Tigers turn to cubs

Hull will be without skipper Jack Hobbs and fellow defenders James Chester and Joe Dudgeon for Saturday's clash at Millwall.

Hobbs' season was cut short when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in last weekend's home defeat to Coventry and he will be sidelined for between six and eight months. Fellow central defender Chester has a hamstring injury and is expected to be sidelined for 10 days, while Dudgeon has been ruled out for three months with a similar injury sustained in the recent defeat at Portsmouth. Manager Nick Barmby said he will have no hesitation in pairing homegrown pair Liam Cooper and Sonny Bradley in central defence at Millwall. Midfielder Robert Koren remains sidelined after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury. The Tigers, who have no other new injury or suspension problems, have fallen five points adrift of the play-offs following four straight defeats.