Boro blog: Hull City 4 - 2 Middlesbrough

- Boro blog by Robert Nichols.

Boro's brief fling with top flight is effectively over tonight as we fell to the claws of the Hull Tigers. We finally broke our scoring drought when Negredo finished off Traore's cross but the ecstasy soon turned to agony as the home team stuck one, two and then three past us. Although De Roon pulled one back before half time we ran out of steam and legs in the second half and Harry Maguire finished us off with a towering header.

It all looked so good early on when Traore blasted his way past the static defenders, having latched on to Negredo's through ball. The Beast was there in the centre to finish it. It was right down in front of the Boro corner and we went absolutely wild. What a start.

It was a team that had been given the licence to attack by caretaker head coach Steve Agnew. Such a welcome change of tactics. It was also a brave move to give James Husband a first Premier start at left back. Yet sadly thar Boro defence, without Fabio, Friend and Chambers and shorn of the protective three man midfield shield was unable to withstand the home team's raids forward.

It is too horrendous to think about how that 1-0 lead was swept away and turned into a 3-1 deficit. But knowing we had to win we could not afford to defend and paid the price.

Big Rudy Gestede was denied a chance to make amends for his miss at Swansea when the Hull keeper made an incredible save from his header. Stew Downing was whipping in crosses and Traore still exploding past players and we eventually got some reward. Marten De Roon forced the ball home just before half time. A lifeline.

It should have been a great time to score but maybe half time came to Hull's rescue because we could not sustain the recovery after the break.

Actually we did mount some early raids but we couldn't resist Hull's attacks down the flanks. They were causing mayhem. We were on the back foot long before Harry Maguire finished us off.

Hull fans tormented us with songs about staying up and us going down with Sunderland. Even Swansea capitulated from a winning position making the home fans even happier still. Sickening.

We applauded our players from the field they had given their all. Adam Clayton and skipper Ben Gibson led the applause in return towards us. Goalkeeper coach Leo beckoned us to stay together. That is all we have left now. Stay together as fans and club.

There were sad scenes at the end with a few tears shed as we wandered out into the night. Seven years it took us to get back to the top flight. We hardly had chance to really enjoy the Premier experience.

It is the end of the road now. Not much else to say really. Football can be cruel.