A dramatic equalizer from Birmingham midfielder Tomoki Iwata thwarted Hull City's Championship play-off ambitions, as the visitors battled back to secure a 1-1 draw at the MKM Stadium. The home side had taken the lead through Joe Gelhardt's 14th goal of the season, but Iwata's stunning long-range effort 13 minutes from time ensured the spoils were shared.
Hull's failure to win extends their winless run to four league games, their worst sequence of the season, and leaves them just two points ahead of seventh-placed Wrexham with three matches remaining. Gelhardt had given the hosts hope of completing a league double over Birmingham, following their 3-2 victory at St Andrew's in October, with a crisp 24th-minute strike. However, Iwata's sweetly-struck equalizer denied Hull the three points they desperately needed, and defender Semi Ajayi's missed chance in stoppage time summed up the hosts' frustration. The result leaves Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic's side facing a nervy finale to the season, with their play-off hopes hanging in the balance.
Jakirovic acknowledged the significance of the result, stating, '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 and try to win the points in our remaining games.' Birmingham boss Chris Davies, meanwhile, was encouraged by his side's performance, saying, 'We deserved a point, and if anyone could have won it, then it was us.
I was encouraged by our performance, and the commitment from the team was there. We showed resilience and character to stay in the game after going behind.'