Source: Team_Talk
Bostock inspires Tigers to victory
John Bostock inspired Hull to a 2-0 home victory over Swansea as the Tigers made a winning start to life back in the Championship.[LNB] Bostock, signed on the eve of the campaign on a loan from Tottenham, laid the foundations for victory by rattling home a stunning 30-yard strike to help Nigel Pearson mark his first game in charge with a win.[LNB]Returning captain Ian Ashbee made the points safe in the 49th minute, punishing Dorus De Vries' error, as new Swans boss Brendan Rodgers began his new job with a defeat.[LNB]Swansea dominated the opening stages, with David Cotterill rattling a free-kick against the bar, but Bostock helped his team shake off any relegation induced hangover following demotion from the Premier League.[LNB]The Tigers were without Craig Fagan and James Harper, while the saga surrounding the jettisoned Jimmy Bullard saw the midfielder left out of the squad altogether.[LNB]Nolberto Solano was handed his Tigers debut at right-back and Ashbee made his first start since recovering from a career-threatening knee injury last year.[LNB]Swansea were dealt an immediate blow when first-choice right-back Angel Rangel was forced out of the starting line-up, so Albert Serran came in as a last-minute replacement.[LNB]But they started brightly and had sight of Matt Duke's goal following a smart move down the left flank, although a linesman's flag prevented Cotterill from letting rip.[LNB]Both sides fielded like-for-like 4-5-1 formations but the visitors seized possession amid a congested midfield and started to spray the ball around the park as Hull laboured.[LNB]But Bostock ensured there were signs of life in the Tigers as he crashed a shot just wide of De Vries' upright with a driven effort from 25 yards.[LNB]Cotterill continued to pose problems and his free-kick almost brought a goal as he curled one onto the angle.[LNB]But agonisingly for Rodgers, Hull took the lead moments later against the run of play.[LNB]Bostock - determined to make an impact on his debut - found a rare moment of time and space in midfield. He swivelled, carried the ball forward before unleashing a piledriver into the top corner that left De Vries grasping thin air.[LNB]Pearson's team now had the edge and began to impose themselves on Swansea, with Anthony Gardner somehow heading over from six yards from Richard Garcia's corner just before the interval.[LNB]Swansea needed to respond in the early stages of the second half but they made the worse possible start by falling further behind.[LNB]The industry of Garcia won his side a corner and when the Australian whipped the ball in, De Vries could only fumble the ball into the path of Ashbee.[LNB]The skipper made no mistake to lash home the volley with the net unattended to mark a memorable return to the side.[LNB]Rodgers made a double change to reinvigorate his team, bringing on Shefki Kuqi and Andrea Orlandi on the hour, and the latter nearly pulled one back when his header was saved by Duke.[LNB]But Hull held firm to earn a clean sheet and a well-deserved victory.