Blackwell hails Blades response

15 February 2009 10:05
The Blades were booed off after losing to rivals Sheffield Wednesday last week and Blackwell, perhaps feeling the pressure, admitted the week since had been his worst since taking the job a year ago.[LNB]Yet United, who remain in the Championship play-off positions, bounced back to hold Phil Brown's Hull to a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup fifth round.[LNB]Blackwell said: "We have lost two in 15! Myself and Brownie (Hull boss Brown) have been under pressure for whatever reason, and he has done an unbelievable job.[LNB]"But as you have seen today, these lads don't lose many games. They know what it takes to win games and stay in games. That means we have a chance to win games.[LNB]"They have responded ever since I have been here. Today they showed some real courage against a side that has powered into the Premier League and powered through the Premier League.[LNB]"Our goal was very well created and we played a little bit better today.[LNB]"I think the crowd were different towards the players and they responded to it."[LNB]Greg Halford, on loan from Sunderland, was pushed up front from his usual role wide on the right and immediately made an impression with the opening goal after six minutes.[LNB]Kamil Zayatte, who also moved from the Hull defence to midfield in place of the injured Ian Ashbee, headed the equaliser.[LNB]The sides will now meet again in a replay a week on Thursday. It is a match Hull could probably do without in their bid to secure their top-flight status, coming between games against Tottenham on Monday and Blackburn on the Sunday.[LNB]"It was a great cup tie," Brown said.[LNB]"But we are disappointed we have got another game.[LNB]"The next week is going to be interesting with Tottenham, replay, Blackburn, but that is life.[LNB]"You become a victim of your own success to a certain extent but we are in the hat for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup."[LNB]Hull's recent form is still a concern with the club having won just three times in their last 20 games in all competitions.[LNB]But Brown added: "We came out of the traps fairly slowly but I take responsibility for that because of the changes I made.[LNB]"We got back into it slowly but surely but it was a feisty affair.[LNB]"There was a lot to take credit for. We got back into it from a set-piece and could have gone on to win it second half."[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk