Hull City's playoff hopes took a hit after Birmingham City staged a comeback to secure a 1-1 draw at the MKM Stadium. The Tigers had taken the lead through Joe Gelhardt's 14th goal of the season, but Tomoki Iwata's stunning equalizer 13 minutes from time denied them a crucial win. The result means Hull has now gone four league games without a victory, their worst run of the season, and they remain two points ahead of seventh-placed Wrexham with three games left to play.
Gelhardt's 24th-minute strike had given the hosts hope of sealing a league double over Birmingham, but Iwata's sweetly-struck long-range effort ensured the Blues earned a point. The draw was a significant one for Birmingham, who had been on a four-game losing streak on the road, and it was a result that left both managers with mixed emotions.
Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic acknowledged his side's struggles, saying, 'We're aware of dropping those 21 points from winning positions. We didn't play our best game today, which makes everything very tight. We have to be brave.' Birmingham's Chris Davies, on the other hand, was encouraged by his team's performance, saying, 'We deserved a point, and if anyone could have won it, then it was us. I was encouraged by our performance.
The commitment from the team was there, and we showed resilience and character to stay in the game after going behind.'