Gary Rowett has suggested that his Birmingham City side lacked belief in their 2-0 defeat to Hull City on Saturday afternoon.

Heading into the match on the back of four successive victories, Birmingham were unable to prevent Hull from climbing up to second as goals from David Meyler and Abel Hernandez clinched the points for the hosts at the KC Stadium.

After falling one point behind the Tigers, Rowett has urged his players to find another level to their play in attacking areas.

"I think it was a combination of perhaps not enough belief in ourselves in the first half, of playing against a very strong powerful side," he told reporters. "We just probably didn't get quite close enough to them. We needed just a bit more cutting edge in the first half.

"Maybe an early goal might have settled us down. We didn't move the ball enough with enough bravery or enough quality. We were perhaps just a little bit shot shy in the final third."

Birmingham return to action against Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend.