Source: Daily_Mail
Birmingham 0 Hull 0: Haunted Ian Dowie is happy for the Tigers to play it safe
Perhaps it was Iain Dowie's heartache from a previous relegation, or perhaps he was looking at the bigger picture. But he was comfortable in his conservatism. [LNB]Hull's stand-in boss described this as 'a big point'. Following the hammering to his side's confidence last week against Burnley it probably was.[LNB]But with Alex McLeish's hardy warriors running short of energy, here was an opportunity to grab the relegation struggle by the scruff of the neck.[LNB] Making a claim: Hull and Birmingham fought out a goalless draw that did little for the aspirations of either side[LNB]MATCH FACTS BIRMINGHAM (4-4-2): Hart; Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell; Gardner, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey (Larsson 63min); McFadden (Phillips 60), Jerome. Subs (not used): Taylor, Benitez, Michel, Parnaby, Vignal.[LNB]HULL (4-2-3-1): Duke; McShane, Sonko, Mouyokolo, Dawson; Boateng, Cairney; Fagan, Bullard, Kilbane; Vennegoor of Hesselink (Altidore 75). Subs (not used): Myhill, Barmby, Geovanni, Marney, Cooper, Olofinjana.[LNB]Referee: M Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear). [LNB]With a five-man midfield blanket having stifled Birmingham, Dowie chose not to go for broke in the final quarter. Hull did enjoy two of the better chances, but what if he had gambled?[LNB]In fairness, the former Crystal Palace boss still wakes in a cold sweat when he thinks of the day his side lost their top-flight battle atCharlton five years ago. One extra point would have saved them that day.[LNB]'I understand what you are saying,' he said when quizzed, although atthat time he could not have predicted relegation rivals Wigan would getthree points against Arsenal. 'But we made the change and then had two good chances late on.[LNB]'Clean sheets are important. You know that day at Charlton still hangs over me. I think about it even now, yes. It's a game of such smallmargins. We need to make sure we build on this clean sheet, that's key.[LNB]'We have got three of our last four games at home. It's a big point but we'll only know how big when that final bell tolls.'[LNB]Lee Bowyer said it was a measure of Birmingham's campaign that at thestart of the season this would have been a six-pointer while boss McLeish said his team's performance over the course of the season is a personal managerial highlight.[LNB]What would put a seal on it for Birmingham's supporters would be the ending of a run of five straight defeats against Aston Villa next week, particularly as McLeish's last visit there two years ago ended in a five-goal thumping.[LNB][LNB] Birmingham 0 Hull 0: Dowie delight as Tigers bounce back from humiliationOne Hull of an injury problem: Hunt ruled out for Tigers' relegation scrapBirmingham seek right of appeal over High Court ruling on Carson Yeung's unpaid £2.2mHULL CITY FC
