Hull 1 – 0 Sheff Wed

Hull City continued their recent good form with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. The win meant Phil Brown’s side has picked up ten points from a possible twelve over the Christmas period and extended their unbeaten run at home to eight points. More importantly, Brown’s side now sits in eighth position, one point outside the play-off’s.

Phil Brown named an unchanged side following the home win against Wolves, and that meant no place in the starting line-up for Dean Marney who was again on the bench as David Livermore continues to impress.

The Tigers had lost at Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the season and were looking for revenge in-front of 21,000 at the KC Stadium. The Tigers started brightly, with Wednesday looking nervous and like a team that is struggling near the foot of the Championship table.

Caleb Folan was proving to be a handful with a powerful run halted by a last ditch tackle after he had set himself to pull the trigger. Wednesday then gifted the in-form Fraizer Campbell an even better chance, diverting a ball to him and with the striker clean through, it seemed inevitable he would score. However, Campbell failed to control the ball and despite getting into the area, the chance to score was missed.

That was Campbell’s only chance of the match as he was forced to come off with a suspected hamstring injury. It has already been confirmed that he will miss tomorrow’s match with Stoke City. He was replaced with Dean Windass.

Windass set up Hughes, who still looking for his first goal, sent a shot wide of the goal. However, in the 32nd minute, Hull took the lead. A corner from Wednesday was cleared to Folan who drove forward. The record signing one a central free-kick 25 yards out with Windass curled sublimely into the top corner of Grant’s net.

Wednesday manager Brian Laws was clearly unhappy but he got a response from his side straight away in the second half. Akpo Sodje strode past Brown before striking a shot that hit the post and rebounded back across the face of goal. Had the striker not been running to the corner of the pitch celebrating, he may have knocked the rebound in.

There weren’t many chances in the second half with Hull seemingly happy to soak up pressure and play on the break. Dawson hit a free-kick into the wall whilst Turner and Folan both went close with headed efforts. Sheffield Wednesday’s only other chance came in the final minutes as Jeffers saw a low shot saved by the legs of Bo Myhill.

The match ended with an additional five minutes of extra time, much to the annoyance of Phil Brown and the Hull fans. David Livermore almost added a second late on but his effort was straight at Grant but despite Wednesday throwing all their men forward, the equaliser was not forthcoming.

Player ratings will appear later on.