Source: Telegraph
Hull City 2 Manchester City 1: match report
Once again Wayne Bridge came off second best, and it was this result, rather than the barracking he got from the stands, which will cause him more discomfort. [LNB]It was a thoroughly inept performance from Manchester City, only finding their game in the final third of the match and almost burgling a point their play scarcely deserved. [LNB]Hull City 1 Bolton Wanderers 0: match reportFor Hull, meanwhile, three heroic home performances in a row have finally borne fruit. They could have earned maximum points against Wolves and Chelsea but came away with draws both times. This display, though, was the most impressive of them all. [LNB]They started with intent, looking to exploit the gaps left behind the marauding Pablo Zabaleta and Wayne Bridge, and both of Manchester City's centre backs had stumbled into Phil Dowd's book within the first 20 minutes. [LNB]First, Jozy Altidore's surging run was only halted by a lunging Touré on the edge of the area. Then Dederycj Boyata was also cautioned when he failed to match Altidore's neat trap and turn on the left-hand side. [LNB]Altidore was having a storming half. His opportunistic forays into the left channel were a particular threat, and he could have crafted Hull's opener when he nodded down a Stephen Hunt centre, but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's shot speared just wide. [LNB]Instead, it was the American himself who opened the scoring on the half-hour. Vennegoor of Hesselink resisted Touré as he controlled George [LNB]Boateng's pass and laid the ball off for Altidore. The finish, a curling shot past Shay Given's left hand from 18 yards, was pinpoint. [LNB]Manchester City, meanwhile, were creating little in the final third. Wayne Bridge was having a low-key game on his high-profile return, but he could have levelled on the cusp of half-time when his shot from an angle was beaten away by Boaz Myhill from in front of his face. [LNB]Early in the second half, though, Hull went 2-0 up. Stephen Hunt's corner, a dangerous inswinger from the right, was headed clear by Touré. [LNB]Only to George Boateng though, and when he swung a left boot at the ball, it flew with such speed that Given was a helpless bystander. [LNB]As the net bulged, Boateng dropped to his 34-year-old knees and soaked up the adulation of a stadium in raptures. It was his first goal in over two years. [LNB]Roberto Mancini's level of anxiety can generally be discerned from how far forward he stands, and for parts of the second half the Manchester City manager was almost on the left wing. [LNB]The Italian brought Adam Johnson on for his debut, and belatedly the visitors belatedly swung into action. Emmanuel Adebayor headed wide from a Carlos Tévez cross; Tévez had a shot palmed behind by Myhill. [LNB]Eventually, the dam broke. From a Johnson corner, Touré's back-heel was blocked, but in the mêlée the ball fell to the feet of Adebayor, who could hardly miss from six yards. [LNB]Finally, Manchester City began to click. Gareth Barry enjoyed some extra room as Hull's midfield duo dropped back. Patrick Vieira came on for his first appearance and managed to get booked within 16 minutes. Barry pulled the ball back, but an off-camber Tévez could only shoot straight at Myhill. [LNB]But although they pushed, Hull held firm and the roar from the home fans on the full-time whistle could have lifted the KC Stadium off its hinges. [LNB]
