Hull City v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Football League Championship

Hull City :
Duke, Zayatte, Dawson, Gerrard, Ayala, Rosenior, Harper, Kilbane (Garcia 61), Cairney, Cullen (Barmby 72), Simpson (Bostock 61).
Subs not used:
Mannone, Cooper, Devitt, Solano.

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Byrne, Raynes, Nolan, Canavan, Togwell, Woolford (Grant 80), O'Connor, J.Wright, Dagnall (Forte 67), Sears (Collins 90+1).
Subs not used:
Warner, McClenahan, McDonald, Cowan-Hall.

SULSESC REPORT

by Hull City official website at KC Stadium

Struggling Hull City were undone in the final minute of the Humber Derby as they lost 1-0 to Scunthorpe United at the KC Stadium.

With City pushing forward in search of a winner, they were caught on the break as Michael O'Connor's 90th-minute strike earned the Iron victory.

City made four changes to the side that started at Barnsley last weekend.

Daniel Ayala returned from suspension in place of the injured Paul McShane while James Harper made his first start for the club as a replacement for Jamie Devitt in midfield.

Up front, Jay Simpson and Mark Cullen were paired together in place of Nick Barmby and Rowan Vine, who has returned to Queens Park Rangers following his loan stint.

Andy Dawson skippered the Tigers against his old club while former City goalkeeper Tony Warner was on the bench for Scunthorpe.

City pressed early with full-backs Dawson and Liam Rosenior (on his home debut) providing crosses from wide while the visitors threatened when O'Connor delivered a free kick to the back post where Niall Canavan headed over.

Harper saw his effort from range deflected over for a corner, giving City a chance to push men forward.

Tom Cairney's delivery eventually found Kevin Kilbane on the edge of the box and when he fed Rosenior to his right, the cross was gathered by goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

Canavan picked up the first booking of the game on 15 minutes after charging late into the back of Cairney.

Scunthorpe's next attack saw them break at pace and when O'Connor crossed from the right, Freddie Sears could only fire over Matt Duke's crossbar.

Dawson's superb ball in from the left on 26 minutes deserved a reward, but neither Cullen nor Harper could get on the end of it.

Kevin Kilbane was the first City player to go into the book after a challenge on Josh Wright.

Although hard, Kilbane's tackle appeared to win the ball but the referee didn't agree.

Scunthorpe left back Eddie Nolan was cautioned a few moments later for dissent after going down under Harper's firm challenge.

Things were starting to get a little feisty and Rosenior was left needing treatment after a tackle from Nolan went unpunished.

Cullen was in with a chance two minutes before half time after getting past Cliff Byrne, but he dragged a shot just wide of the far post.

Half Time: Tigers 0-0 Scunthorpe

Cairney had City's first shooting opportunity of the second half, but he curled one over from 20 yards.

At the other end, Chris Dagnall saw his shot on the turn deflect just wide while a few minutes later, Duke got down well to push Nolan's shot away.

Zayatte was booked for a foul on O'Connor as he looked to halt a quick Iron break.

City had a let-off on 57 minutes when Sears got his cross wrong, saw the ball come back off the angle of post and bar and then looked on as Dagnall blasted the rebound over.

Scunthorpe hit the woodwork again a minute later, Martyn Woolford cutting in from the right before firing across Duke and against the far post.

A double change followed for City with Richard Garcia and John Bostock replacing Kilbane and Simpson.

Duke was forced to tip over Sam Togwell's looping header as the visitors continued to try and force the issue.

Garcia had a great chance on 68 minutes after being played in by Cullen, but goalkeeper Murphy managed to get just enough on the ball to prevent the Australian's effort from finding the net.

At the other end, Duke saved well from Sears.

Canavan missed a glorious chance after being left unmarked at a corner, the defender somehow heading O'Connor's delivery wide at the far post.

City's final change saw Barmby replace Cullen.

Dawson almost saw his intervention of O'Connor's cross result in an own goal, but Duke was alert enough to dive to his right and keep the ball out.

The City keeper made an even better save on 79 minutes, keeping out a low drive from Sears.

City then somehow failed to take the lead when Barmby squared for Harper.

He only had Murphy to beat but gave the keeper the easiest save possible and there was no hiding place for the midfielder as he took the abuse from the home crowd.

Moments later, Scunthorpe captain Cliff Byrne had to be dragged away from a confrontation with Barmby after being left bloodied in a challenge.

City were now looking the more likely and Murphy reacted well to prevent Byrne's attempted clearance landing in his own net.

Bostock saw his 25-yarder deflect just wide with Murphy beaten while Anthony Gerrard's back-post header from the resulting corner just failed to reach Barmby for a tap-in on the line.

But with City caught forward, Scunthorpe hit them on the break to claim all three points in the final minute.

The ball was eventually squared to O'Connor who beat Duke with a low drive from just inside the box.

As Scunthorpe celebrated the win, Iron captain Byrne embarrassed himself by taunting Barmby and Gerrard, the City duo doing well not to react more than they did.

The defeat extended the Tigers current run to seven games without a win, leaving them out of the bottom three on goal difference only.