in the second half (Image: Ross Halls)

In a moment of need, you can almost always count on Hutchinson to deliver, and he did so again in the 67th minute as a corner was cleared up to him in a near-identical position to his second goal. Once again, he was able to curl it into the net, hitting the bottom corner to re-establish his side's advantage in front of a jubilant away end.

The match became scrappier, with stoppages preventing either side from having much action in the box.

Hull did, however, find a third equaliser with three minutes remaining as Jaden Philogene was fouled down the right. Carvalho's delivery found Matty Jacob, who forced a good save from Hladky before substitute Ohio scooped the rebound into the net.

The Blues were pegged back by a late free-kick (Image: Pagepix)

Six minutes of stoppage time saw the match turn into an end-to-end basketball game, and Town should've found a winner with just two remaining as Hutchinson's close-range effort was parried into the path of Jeremy Sarmiento, who saw his shot blocked before Morsy suffered the same fate.

In the end, both sides ran out of time, and the points were shared on Humberside.

Hull City: 4-4-2: Allsopp; Slater (Giles 81'), Jones, Greaves, Jacob; Omur (Ohio 74'), Morton (Delap 46'), Seri, Philogene; Carvalho, Tufan

Ipswich Town: 4-2-3-1: Hladky; Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis (Clarke 82'); Morsy, Luongo (Taylor 76'); Burns (Sarmiento 62'), Chaplin (Travis 76'), Hutchinson; Hirst (Moore 62')

Attendance: 24,298