Bruce credits team after Sagbo red

25 August 2013 09:17

Hull manager Steve Bruce criticised red-carded striker Yannick Sagbo for a "stupid" rush of blood to the head - but praised his remaining 10 men for holding out to secure a 1-0 win over Norwich.

Ivory Coast international Sagbo had won the penalty that saw Hull score through Robbie Brady - a decision labelled "incredibly soft" by Canaries boss Chris Hughton - but minutes later was sent off after he clashed with Russell Martin.

It left Hull to play with 10 men for more than an hour but they held out for a deserved three points.

Bruce said: "The boy was silly - it was a rush of blood. He's done something stupid but we have got away with it today.

"I don't know whether it had anything to do with the penalty. It's one of them when they are both grappling with each other and he has put his head there.

"He hasn't headbutted him but he has gone through the action and when you are 10 yards away from the referee you are going to be red-carded and rightly so. It was stupid."

Bruce said the challenge by Michael Turner on Sagbo had been "clumsy" but admitted: "We have seen them given and not given at other times."

He added: "We have done fantastically well to hang on and defend for our life. The sheer will to hang onto the result was evident for everybody to see.

"The goalkeeper has made a couple of saves but they couldn't really create the chance that they wanted which we are delighted about.

"All credit to the players to have the legs and the attitude to get the points."

Source: PA