'Shocked' Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic makes VAR call after Millwall howler

CommentsSportBarry Cooper Hull City correspondent15:53, 07 Mar 2026Updated 20:12, 07 Mar 2026Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic admitted he was shocked at referee David Webb's decision to disallow Kyle Joseph's goal in the first half, which would have put the Tigers 2-1 up against Millwall after initially fighting back from Jake Cooper's opener.

Joseph headed in after Joe Gelhardt, who levelled up with a fine strike, saw his shot blocked before looping up into the air, but the referee deemed Oli McBurnie had fouled goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, which replays showed was soft at best.

Despite playing some of their best football at the MKM Stadium this season, City couldn't find a way to get the second goal, having seen Joseph and Charlie Hughes rattle the woodwork, and a flurry of chances missed.

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Millwall snatched the crucial second 20 minutes from time when Ivor Pandur could only tap a tame cross into the path of substitute Mihailo Ivanovic to roll in before Josh Coburn settled it with 12 minutes to go, when he latched onto a Semi Ajayi error to slam in from distance and seal a smash-and-grab 3-1 win.

Jakirovic was understandably frustrated at the decision, which would have seen dominant City go into the lead, especially coming on the back of his recent frustrations with refereeing inconsistencies, but vowed that if his side keep up that level of performance in the final 10 games, they'll continue to collect points.

"I think that we played very well," the Croatian told Hull Live. "This is maybe the best home performance since I've been here. I congratulate my players now in the dressing room because this is the way how we must continue.

"Unfortunately, we lost the game, but this football. If we continue like this, no chance that we will not take something in the next games.

"Goal all day," he said of Joseph's header. "I'm very shocked. It's very direct, very precise. When you watch it again, this is a goal."

"They (the fourth official) can always explain to you their way. You cannot change anything, and I move forward. How is McBurnie fouling if McBurnie is in front of the goalkeeper?

"This is the reason why I'm always speaking about VAR. We can complain about VAR, about how long they check the situation, but it's fair. It's a fair situation.

"Sometimes I will concede the goal, he will disallow it, and then you have a second chance. It's a game-changing moment because at 2-1, it's not the same game. It's not the same, especially with the way we played."

Jakirovic was, however, frustrated with the three goals his side afforded Millwall, especially the two late ones that cost them a point.

"We prepare everything about set-pieces and throw-ins because they have very high efficiency in those moments," he said of Cooper's opener from a free-kick which came from the Lions' first real attack.

"Maybe our set-up for this first goal was not so good because they had extra men there on number four, (Tristan) Crama, so we should move more on that side. Until the 75th minute, I think that we controlled everything.

"We tried to push there and then two mistakes, two goals, but this is football, sometimes we score there when opponents make mistakes. Congratulations to Millwall on the three points."

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