Ruben Selles says Hull City are close to two new signings as he looks to pick his squad up after Sunday’s dismal defeat to Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup.
City had to fight back from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw against the League Two side and force the tie into extra-time, and having had one kick to win the penalty shoot-out, ended up losing.
The Tigers have so far signed Matt Crooks and are closing in on the capture of Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt, with the 22-year-old edging closer to a loan move from Elland Road and set to undergo a medical at City.
Selles is also closing in on adding a winger with extensive Championship experience ahead of Saturday’s return to Championship action at Millwall, and after the manner of their latest FA Cup exit, will be desperate to add quality, and strength to his ranks.
“We are very close to signing a winger now in the next 24 hours, and then, hopefully, we will get another one just before the Millwall game.”
Speaking about the game itself, which saw the Tigers fall behind to Luke Molyneux’s goal six minutes into the second half after Ryan Giles gifted him the ball before Gustavo Puerta turned in with nine minutes left and send the tie into extra-time and penalties.
Mason Burstow had a penalty to win it in the shootout but blazed over the bar and then Alfie Jones saw his sudden death kick saved, allowing Harry Clifton to convert the winner beyond debutant Carl Rushworth.
“It is (really frustrating),” the Spaniard admitted. “I think that the games in the FA Cup are always difficult, but a lot of things happened today. We should have put the game on our side and then finished the game.
“The fact that we need to substitute two players at half-time, for example, with Steven (Alzate) and Finn (Burns) because of different things. Steven had a little bit of a back problem in the half-time, Finn didn’t feel well, so we needed to change. The situation with the goal, we need to defend much better as a team,” he continued.
“Then, when we just managed to equalise, that situation with Abu (Kamara, when he was fouled outside the box by the goalkeeper) didn’t go in for us. Then we go to the penalties. We are 4-3 ahead, and we need to finish the action. We didn’t, and then in the next one, we lost it, I think, an accumulation of a lot of things in the game that we should put the game into our side.
“As I say, these games are always difficult. The opposition, I think, had two shots on target and we give them those situations. It was not our best performance, but I think we still did enough just to win the game. In terms of their goals.”
Speaking about the manner of the goal, which saw Giles easily disposed of before the shot nestled into the back of the net, the head coach said his side must do better, with the left-back removed from the action following that error.
“I think we lost a little bit of structure, and then in that transition, we should just defend that pass better or at least be in front of the player, and that should never happen. It was a tactical decision (to withdraw Giles shortly after).”
Selles was also unhappy with the decision not to send off goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe when he hacked down Abu Kamara outside the box. Referee Sunny Singh Gill opted to book the young stopper.
“I don’t have any complaints because he doesn’t (send him off, that’s his decision), but it’s not any defender when Abu takes the touch inside, and it’s a one-against-one situation. I don’t know the interpretation of that rule, but we should do more to win the game. We should have scored already, but I think that situation was key, and I think the decision was not correct.”