It is 12 months since Nikica Jelavic joined Hull City from Everton. Brad Rial examines the Croatian striker's impact by counting down each of his ten goals, picking out the spectacular volley at Newcastle as his number one strike.TEN: Aston Villa (away) Sunday, August 31, 2014
The game against Villa back in August remains the only time Hull City have lost a match when Nikica Jelavic has scored.
His scrappy close-range header turned out to be a mere consolation for a below-par Tigers side.NINE: Stoke (home) Sunday, August 24, 2014
Jelavic grabbed City's first goal at the KC this season with a real poacher's effort. After Tom Huddlestone's free kick was palmed away by Potters goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, Jelavic was on hand to slide home from four yards. The ten men of City couldn't hold on to the lead as Ryan Shawcross equalised late on.EIGHT: Fulham (away) Saturday, April 26, 2014
With City 2-0 down at half-time, it was Jelavic who instigated a comeback in the game that all but secured City's Premier League status for another year.
After the ball came back off the bar, Jelavic was first to react and guided his header past David Stockdale from point-blank range. Twelve minutes later, Shane Long added a header of his own to earn City a crucial point.SEVEN: Sunderland (away) Friday, December 26, 2014
Nine months after scoring his first Hull City goal at the Stadium of the Light, Jelavic repeated the trick on Boxing Day. With the Tigers 2-1 up and relatively comfortable, Jelavic was introduced by Steve Bruce late on in an attempt to run the clock down.
He did more than that though when he sealed an excellent three points in the final minute. Picking the ball up in acres of space in the opposition half, he dribbled to the edge of the box before finishing clinically past Costel Pantilimon with a left-foot strike.SIX: Sunderland (away) Saturday, February 8, 2014
Jelavic had to wait a short while before netting his first goal for the club. He'd hit a post on debut at Norwich and went close a couple of times against Spurs before finally scoring the following week at the Stadium of Light.
After 62 minutes, a Maynor Figueroa cross deflected into Jelavic's path and, from a fair way out, he looped a header past Vito Mannone. It was enough to secure a vital 2-0 win.FIVE: Cardiff (away) Saturday, February 22, 2014
Jelavic's second and City's third of the day effectively sealed the three points at the Cardiff City Stadium. Having already netted in the first half, it took him just 13 minutes of the second period to strike again.
Liam Rosenior's pinpoint cross from the left found the head of Jelavic, who glanced the ball expertly past David Marshall. Jake Livermore would go on to bag a fourth in a resounding victory.FOUR: Crystal Palace (home) Saturday, October 4, 2014
Jelavic grabbed his fourth goal of the current campaign with a well-taken finish against Palace. It was a goal that owed much to the fine work of Jake Livermore, but the Croatian's finish was equally as impressive. He took his time before prodding the ball past Julian Speroni with the outside of his right foot, a finish of a man full of confidence.THREE: Everton (home) Thursday, January 1, 2015
The most recent of Jelavic's ten goals in a City shirt was perhaps one of the most satisfying. Against his former club, he added the Tigers' second goal of the game in the 43rd minute.
Jelavic broke the offside trap to latch on to Abel Hernandez's hooked through-ball, before cheekily lobbing the onrushing Joel Robles. TWO: Cardiff (away) Saturday, February 22, 2014
The goal that demonstrated everything great about the 'Longavic' pairing. It was Jelavic who started the move by knocking a lovely ball down the line to Shane Long, who then dribbled into the box and weighted a perfect pass for partner. Jelavic didn't even need to break stride before firing his shot into the bottom corner. ONE: Newcastle (away) Saturday, September 20, 2014
By far the pick of Jelavic's goals for City is the superb overhead kick he scored at Newcastle back in September, when his outstanding technique defied his somewhat clumsy nature.
Ahmed Elmohamady's cross from the right was floated in towards Jelavic, who hung in the air before twisting his body to volley low past Tim Krul. You will have to go some way to find a better goal from a City player this season.• Jelavic scored four goals in 16 league games for Hull City last season. So far in this campaign, he has scored six times in 17 appearances (including three substitute appearances).
