Source: Daily_Mail
Hull 1 Birmingham 1: Brilliant Boaz finally beaten by super sub O'Connor
Alex McLeish was so short of players for the trip to troubled Hull that he had summon Garry O'Connor from his sickbed to sit on a depleted subs' bench.
And in the 75th minute the Birmingham manager was rewarded for his decision to call on O'Connor's services.
Keith Fahey sent over a corner, Hull's defence dithered and O'Connor, who had been on the field for 15 minutes, provided the killer blow in the form of a bullet-like header.
Vennegoor of Hesselink of Hull City in action with Stephen Carr of Birmingham
Gritty battle: Stephen Carr shows no mercy on Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
Having come into the game with just six replacements, McLeish had every reason to feel proud of his men for securing the club's first away points of the season.
Phil Brown, in contrast, was seething: 'What concerns me is the mentality of players defending set-pieces and that comes down to individuals,' he said.
'For someone to walk into our six-yard box and get a free header has to be addressed. When Birmingham come here with six subs and have 10 injured players, obviously there is an opportunity - but we didn't take it.'
Garry O'Connor celebrates after scoring with team mate Barry Ferguson
High and mighty: Garry O'Connor celebrates after scoring with team mate Barry Ferguson
McLeish could afford a wry smile as he looked back on the moment he persuaded O'Connor to travel. 'Garry was on his sickbed on Thursday, came in on Friday for a 20-minute jog and some fresh air, then looked at me with puppy-dog eyes, probably hoping to go home. He had a stomach bug, which he had picked up through his family, so it was contagious.
'I told him we would put him in a car instead of him travelling on the coach, and then we would give him a single room when he got here. This morning he came down bright and bubbly, devoured his breakfast and said he was available. I said he was really needed.'
Super sub: Garry O'Connor
Super sub: Garry O'Connor beats the massed Hull defence to head home the winner
And once Christian 'Chucho' Benitez had battled manfully for the best part of an hour with four stitches in a headwound, it was clear the tough guy from Ecuador needed some help up front. Enter O'Connor.
'It was a fantastic win,' added McLeish. 'We came here with 16 outfield players but I knew we had a pretty good team out on the pitch.'
Hull boss Brown claimed his side should have had a spot-kick when Stephen Hunt was floored. 'It looked like a stonewall penalty to me,' Brown insisted.
Hull captain Ibrahima Sonko also hit the bar in the closing stages but McLeish's men somehow survived.
It could be a long season for Hull but Birmingham will stay up if they show this sort of spirit.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1214594/Hull-0-Birmingham-1-Brilliant-Boaz-finally-beaten-super-sub-OConnor.html#ixzz0Rg6EVjQT
