Hull City 1 – 0 Peterborough United
Location: KC Stadium
Date: 14th January, 2012
Attendance: 18,074
Nick Barmby took charge of Hull for the first time since being named permanent manager hoping to stop a run of 3 league defeats that all finished 1-0.
Posh were in a confident mood as they were on a 5 League game unbeaten run but the starting line-up came as a surprise to many with Scott Wootton and Paul Taylor dropping down to the subs bench with Danny Kearns and Joe Newell getting the nod to start.
It was Posh who started the game the stronger side and within two minutes, Emile Sinclair had an opportunity with just the keeper to beat but his lob was just finger-tipped away for a corner by the on-loan goalkeeper Mannone.
Moments later, Sinclair was played in again but just as he rounded the keeper, defender James Chester made an excellent last ditch clearance. Two excellent chances for Sinclair inside ten minutes but, in all honesty, he could do no more than did.
Lee Tomlin was next up but his shot from 25 yards after just seven minutes went wide of the target.
It was all Posh for the first 10 to 15 minutes before Hull settled down and started to get into the game. It took twelve minutes before Hull created their first real opportunity, but Cameron Stewart`s effort didn`t trouble Joe Lewis in goal as the ball went past his right hand post.
Posh couldn`t keep the early pressure up and both teams were rather poor which is surprising especially as Hull are in a play-off position. One piece of poor passing from Posh ended with one piece of quality though. Joe Newell`s poor effort to find George Boyd presented the ball to Hull. Former Posh forward Aaron McLean squared the ball to Robert KOREN who fired an unstoppable shot on the half-volley from 25 yards which whizzed past Lewis and into the corner of the goal.
Posh could`ve and probably should`ve had not one but two penalties before the end of the first half.
First, Lee Tomlin appeared to be a couple of yards inside the area when he was fouled. Referee Madley did blow for the foul, but awarded a free-kick outside the area!
If that wasn`t bad enough, a more blatant penalty should`ve been awarded a minute before half time when right back Mark Little played in Danny Kearns but as he took a touch of the ball, Hull keeper Mannone cleaned him out completely without touching the ball. Amazingly, the referee awarded a goal kick!! A massive blunder by a promising young referee!
The referee is supposed to have a big future at the top of the game but although he was getting all the small fouls and easy decisions correct, he got the major decisions horribly wrong. I hope he reviews his decisions in this game to see where he is getting things right and what he blatantly got wrong if he wants to referee at the very top.
Just before the half time whistle, Lewis had to have his wits about him as former Nottingham Forest player Paul McKenna hit a goal-bound effort which he managed to beat away with three Hull players waiting to pounce. Robert Koren was one of these and his shot was also saved by Lewis who did excellently making this double save.
Half-time: Hull City 1 – 0 Peterborough United
Both teams started the second half unchanged from the first and it was Posh who had the first effort of the half. A good move by Posh, presented Tomlin with an effort but his curling shot went straight at the keeper.
Neither side were playing well and things had to change if Posh were to get anything out of this game. Paul Taylor entered the field of play replacing youngster Joe Newell after 55 minutes.
Hull were next to make changes less than ten minutes after Posh, taking off goal scorer Koren and front man Matty Fryatt, bringing on Dudgeon and Brady.
Aaron McLean`s solo effort was all the difference between these two teams when they met at London Road earlier in the season and he nearly managed to score against his former employers after 65 minutes but he fired over the bar.
McLean did manage to get the ball in the back of the net moments later but Evans was adjudged to have fouled Lewis in the goal which Evans was shown a yellow card for.
Hull were pressing Posh more whenever Posh had the ball, just as Sunderland successfully did last week. This forced Posh into more and more misplaced passes and a poor touch from Craig Alcock, playing at left back in this match, presented Stewart with another effort but his shot went just past the post.
Robbie Brady came closest to scoring as his shot from distance took a deflection off Gaby Zakuani and hit the inside of the post but the ball bounced away from goal.
Posh finished the game the stronger side but didn`t really create anything other than a weak 20-yard right footed shot from George Boyd.
With six minutes remaining, Sinclair made way for Nicky Ajose who came on for only his second appearance for the club and his first since limping out injured on the opening day of the season.
The last real effort at goal by either team fell to Aaron McLean but his curling shot was safely beaten away by Lewis in goal who had another good game between the sticks.
Full-time: Hull City 1 – 0 Peterborough United
POST MATCH QUOTES
Read quotes from both Nick Barmby and Darren Ferguson – Hull v Posh – The Managers Viewpoint
Vital Posh Viewpoint
How times have changed!
Two seasons ago, we wouldn`t have thought we`d trouble a team in the play-off positions of the npower Championship but this season, we are in a completely different position.
Having only been beaten by more than a single goal once this season, Posh have proved to everyone that they deserve to be in this league. Going into this game on a five game unbeaten League run, Posh players, management and fans were confident that we could get something out of this game and although we didn`t play that well, we certainly played well enough to get at least a draw out of this game.
Our defence were largely untroubled but it is creating of chances and scoring the goals that we should now concentrate on as this has been poor for more than a few games.
Although we went into this game on a back of 5 unbeaten League games, this defeat means that we haven`t won for four games! This is something we must turn around in the next couple of matches which we have at home.
Are we missing Grant McCann or is it because of his absence that we have tightened things up at the back?
Should Fergie look to strengthen the squad before the transfer window shuts at the end of this month?
Add your comments and thoughts below or on the Forum.
DON’T FORGET YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOUR MAN OF THE MATCH.
UP THE POSH!
Follow me on Twitter: @mwl1967
Photos courtesy of www.theposhpics.com
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