Semi Ajayi: Ready to Push on After Injury Return

Semi Ajayi says he is eager to return to winning ways after making his second start since recovering from injury, despite Hull City’s 3-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Tigers were undone by a first-half red card for Charlie Hughes and the injury withdrawal of captain Lewie Coyle, leaving Sergej Jakirović’s side with an uphill battle.

West Brom capitalised on Hull’s misfortune, scoring three times to deny the visitors back-to-back away victories.

‘It is disappointing to lose at this stage of the season. Three points are massive so to miss out on picking up three points today is not obviously what we planned for,’ Ajayi admitted.

‘The game could have gone very differently in the first half. At nil-nil, we had two or three really good chances to score, and we didn’t take them. Then they went one-nil up and it is a very different game.

‘That is what the Championship is all about. You have to take your opportunities when you get them and also limit the opponent, and I think we gave them too many opportunities today.’

Ajayi, who played the full 90 minutes, acknowledged West Brom’s quality but insisted Hull must quickly move on.

‘Fair play to them. They are not in the greatest of positions in the league, but they have a lot of quality in their squad and they capitalised on our misfortune when it came to the red card and the injury. It just wasn’t our day.’

Having returned from an injury sustained at AFCON with Nigeria earlier this year, Ajayi is determined to build momentum as Hull prepare to host already relegated Sheffield Wednesday at the MKM Stadium next Saturday.

‘I am feeling really good. It was my second 90 minutes, so I am getting back into the full swing of things and looking forward to pushing for the rest of the season,’ he said.