A youthful Hull City team suffered a heavy pre-season friendly defeat at League Two side Doncaster Rovers.
Quick-fire goals from Kyle Hurst and Joe Ironside were added to by Owen Bailey’s second-half brace as former Tigers boss Grant McCann’s side ran out convincing winners.
Rovers created all the first-half chances, Jordan Gibson hitting a post inside six minutes with a cross-shot from the narrowest of angles before Hurst scuffed well wide from Luke Molyneux’s through ball.
Hurst made no mistake with his next opportunity midway through the half, pinching possession from Andy Smith and running through on goal before dinking a clever right-footed finish over Ivor Pandur.
Another defensive lapse led to Doncaster doubling their lead eight minutes later, Stan Ashbee’s loose pass picked off by Hurst, whose inviting cross was emphatically swept home first time by Ironside.
A goalmouth scramble ensued from a Hurst corner, with Jay McGrath’s close-range header deflecting wide, and Molyneux jinked into the box before his effort was blocked by Xavier Simons.
Another block, this time from Smith, at the start of the second half denied Hurst, who should have done better when sending Molyneux’s centre careering over the bar.
In between, Nathan Tinsdale registered the Tigers’ first attempt with an outside-of-the-boot effort that found the side-netting.
Doncaster made it 3-0 on 54 minutes when Jamie Sterry outpaced Brandon Fleming and crossed low for Bailey to steer smartly into the far corner from close range.
Ironside deftly touched Gibson’s curling cross onto the bar before Bailey added a fourth just before the hour, stooping to nod home Molyneux’s pinpoint delivery.
Tim Walter immediately brought on nine of his most senior players, with only Simons and Pandur staying on for the full 90 minutes.
City began to pose more of a threat; Abdüş Ömür was thwarted by the body of keeper Ted Sharman-Lowe and Ryan Longman dragged wide before glancing off target from Ryan Giles’ right-wing cross.
Rovers continued to create openings with Joe Sbarra unsuccessful with two attempts – one deflecting wide and the other straight at Pandur – and ex-Tiger Billy Sharp pulling an effort wide.
Jean Michaël Seri’s curling 18-yard strike extended Sharman-Lowe with 10 to play, with opposite number Pandur getting down low to keep out Ephraim Yeboah’s drive from Will Flint’s incisive pass.
Hull City: Pandur; Furlong (Coyle 60’), Smith (Jones 60’), Ashbee (McLoughlin 60’), Fleming (Jacob 60’); R Coyle (Seri 60’), Simons ©, Tinsdale (Slater 60’); Hall (Ömür 60’), Sandat (Longman 60’), Vaughan (Giles 60’).
