Source: Team_Talk
Pearson hopeful of promotion challenge
Hull manager Nigel Pearson remains confident his side can challenge for promotion this season following a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest.[LNB] In a match of few chances at the KC, Jimmy Bullard went close for City and Forest striker Robert Earnshaw had an effort ruled out for offside.[LNB]The stalemate left both sides on eight points after seven matches but only four points adrift of sixth-placed Swansea.[LNB]Pearson believes City can pick up after a steady start to the campaign.[LNB]"The league is so compact and we're still not far away despite a less-than-perfect start," he said.[LNB]"I'm still optimistic we can be involved in the promotion shake-up.[LNB]"We have to score more goals, and on the road we have to be more difficult to beat.[LNB]"On the face of it a nil-nil draw sounds a bit drab, but I've seen some very good signs in the past week and a half and I saw more good things today.[LNB]"There have been a lot of changes this year, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We'll continue to develop as a team."[LNB]On-loan Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala produced another impressive display and Pearson was delighted with his composure.[LNB]"For a lad who's 19 years old, he's done very well. I've seen plenty of defenders who like to look good rather than be good.[LNB]"He knows what to do and he's settled in very well. He has a very good manner about him."[LNB]Pearson admitted that a draw had been a fair result.[LNB]"We were by far best side in first half and maybe they shaded it in the second half.[LNB]"They made it more difficult for us to play by changing their shape and that nullified what we were doing.[LNB]"Both sides could have won it but I'm not sure either side deserved to win it.[LNB]"I was very pleased with our resilience and I never felt that we were overly stretched. They had a lot of set plays and that will always be a test."[LNB]Forest boss Billy Davies also drew encouragement from his side's share of the spoils.[LNB]He said: "It was an excellent away performance and we're now six undefeated.[LNB]"Early on we gave them too much possession, but once we changed things there was only one team in it.[LNB]"We didn't use the width of the pitch in the opening 25 minutes, but once we did I think we dominated the match.[LNB]"In the second half we played very well and created some excellent chances.[LNB]"I think we deserved all three points and our second-half play deserved more than we got."[LNB]Davies also lamented a lack of luck, as well as a bad miss from Luke Chambers, who headed wide from three yards in the second half.[LNB]"We had a glaring miss from Chambers and I'd like to see the offside goal (from Robert Earnshaw)," Davies said.[LNB]"I'm not concerned about the number of draws so far. This season we have picked up draws like tonight when we've played very well, and we have looked very well organised.[LNB]"Hull City, who have just come down from the Premier League with a huge wage bill, have come up against a side that's still learning.[LNB]"We're very unfortunate to be sitting with as many draws as we have, but we just need to be a bit more clinical."
