Reason for hope despite Hull City losing fifth straight Championship game at Middlesbrough

There was to be no dramatic turnaround in results for Hull City following the departure of Tim Walter, as the Tigers slipped to a fifth successive Championship defeat for the first time in two years under the stewardship of caretaker boss Andy Dawson.

The Tigers were beaten 3-1 at Middlesbrough, who themselves recovered from midweek defeat to boost their play-off hopes with goals from Finn Azaz and City's summer target Tommy Conway. Alhough they did threaten a recovery when Mason Burstow came off the bench to head his first goal in Black and Amber with 20 minutes to go to set up a grandstand finish, Conway's second with 10 minutes to go killed off their spirited resurgence.

City were 2-0 down at the break after being torn to pieces down their left side in the first half, with Ben Doak causing mayhem and giving Cody Drameh nightmares. After a bright start, City's defensive issues continued with the returning Azaz angling in a lovely effort before Doak provided a back-post cross for Conway to head in a second.

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While Boro deserved to be the winners, it could have been very different had the referee made the big decision at 0-0, when Boro should have been reduced to 10 men. Neto Borges hauled back Joao Pedro outside the box, but nothing was given by referee Stephen Martin, and from then on, the hosts took the game away from City.

Dawson will be pleased with the powers of recovery in the second period, and the encouragement after Burstow's goal, and the way they suddenly carried a threat. Boro always looked dangerous, however, and Conway's clinical finish killed it off.

There were elements of the performance that should give promise, but the fact remains, City have a real problem in scoring goals and that is going to be the biggest challenge for the new manager, as well as keeping them out at the other end. They're so easy to score against, a recipe we know doesn't work well in football.

In his first game in caretaker charge for a little over two years, Dawson made two changes to the side beaten at home to Wednesday on Tuesday. One of those was enforced with Charlie Hughes suspended after picking up his fifth booking against the Owls, Sean McLoughlin coming in for him, while Ryan Longman dropped to the bench and in his place came Abdus Omur.

City started brightly and carved out a couple of promising moments, with Kamara's teasing ball in almost finding Pedro but George Edmundson was quick to turn away before the Tigers forward could divert towards goal. But there was a moment of panic shortly after that when Doak picked out the unmarked Delano Burgzog inside the box after Coyle lost him, but his air shot was timely for the visitors.

The big talking point of the half came 20 minutes in when Palmer played Pedro through one-on-one and outside the box, he was pulled down by Neto Borges, but referee Martin and his assistant on the far side, opted to give nothing, bizarrely.

Dawson spoke about the lack of luck in the build-up to the game, and there was certainly none there because Boro, who had given Drameh the run around in the opening minutes, capitalised on another error, and that allowed the returning Azaz to curl a lovely effort beyond Pandur and into the top corner from just inside the right side of the box.

Though City been decent enough in the opening 25 minutes, Boro had started to gradually assume control, and down the City left, Boro's right, Doak was giving Drameh a torrid afternoon. Again, before the break, the Liverpool youngster skinned City's makeshift left-back before Simons slid in to block his cross from a yard inside the deadball line.

City were not without threat, with Omur and Palmer both fizzing shots wide, albeit from distance but the game was effectively put to bed four minutes before the break when Doak again was afforded too much space to lift over a cross which Conway did brilliantly to head back across goal and into the far corner, another example of the gulf in quality in the final third between both sets of teams.

Borges, who shouldn't have even been on the pitch, was booked inside a minute of the second half for a late foul on Omur, as the Turkish international looked to break away. From that set-play, Palmer delivered a delicious cross where nobody in white took advantage.

Drameh was given another mauling from Doak, who beat him with ease before crossing the ball, which hit Coyle and almost went in the net, but fortunately, Pandur was alert to hold on his line. Drameh's afternoon was cut short through injury early in the second half, and in truth, he may have been a tad relieved given how it was going. He was replaced by Ryan Giles, back at his former club along with Gustavo Puerta, on for Simons 54 minutes in.

Just over 20 minutes were left when Dawson made another double change with Mason Burstow and Chris Bedia coming on for Palmer and the ineffective Pedro, and within seconds, the game changed.

Kamara raced down the left, held off his man before picking out the run of Burstow at the back post to head in and score his first Tigers goal.

Any hope of City snatching a point were denied when Conway slotted in a fine second, moments after Pandur had brilliantly denied Doak.

Pandur then denied Conway again after City thought Coyle was fouled just inside the Boro box, and that was the moment for Michael Carrick to make his first change, bringing off Burgzog with striker Emmanuel Latte-Lath coming on for the final stages, with Marvin Mehlem on for Omur. Conway was given a standing ovation when he came off for Jonny Howson.

It may have been another defeat, but there was promise for City, and for whoever comes in to replace Walter.

Middlesbrough: Brynn, Barlaser, Fry, Hackney (c), Burgzorg, Dijksteel, Azaz, Conway, Edmundson, N. Borges, Doak. Subs: Glover, Clarke, Latte Lath, Jones, Ayling, Gilbert, Howson, Hamilton, Forss.

Hull City: Pandur, Drameh, McLoughlin, Jones, Coyle (c), Simons, Slater, Kamara, Abdus, Pedro, Palmer. Subs: Racioppi, Giles, Mehlem, Bedia, Longman, Burns, Puerta, Jacob, Burstow.

Referee: Stephen Martin

Attendance: 24,121