Source: Team_Talk
O'Connor makes McLeish feel fine
O'Connor came off the bench to settle a scrappy contest at the KC Stadium by heading home after 75 minutes.[LNB]Injuries had forced McLeish to name just six substitutes for the game and it could have been worse had O'Connor not recovered from a sickness bug.[LNB]McLeish said: "We have had a catalogue of injuries that would absolutely frighten you. We were down to the bare bones.[LNB]"Garry was on his sickbed as well. He was off Thursday and came in Friday and did a little jog.[LNB]"He came in after 10 minutes and the puppy-dog eyes were there - I think he wanted me to send him home.[LNB]"I said, 'You need to come. We'll put you in a car, not the bus, and you can have a single room'.[LNB]"He came down this morning and was bright and bubbly, devoured his breakfast and said he was available if I needed him. I said, 'I really need you'.[LNB]"When he came on you wouldn't have known he had been ill, he was very sharp."[LNB]Birmingham had the better opportunities throughout the game but were frustrated by the performance of Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.[LNB]Myhill produced a number of good saves to deny the visitors, with Christian Benitez and Lee Bowyer thwarted several times between them.[LNB]Ecuador striker Benitez, who sported a bandage after an early clash of heads that required stitches, looked particularly lively on his first league start.[LNB]McLeish added: "I thought the wee man came alive when he got a head knock.[LNB]"He was finding his feet and the big fellas were knocking him about.[LNB]"But he came back on and showed the type of character he is. He was willing to do his bit and became very dangerous in the game.[LNB]"We felt if we played the right type of game and tried to get dominance in midfield we could get opportunities.[LNB]"I felt we did that today but there is still work to be done. We are a work in progress."[LNB]Hull manager Phil Brown put his side's defeat down to a lack of concentration and admitted, with just four points from six games, confidence is low.[LNB]Brown said: "Birmingham put in a shift, a performance worthy of frustrating the home opposition.[LNB]"They gained confidence from the fact we were giving the ball away cheaply in the first half.[LNB]"Myhill was the busier of the two goalkeepers so I suppose Alex will be saying he deserved it.[LNB]"We could have got something from it. We had the opportunity but didn't take it.[LNB]"For someone to walk into our six-yard box and get a free header needs to be looked at.[LNB]"Confidence levels are now low and they need picking up."[LNB]Hull produced a strong finish and hit the crossbar late on, while Stephen Hunt was also denied a penalty.[LNB]Brown said: "I don't want it to sound like sour grapes but it looks a stonewall certainty to me. But I'm bound to say that now we have lost 1-0."[LNB]Brown added that he is hopeful midfielder Geovanni will soon commit to a new contract.[LNB][LNB][LNB]
