Hull City man's telling admission players must respond to for Tim Walter to stay in job

Alfie Jones says Hull City must find a way to win ugly if they're to get back to winning ways after their dispiriting start to the Championship campaign, and key to that is keeping the back door shut, something they've been unable to do this season.

City are only outside the bottom three on goal difference after winning only three of their first 15 league games and face a trip to fellow strugglers Luton Town next Saturday when Championship football resumes after the international break.

Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to West Brom was City's fourth in a winless run which now extends to seven games, and has seen calls for Tim Walter's sacking grow, frustration which Jones admits he completely understands given the pre-season expectations.

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As it stands, Walter remains in charge and, unless there is a significant change, will be in the dugout at Kenilworth Road on Saturday week, looking to mastermind a turnaround in form ahead of the busy Christmas period.

"We just need to get back on that straight and narrow and working our way up the table," Jones said as he reflected on the start to the campaign.

"All it takes is a result and the fans will be right back behind us. We understand their frustration. When you are not winning games, it’s frustrating, and they are paying money and travelling hundreds of miles. But if they (results) start picking up, they will be right behind us. We just need that scrappy win and goal. We’ll take it as long as there’s three points on the board. We are due one of those.

"It’s a results-based business, and they can only be happy when we get results. We need to get some wins on the board, especially in this league. You do that, and you are back there fighting again.”

One key topic of conversation in recent weeks has been the lack of clean sheets, with just one so far this season, which is the worst record in the league. Jones says it's something his side needs to find in a bid to help them start getting positive results given it's seriously hampering their efforts.

"When we go in front, we need to keep a clean sheet as well and then keep them out at our end," he explained. "The goals we've been conceding have been sloppy from our point of view, goals out of nothing, really. When we are on top, we need to go for the throat as well, start putting teams to bed and killing the game off.

"We just have to try and find that balance of when we're in possession, that the other side of the pitch is locked off and we're ready for the counterattacks. I feel like the goals seem to come when we are on top and we're having a spell of controlled possession, one mistake or one ball off there, they're sort of at our back door.

"It's just about getting that balance right of knowing when we're all out attack and when we have to have players sit in and cover around maybe. I think that's what we need now, we need clean sheets if we're scoring goals, we need to keep a clean sheet."