Hull City 2 Manchester City 1: Jozy Altidore on fire as Tigers climb clear

06 February 2010 23:09
Time was when a performance like this would have had Phil Brown loosening his vocal chords. But there was not even a peep out of the Hull manager after his team's first League victory in 11 matches. [LNB]Brown felt it more appropriate to allow his seasoned No 2, Brian Horton, to bask in the glory of a fully-deserved success against a club he managed for two years in the Nineties. [LNB]Asked for a comment about his former club's shoddy offering, Horton replied: 'They played as well as we allowed them. We didn't let them in the game.' [LNB] Thunderbolt: Geroge Boateng fires a priceless winner for Hull[LNB]Told Hull had climbed to the dizzy heights of 14th place in the Premier League table, he observed: 'It's difficult to get out of the bottom three and there's a long way to go yet. But if we show the same passion, desire, spirit and application between now and the end of the season, we'll be all right.' [LNB]Maybe Roberto Mancini has not been at Eastlands long enough to get out the hair dryer. The Blues boss suggested his team improved as the game went on. He was right, but for players who pick up the equivalent of a decent Lottery win in wages each week, this was not good enough. [LNB]Manchester City looked as far away from the top four as Hull did from the bottom three. Goals by Jozy Altidore and George Boateng gave Hull breathing space and although Emanuel Adebayor pulled one back, there was no denying the merits of Hull's victory.[LNB] [LNB] Yankee doodle dandy: Altidore is mobbed by Craig Fagan after his opening strike[LNB]If Wayne Bridge, on his first start since early November, had other things on his mind apart from football, Hull soon gave him plenty more to think about. [LNB]Altidore made his presence felt as early as the fourth minute when his run on goal was interrupted grotesquely by Kolo Toure, who was shown a yellow card. In the 20th minute, the powerful American was taken down again when charging towards the penalty area - this time it was Dedryck Boyata who picked up a booking.[LNB] A minute later, Altidore set up Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, who wasted a great chance by dragging his shot wide. Then Boateng cracked an effort over the bar from a good position. [LNB]The first goal came in the 31st minute. The City defence was filleted by a quick move that left them pointing fingers at possible culprits. Boateng knocked a high ball to Hesselink, who controlled it with his chest before setting up Altidore with a neat lay-off and Shay Given was well beaten.[LNB] In vain: Emmanuel Adebayor hits City's consolation goal[LNB] It got worse for City in the 54th minute. Under more sustained Hull pressure, Toure's attempted clearing header only went as far as Boateng, whose volley had Given beaten as soon as the ball left his boot. [LNB]The goal saw the arrival of Adam Johnson for his debut following his £7 million move from Middlesbrough, and at last the visitors began to show some urgency. [LNB]Adebayor headed wide in the 57th minute but he did better two minutes later when he prodded home after Hull failed to clear a goalmouth skirmish. That was the signal for a portly Patrick Vieira to make his entrance. [LNB]The former Arsenal midfielder soon got caught up in what developed into a fiercely-contested scrap as Hull fought tigerishly to hang on to their advantage. A particular late challenge from Stephen Hunt was a painful reminder to Vieira that reputations were not to be respected. [LNB] A Bridge too far: Manchester City slumped to their third defeat of the Roberto Mancini era as Wayne Bridge returned to the side[LNB]Myhill almost palmed a Johnson cross into his own net in the 87th minute but made up for that with a terrific close-range save from Carlos Tevez in the 90th minute, by which time Bridge had departed - to the inevitable taunts of the Hull crowd - five minutes earlier. [LNB]The added four minutes were like an eternity for the home fans, but Hull hung on for a victory that will resuscitate their hopes of repeating the fixture next season. If that happens, just try and grab the mic from the boss.[LNB] [LNB] Adam Johnson: I'm not going to be the new Robinho at Manchester CityHart plea to Capello: Make me England keeper and I'll even take a penaltyHULL CITY FC

Source: Daily_Mail