When Huddersfield Town last visited the MKM Stadium just two weeks into the New Year, Hull City needed a stoppage-time goal to earn a point.

The feeling that day was relief. Frustration that for all their possession and shots, Liam Rosenior's men needed a 98th-minute Oscar Estupinan strike to earn a point having fallen behind in the first period.

Fast forward 11 months almost to the day and City again needed a late goal, this time, from their new hotshot striker up front in Liam Delap, but this time, it wasn't to salvage a point after a dominant display, it was to seal all three and move them level on points with Sunderland who occupy the final play-off berth.

That in itself is another marker of the progress Rosenior's bright young side are making under his leadership. Back in January, City enjoyed 69 per cent of the ball against a very defensively-minded Terriers side managed by Mark Fotheringham. Here, that 69 per cent was up to 80 with 20 attempts, they notched six more than the last visit.

Those stats show there has been an improvement, as you'd hope in almost 12 months, but the change is stark. City were good and created some very good openings, Liam Delap the chief threat before scoring his winner.

This was another example of where City are going. Last season's draw at Millwall in Rosenior's first outing was heralded as a big point, compared with the anger and frustration at drawing 2-2 there last month. Even though City won at Birmingham last season, their 2-0 win a few Wednesdays ago was convincing.

Last term, City probably wouldn't have found a way past a resolute Preston side, but in Jaden Philogene, they had a genuine match-winner in their midst and it made a big difference.

There have been setbacks, and there will continue to be setbacks. That's football, especially the Championship. Games like Saturday show that not only are Rosenior's players making good progress, they're also finding a way to win at home when they're facing difficult tests, like 90 minutes of attack vs defence.