Brown - We were unlucky

04 May 2009 23:08
Hull City manager Phil Brown believes that his side were unlucky to lose 1-0 against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Monday.[LNB] A John Carew strike after 34 minutes gave the hosts all three points as they condemned the Tigers to their eighth game without a win.[LNB]City, despite a bright start, were second best for much of the first half but came out fighting in the second period as they pressed for an equaliser.[LNB]Villa held firm however and Brown was left to rue missed opportunities as his side squandered the chance to pull six points clear of the drop zone.[LNB]"The players showed a lot to try and get back into the game," he told Sky Sports News.[LNB]"Obviously the goal we conceded was a poor goal from our point of view. We gave the ball away on the edge of our box and they think the goal was offside.[LNB]"Some days you get them but I don't think it was offside but some days you will get them.[LNB]"At 1-0 at any stage of any game you have always got a chance and the last 10 to 15 minutes when we got decent quality balls into the box we looked to have them on the back foot a little bit.[LNB]"Andy Dawson's free-kick which Brad Friedel smothers that is a free header and that should be a goal from our point of view and then we walk away with a point and a deserved point.[LNB]Chances"You know we have had 13 shots at goal against Aston Villa, 13 chances to score and we haven't.[LNB]"Give them a bit of credit, they have thrown bodies at the ball and blocked it. That's the second time they have come away 1-0 winners and not deserved it."[LNB]If fighting for relegation was not enough to contend with Brown now has to deal with infighting amongst his players.[LNB]Strikers Geovanni and Daniel Cousin were at loggerheads for most of the first half and needed to be separated when walking off the pitch at half-time.[LNB]The Brazilian was subsequently substituted at the interval with Nicky Barmby taking his place but Brown dismissed that the coming together influenced the change. [LNB]"It was no reflection on what they were saying," he added.[LNB]"I've no idea what was being said but it's because they care. As far as I was concerned it was a tactical change.[LNB]Difference"I was always going to use fresh legs at some stage of the game and if the game stayed tight at 1-0 there's always a chance and Nick Barmby came on and made a difference."[LNB]The defeat means that the Tigers' next Premier League clash at home to Stoke takes on mammoth proportions as Brown looks to lead his club to safety.[LNB]"As everyone says we take each game as it comes and the next game is a massive game," he explains.[LNB]"I thought that this weekend was a massive weekend. We knew what we had to do tonight and we didn't get what we deserved.[LNB]"However we take the commitment to the next game against Stoke City at the KC Stadium and for me that's winnable."[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports