Hull 1 City 2 – Boxing Day 2006
What a refreshing change! When I was asked by The Observer the other week for my view of the Barnsley game, I said that City appeared to have no passion or urgency about them, and this has been true for so many games.
However, the game against Hull was probably the best one I’ve seen this season. They started as if they really wanted to win and only some stout defending by Hull stopped them scoring on several occasions.
In the first five minutes Hammond was hacked down and the defender wasn’t even booked, although he was sent off in the second half. Even when Hull scored against the run of play, on the stroke of half-time, I didn’t think – as I have done so often this season – that that was the end of the story. I expected them to turn it around, at least to get a point, and they did not disappoint. I can’t remember the last time I was so enthusiastic about a City side.
Stephen Hughes was a vast improvement on Low (although how could he be anything else?!) and Williams is improving with every game. Porter was his usual busy self and even Hammond – whom I often accuse of being lazy and not appearing to be involved in the game at all – was a constant threat….
Hume has still to find his form from last season but there were encouraging signs that Fryatt is getting back to his old self. (In The Times before the season began, it said that he is the best striker outside the Premiership, but sadly his performances so far do not show this.)
The defence was almost rock solid and McAuley gets better and better; McCarthy is going to struggle to get his place back at this rate. I don’t think there was a single player who failed to deliver and what a change it made.
I was impressed with the stadium, which I had not visited before; I have never seen a football ground that incorporated a library! Hull’s result against Cardiff was obviously a one-off, but – to quote the old cliché – you can only play as well as the opposition will allow you to. And City never let them settle – more please!
This game really gives me optimism for the future, but the players must maintain the same pressure in every game, for 90 minutes (or however long the game lasts). Talking of which, where did the fourth official get four minutes of added time at the end of the second half?
Well done lads, you made this hard-to-please fan very proud of you!
Williams celebrates his fantastic winner (picture courtesy of Raymonds/lcfc.com)
Leicester: Henderson, Maybury (Stearman 85), Johansson, McAuley, Kisnorbo, Porter, Williams, Hughes, Tiatto (Wesolowski 72), Hume (Fryatt 66), Hammond.
Subs Not Used: Logan, McCarthy. Booked: Johansson. Goals: Kisnorbo 55, Williams 68.
Hull: Myhill, Ricketts, Coles, Delaney, Dawson (Elliott 83), France (Forster 64), Ashbee, Livermore, Marney, Bridges (Parkin 68), Fagan.
Subs Not Used: Duke, Turner. Sent Off: Coles (72). Booked: Ashbee, Marney. Goals: Fagan 45.
Att: 18,523. Ref: L Mason (Lancashire).
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation