EFL Sky Bet Championship
Sunday 17 August 2025
MKM Stadium, Hull
Hull City… 3
(Gelhardt 2’, Crooks 20’, McBurnie 90+4’)
Oxford United… 2
(Lankshear 9’, Brannagan 26’)
Oxford United fell to a 3-2 defeat after a stoppage time winner from Hull City, despite a fighting performance in the Northeast.
Falling behind twice, Will Lankshear and Cameron Brannagan responded to give United what looked to be a point heading into injury time, but for Oli McBurnie’s 94th minute winner which sent United home with nothing to show for their efforts.
Coming out to a fresh new third kit, stepping onto the MKM Stadium pitch for kick off brought the first opportunity for everyone to see the eye-catching and vibrant spire green jersey.
With a new colour, everyone was hopeful that it would bring the first points of the season, but after two minutes, things couldn’t have got off to a worse start.
After a strong loan at Hull City last season, Joe Gelhardt was back from Leeds United and the forward grabbed his first of the season just after 60 seconds. Picking the ball up on the right wing, he weaved his wave into the Oxford box and beat Jamie Cumming at his near post.
A start that could have easily rocked the boys in green and pink, they hit back straight away with Will Lankshear getting his first goal for the Club in the ninth minute. With the ball dropping to the on-loan Tottenham Hotspur striker in the box after Tyler Goodrham’s header, he showed his lethal instinct, volleying into the side net to bring the scores level.
The goals were flowing in Hull, and it was the hosts who got back in front on the 20th minute. Gelhardt was the man to set it up this time, cutting inside and finding Oli McBurnie who laid it off first time to an unmarked Matt Crooks in the box, and the midfielder coolly slotted into the net.
Again, it didn’t stop the U’s who came fighting back to equalise six minutes later. A Will Vaulks long throw caused panic in the Hull box, and when they thought they had cleared the danger the ball dropped to Cameron Brannagan on the 18-yard line who fired first time into the bottom right corner.
It was end-to-end with both sides continuing to have opportunities before the break. Hull’s best opportunity fell to Gelhardt who hit the side netting after a dangerous ball across the box reached him at the back post. And at the other end it was Lankshear who had United’s best chance, curling just wide from the edge of the box.
Into the second half and it was much more subdued compared to the frantic start to proceedings. Sam Long came on at the break to move United to a back five, with further changes following shortly after, as Siriki Dembele and Matt Phillips arrived to try and bring some attacking potential.
The first big chance of the half fell to Phillips on 62 minutes who forced Ivan Pundur into a stunning stop. Digging the ball out from his feet on the corner of the box, the former Scotland international fired a rocket towards the bottom left corner, but for Pandur’s fingertips which just turned the ball away.
Pandur had to make another save seven minutes later, this time from Vaulks, with a second ball from a corner falling to the midfielder but his shot was too straight. Up the other end, it was Gelhardt causing the issues, again trying to beat Cumming at his near post, but the United stopper done well to react and turn a dangerous effort wide.
But right at the death, United were hit with a sucker punch. Deep into stoppage time, Oli McBurnie had time in the box to take a touch, swivel and score, leaving United with it all to do with just minutes to play.
Despite the pressure from Oxford when play resumed, Hull held on and took all three points.
Hull City: Pandur, Giles, Hughes, Lundstram, McBurnie (Famewo 90+7’), Egan, Drameh, Ndala (Akintola 67’), Gelhardt (Joseph 87’), Crooks (Slater 87’), Palmer (Kamara 67’)
Unused Subs: Phillips, Williams, Brown, McCarthy
Oxford United: Cumming, Spencer, Moore, Helik, Leigh (Currie 85’), Vaulks, Brannagan, Goodrham (Phillips 57’), Mills (Dembele 57’), M. Harris (Long 46’), Lankshear (Bradshaw 76’)
Unused Subs: Ingram, Sibley, ter Avest, Johnson
Attendnace: 20,667
