Saturday, November 29, 2008

Stoke 1-1 Hull

By Ian Hughes

Ricardo Fuller (left) scored Stoke's equaliser
Fuller (left) scored Stoke's equaliser in a keenly contested match

Ricardo Fuller's penalty cancelled out Marlon King's first-half strike at a very foggy Britannia Stadium.

Stoke showed the greater early ambition but could only manage tame efforts from Fuller and Mamade Sidibe.

Hull took the lead with their first shot, King putting the ball in the top corner from eight yards.

Boaz Myhill saved a Fuller header but brought down the striker later in the game, the Jamaican stroking home the spot-kick to salvage a draw.

It was a fair scoreline as neither side were able to exert their authority on the game or create many chances.

For a while, it seemed the match might be more notable for Hull's novel approach to coping with Rory Delap's long throw-ins.

When he geared up to launch the ball into the box, Hull substitute Dean Windass deliberately ran down the touchline and started warming up next to him, hoping to be an unwelcome distraction.

The second time Windass tried the tactic, he was booked by the referee.

It meant that Hull had to defend a second-half Delap throw-in without the substitute's help - and they almost conceded, Myhill producing a superb low save to keep out Fuller's header.

Stoke were chasing an equaliser at the time, having fallen behind just before half-time when Hull threatened for the first time.

Sam Rickett's free-kick was nodded on twice before the ball fell to King, who smacked the ball into the top corner.

Stoke would probably have felt hard done by after doing most of the pressing, though they failed to carve out any clear-cut chances.

A Fuller shot that went wide and a Sidibe header, easily saved by Myhill, were all they had to show for their superior possession and territorial advantage.

The hosts looked far more incisive after the break, and Delap was inches away from converting Michael Tonge's low cross to the back post.

Soon after Myhill had saved Fuller's header, the keeper was judged to have tripped the striker as he burst between two defenders.

Fuller stepped up to take the penalty himself, striking the penalty low to his right. Myhill got a hand to the ball but could not stop it from crossing the goalline.

Stoke might have claimed a win, but Fuller's close-range effort lacked power and failed to beat Myhill.


Hull manager Phil Brown:
"We stood up to them physically which you have to do when you play Stoke.

"We are three games undefeated in the Premier League albeit that they are three draws.

"The refereeing decision which gave them their equaliser has cost us two points.

"But I am disappointed we did not play as well as we can."


Stoke: Sorensen, Griffin, Abdoulaye Faye, Cort, Higginbotham, Soares (Tonge 62), Amdy Faye, Diao, Delap, Sidibe, Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Olofinjana, Whelan, Cresswell, Dickinson, Sonko.

Booked: Griffin, Diao.

Goals: Fuller 73 pen.

Hull: Myhill, McShane, Turner, Zayatte, Ricketts, Marney, Boateng (Cousin 78), Ashbee, Barmby (Halmosi 69), Geovanni (Garcia 90), King.
Subs Not Used: Duke, Windass, Mendy, Giannakopoulos.

Booked: Windass, Myhill, Zayatte.

Goals: King 45.

Att: 27,500

Ref: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).


BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match on 90 minutes: Hull's Kamil Zayatte 8.13 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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