Hull City 'supersub' Noah Ohio stirs memories as 'positive' and 'bubbly' striker provides Championship play-off hope for Tigers

“Supersub strikes again” was the legendary line delivered by Granada TV’s esteemed commentator Gerard Sinstadt after David Fairclough displayed his penchant for famous late goals from the bench when he netted an iconic strike for his hometown club in front of the Kop to knock St Etienne out of the old European Cup in the spring of 1977.

Hull City followers could well have muttered that very sentence when Ohio notched his second key goal in the space of four days as a substitute to keep the Tigers’ play-off fires burning against Ipswich Town - when he earned the gratitude of not just East Yorkshire but much of West Yorkshire with Leeds United keen for the hosts to do them a big favour in the automatic promotion stakes.

His late goal in the 3-3 draw on Saturday night - 13 minutes after entering the fray in a magnificent contest - followed his winner in the 3-2 success at Coventry City in midweek, when he struck with his first touch after coming on.

Each of the loanee’s three goals in Tigers colours have not only been huge ones, but have all come as a replacement.

He previously struck the winner in City’s 2-1 victory at Yorkshire rivals Rotherham United in mid-February.

Such players can be worth their weight in gold. Especially at this time in proceedings when seasons are on the line and managers require an immediate impact and sugar rush from those who come on.

Ohio might have to do it all again at Plymouth’s Home Park on Saturday in a final-day game which could well have a big say at both ends of the table.

City need to win and hope West Brom lose at home to Preston to gatecrash a play-off spot in game 46.

It could have major ramifications at the bottom where Plymouth are fighting for their Championship lives in a final-day relegation fight that also involves Sheffield Wednesday, among others.

Ohio, who joined on loan from Standard Liege in the winter window, said: “Every player wants to play in these type of games which mean something, not just where both teams are safe, let’s just have a kick-about..

"It’s going to be a game where every detail and minute counts, for sure.

"To score is what every striker wants to do and when they are important, they feel a bit more special.

"I hope to play any part in any necessary way, whether that’s blocking a shot and doing the right things for the team.

"As long as we win, it’s all to get to the play-offs and then if we get there, then we can really dream."

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Ohio has not just made an impact on a match-day, but also around City’s training ground at Cottingham where his glad-to-be here demeanour, attitude and desire to learn has been a refreshing constant in his time at the club.

Young players like Ohio - whose best friend in football is none other than Real Madrid and England poster boy Jude Bellingham - are good for managers and team-mates alike.

Straight after his goal at Coventry, Ohio revealed that he had received a text from Bellingham.

He, for one, would appreciate his big-game mentality.

"He performs in the big games, that’s important and now it’s over to me,” as Ohio sagely put it.

Should Hull finish in the top six, a couple of huge semi-final matches, potentially against Leeds, could lie in wait. And then potentially Wembley in late May - a place where Bellingham could be stepping out at in the Champions League final with Madrid on June 1. But first things first.

Ohio, whose City future will be discussed at the end of the season, added: “It would be nice to play there, but let’s get there first. Think about it a little bit, but not too much.

"I have watched the play-offs on Sky. I watched the (Nottingham) Forest v Huddersfield one because Levi Colwill was playing. So I have watched them over the years and there have been some crazy games.

"It’s a long season and if you get there, it can go either way. First of all, we have to get there to dream. I could imagine if there were thousands of our fans at Wembley in black and amber.

"That would be something, but we have to get there first. Hopefully, others slip up.”

On the value of Ohio, boss Liam Rosenior observed: “He is a really positive, bubbly character.

"He says he’s got an exam in football. He’s constantly asks us questions and he’s a confident kid, but a kid.

"What happened in January was we lost Jaden (Philogene) and Liam (Delap) for three months and we needed to get them as strong as possible.

"We felt Noah, with his characteristics, would help us.”