Hull City 1-1 QPR

The Teams:

Hull City: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner,Dawson Brown, Ashbee, Garcia (Hughes), Marney, Pedersen (Folan), Windass (Fagan), Campbell
Not used: Duke, France

QPR:
Camp, Mancienne, Stewart, hall, Delaney, Ephraim, Ainsworth (Connoly), Mahon, Rowlands, Blackstock (Leigterwood), Agyemang (Balata).

STATISTICS

Possesion: HC 53%, QPR 47%
Shots on target: HC 7, QPR 5
Off target : HC 4, QPR 1
Corners: HC 6, QPR 3
Fouls: HC 8, QPR 18

THE MATCH

Both teams arrived at the KC looking to extend unbeaten runs, with the Tigers looking for a fifth straight victory. The enforced two week break had given some of the walking wounded within the squad time to recover, enabling Phil Brown to name the same team which had emphatically disposed of Watford a fortnight earlier. Former Tiger Damien Delaney was in the visitors starting line up and he deservedly got a very warm welcome.

Early on and the Tigers were looking nervous, which was in contrast to QPR’s lively approach. This was to be a feature of the half as Rangers did a ‘Hull City’ on us, giving us no space, pressuring us into mistakes and not allowing us to get into our stride at all. This wasn’t the first time this season that we have been made uncomfortable by the physical approach and Patrick Agyemang was torturing Andy Dawson early on.

The visitors took the lead in contentious circumstances in the 9th minute. A low cross was very nearly poked into his own net by Wayne Brown, Dawson under pressure from Dexter Blackstock appeared to have hooked the ball off the line just in time. The assistant referee however, flagged for a goal, despite there being very little claim from QPR. That failed to spark City into life and it was comfortable for Luigi Di Canio’s men for the rest of the half. City offered little in attack. Frazier Campbell couldn’t be expected to do anything with the lofted balls that were coming into him, especially against the collosal Stewart and Hall in the Rangers rearguard. Dean Windass was also too easily marshalled and was having very little impact.

Many fans were expecting Windass to be replaced by Caleb Folan at half time, but the same 11 that finished the first half came out for the second. If there was to be any chance of a comeback, City would surely have to stop hitting long balls as this was playing into Rangers hands. City did try and play a bit more football in the second half, but unfortunatley, the QPR of the last two seasons returned. Constant apparant time-wasting and feigning of injuries meant City could not got any rhythm going. There was also a cynicism to their challenges, however a team at the top of the league, recently renowned for being a good footballing side needs to be able to overcome this robust style of play. Eventually, Folan and Fagan came on for Pedersen and Windass, and the final ten minutes saw City pile on the pressure.

City got the equaliser they just about deserved in the first of five stoppage time minutes with Turner being in the right place to finish a superb low cross. City then looked as though they would snatch it but Campbell mis-connected an attempted volley. The final whistle eventually blew with City relieved to snatch a point that could yet prove vital.

HOW DID HULL CITY PLAY

They struggled with the physical approach of their visitors and had definitley been knocked out of their stride by the enforced break. The long balls they were constantly playing were meat and drink for QPR and we didn’t put any real pressure on them until the final ten minutes. However, character was again evident, and if you can snatch points from games that look beyond you, that is an encouraging sign.

HOW DID QPR PLAY

First half, they emerged with nothing but credit. They did to us what we have done to other teams recently. They harrased us, they bullied us and they didn’t let us play and everything they did they did fairly. Sure, it was a contentious goal but they probably deserved to be in front. Second half was a different story. They displayed a large amount of gamesmanship with deliberate fouls, play-acting and time wasting, particularly goalkeeper Lee Camp who was eventually booked. As was the case last season it cost them as we scored in injury time. Overall, they made no attempt to get the ball down and play, but what they did was effective enough to almost grant them a victory.

REFEREE

G Laws – 6

A little inconsistent. Appeared reluctant to get his yellow card out for most of the game, yet booked Fagan for his first tackle. There may have been a couple of half shouts for a penalty, but he didn’t have any major decisions to make

ATTENDANCE- 22,500 approx.
Down a thousand on the Watford game but still decent turn out.

ATMOSPHERE
Matched the fayre on the pitch. Nervous and frustrated, however whenever there were some grumbles, the crowd did try and get behind them, something that didn’t happen earlier in the season if things were not going well.

HULL MAN OF THE MATCH
Michael Turner – Unpeterbed by the physicality of the Rangers forwards and took his goal like a striker.

QPR MAN OF THE MATCH
Hogan Ephraim – Like last year with Colchester caused us real problems down the wing and put in some dangerous crosses.

RATINGS

Myhill – 6 – Not for the first time this year, let down by his distribution

Ricketts – 6 – One of his tougher games defensively, got forward well in the last 10 minutes.

Turner – 7- Great goal, coped with the physical threats.

Brown – 5 – Poor game. Struggled all afternoon, almost scored an own goal. Probably not fully fit, but was bullied all match

Dawson – 5 – Like Brown was out-muscled and kept giving Agyemang far too much space

Garcia – 5 – Worst game for a while, afternoon curtailed by injury,

Ashbee – 6 – Poor game by the captain’s standards, but determined as ever.

Marney – 5- Anonymous. Game completley bypassed him, thanks in no small part to the arial nature of the game.

Pedersen – 6 – As ineffective as he has been since coming into the side. Outpaced, but didn’t really get chance to run at the opposition.

Windass – 5 – Never in the game, was frustrated and well marshalled.

Campbell – 7 – Never stood a chance with the poor service coming his way, but improved in the second half and was tantalisingly close to a winner.

SUBS –
Folan – 7 – Added pace and a much needed physical prescence

Hughes – 6 – Tried to play the ball to feet

Fagan – 6 – battled well, harshly booked

VERDICT

Not the best performance by any means but the late goal, and a near winner soon after summed up the determination and guile of this City team. For the first time in the run-in we looked nervous and rusty, but no-one can argue with a return of 13 points from 15. QPR are no mugs and come the end of season this may well prove to be a vital point.