Hull City's quest for a Championship play-off spot has been dealt a significant blow after a stunning late equalizer from Tomoki Iwata earned Birmingham a 1-1 draw at the MKM Stadium. The Tigers had taken the lead through Joe Gelhardt's 24th-minute strike, but Iwata's sweetly-struck long-range effort 13 minutes from time dented Hull's hopes.
The result means Hull has now gone four league games without a win, their worst run of the season, and leaves them just two points ahead of Wrexham in seventh. The hosts had started brightly, with Gelhardt's goal giving them hope of sealing a league double over Birmingham.
However, the Blues fought back, and Iwata's equalizer was a significant moment in the match. The draw also ended Birmingham's four-game losing run on the road, and manager Chris Davies was encouraged by his team's performance. Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic acknowledged that his team had dropped 21 points from winning positions and urged his players to be brave with three games left to play.