Ryan Mason left frustrated by West Brom’s loss to Hull

West Brom boss Ryan Mason admitted their 1-0 defeat at Hull was “difficult to accept”.

Oli McBurnie scored for the third successive game since returning from injury – netting from the spot deep into first-half stoppage time – to help Hull move into fourth place in the Championship after a third win on the trot.

The Baggies had Alfie Gilchrist sent off for a challenge on Liam Millar with 15 minutes remaining as they suffered a third defeat in four games.

Mason, who became Hull’s record signing in 2016 after moving from Spurs, added: “It is frustrating and there are so many emotions.

“The worst thing we should have come away with was a 0-0 draw. But we haven’t been able to do that and away from home, it is killing us.”

On Gilchrist’s dismissal less than 10 minutes after coming as substitute, Mason added: “I think you can always tell with the player reactions.

“I don’t think anyone reacted. The referee was 10 yards away and it took him about 15 seconds to give the red card.

“But I thought it was a tough game for the referee. However, I can’t make excuses for us and our lack of discipline.

“The reality is, that’s what’s cost us. It was a tight game and the pitch wasn’t great.

“We managed it well in the first half and we should have come in at half-time winning. But we came in losing by gifting the opposition a goal.

“It’s difficult to accept and to understand why. We’ve spoken about mistakes, individual errors and gifts to the opposition.

“For how well we played in that first half, to come in 1-0 down in the way we did and the way the penalty was awarded was hard to understand. It’s a lack of discipline and it’s not good enough.

“There’s a lot of pain at the moment. It’s about understanding and taking responsibility. We have to own it and change it. That’s the only way we move forward.”

Hull chief Sergej Jakirovic agreed with Mason’s response to Gilchrist’s red card.

He said: “It was very harsh. I was a little bit surprised because I was thinking it was a yellow card. But he (referee Ruebyn Ricardo) pulled out a red.”

Jakirovic also felt West Brom were the better side in the first half of a game that won’t live too long in the memory.

“It was typical [of the Championship] because there were a thousand balls in the air and two thousand challenges,” he said ruefully.

“We struggled for the second ball, especially in the first half. We started well but lost our balance and West Brom were better.

“They had two great situations to score a goal and then gave us a penalty.

“We controlled the second half much better and had a few good chances.

“We also kept a clean sheet which is very important and got three big points. The red card also helped a lot, for sure.”