Palace 1 – 1 Hull City

Hull City continued their recent good form by picking up an away point at Crystal Palace. The Tigers are now unbeaten in four after managing a draw having fallen behind. Carl Fletcher’s twenty yard strike had given Boaz Myhill no chance but City levelled when Dean Marney’s corner was headed in by skipper Ian Ashbee. After the match, Crystal Palace fans bemoaned the tactics of Peter Taylor, questioning his teams motivation to sit back and defend rather than score more goals. Have we heard that somewhere before?

Phil Brown was forced into one change as the suspended David Livermore was replaced in midfield by Ryan France. Making his second debut for the club, Dean Windass started on the bench as Phil Brown kept faith with the strikers that had impressed in the F.A Cup replay against Middlesbrough. Crystal Palace gave starts to both Stuart Green and Leon Cort.

The game started very slowly with neither side registering an effort on goal until the half hour mark. When the opportunity did arise, it was former Tigers defender Leon Cort who saw his header cleared off the line by Ryan France. Mark Kennedy then set up Dougie Freedman who sent a header over the bar.

When City did venture forward, Stephen McPhee was booked for diving in the area. Whilst running for the ball, the players hamstring appeared to give way, accounting for his fall to the ground. Unfortunately the referee didn’t agree but with McPhee being substituted with a hamstring injury two minutes later, the truth was evident.

Dean Windass was then brought on for his second Hull City debut in place of the injured Stephen McPhee. His debut almost started sensationally. A long range free-kick from Windass crashed back off the Palace bar and with the goal gaping in-front, Forster smashed the rebound over the bar.

The Tigers went in level at half-time after a first-half that had produced few chances for either side.

Crystal Palace started positively at the start of the half and took the lead six minutes in. McAnuff’s trickery down the left saw the ball pulled back for Fletcher who gave Myhill no chance from twenty-five yards out.

Shefki Kuqi almost doubled the lead immediately but he saw his header go over after beating the offside trap. Nicky Forster was then sent clear but instead of aiming across goal, the veteran striker shot into the side netting of the near post.

City then levelled with just under twenty minutes to play. Marney’s corner from the right was headed in to the far corner by skipper Ian Ashbee.

City weren’t about to sit back and be content for a draw as they pushed for a winner. Despite Leon Cort again going close, Jon Parkin forced Flinders into a good save whilst Windass headed over from the resulting corner.

For the second time in the game, Windass was denied a dream debut by watching his header from an Andy Dawson cross crash back off the Palace crossbar. The game completed its final minutes as the draw was played out.

The draw moved Phil Brown’s men above Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town who both lost their home fixtures. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Barnsley picked up three valuable points meaning that although City climbed to nineteenth, they now remain only two points above the relegation zone.