KSC Lokeren 1 Hull City 0 - match report: Allan McGregor howler sees Tigers slip to defeat

ALLAN McGregor's howler handed Hull City a 1-0 defeat at KSC Lokeren and put their Europa League hopes finely in the balance. Just five days after being the Tigers' hero in their 1-0 win at QPR in the Premier League with a match-winning penalty save, the number one came up with an uncharacteristic error which gifted the home side the lead. Having dwelt on the ball on the edge of his box, McGregor passed straight to Hans Vanaken and he rounded the keeper to finish into an empty net for a gifted lead. City's best chance came late in the second half when David Meyler saw his shot very well saved by Davino Verhulst with five minutes remaining, just moments after he had denied substitute Tom Ince with his foot. The result means the Tigers must now beat the Belgian side when they return to the KC Stadium next Thursday to advance to the group stages of this season's competition. In the first half, City had actually started as the livelier of the two sides and Sagbo should have opened the scoring after just seven minutes but he dwelled in the six-yard box and the chance passed. Long-range efforts from Meyler and Robbie Brady never really troubled home keeper Verhulst, whilst Aluko also saw his shot rise over from distance after 17 minutes. Having made a slight change to their 3-5-2 starting shape, James Chester moved to a sitting role in midfield just in front of the City defence to offer another option in the middle of the park. With Lokeren taking their time to find their feet in front of their own fans, it took until the half hour mark to conjure up a first real shot and when it came it was always dipping just over from Nill De Pauw's neat volley. City keeper McGregor was also left unworried when Sergio Junior Dutra tried to curl home into the top corner, but could not find his range and saw it go over the bar. In the closing stages before the half-time break, Sagbo saw his header go over and a powerful left-footed strike from Meyler had keeper Verhulst at full length even though the shot was off target.

A brilliant following from our fans tonight. Playing their part in a great atmosphere #HCAFC#CityInEuropepic.twitter.com/TLa9Ux9kik

— Curtis Davies #6 (@TheCurtisDavies) August 21, 2014

At the start of the second half, Lokeren would have taken the lead had it not been for McGregor beating away a shot destined for top corner from De Pauw. Mijat Maric flicked over the bar from the following corner as City rode their luck. But McGregor's moment to forget came on the hour mark. Dwelling on the ball at the edge of his box, his pass to Vanaken gifted him possession and he did not need a second invitation to score when slotting home into an empty net. With the home side now gaining the upper hand, Dutra and De Pauw both came close before McGregor made amends to some extent when turning away a goal-bounded header for a corner which came to nothing. Having brought on Nikica Jelavic and Tom Ince for Yannick Sagbo and Robbie Brady, City did manage to get back on the attack but when they did it was Liam Rosenior's downward header which was picked out easily by Ver Huslt from a Maynor Figueroa cross. Ince had City's best chance of second half when his low shot hit the keeper's foot and was turned round for a corner, but Harry Maguire could not do anything with his header on his competitive debut for the Tigers. With ten minutes to go, there were calls for a penalty when Ince was bundled over in the box but the appeals were waved away by the referee, before Meyler saw his late effort very well saved by Verhulst. Chester knew he should have done better when he also saw a late free header go narrowly wide when set up by Aluko in the closing stages as City desperately tried to salvage a draw and a vital away goal. Unfortunately, it was not to be and City must yet again win the home leg after failing to score on the road in Europe for the second successive clash.