Stoke 2 Hull City 0: Tigers boss Iain Dowie desperate for Stephen Hunt return after defeat

Close to return: Stephen HuntIain Dowie is planningto speed up StephenHunt's return frominjury so the wingercan feature inSaturday's relegationbattle against Burnley. A foot injury has keptHunt out of the last fivegames, but Hull are sodesperate for creativityhe could be rushedback. Dowie said: 'I'd love tosee him play. We arehopeful he will be fit forthe Burnley game andthat will be a hugeboost.' Dowie must also wait tosee if George Boatengcan play after sufferinga serious facial injuryagainst Stoke. Boatengwas accidentally kickedby Tuncay and left withblood streaming fromhis mouth. He wastaken to hospital,where he was kept inovernight on Saturday.Scans have shown nofractured cheekbone,but Hull will monitorthe player's situation. Ouch! Boateng head before being booted in the face by TuncayMATCH FACTSSTOKE (4-4-2): Sorensen 6; Huth7, Faye 6, Higginbotham 7, Collins6; Lawrence 7, Delap 6, Whelan 6(Whitehead 72min, 6),Etherington 7; Fuller 6 (Tuncay46, 6), Kitson 7 (Sidibe 84). Booked: Faye, Fuller, Kitson. HULL (4-4-1-1): Myhill 6; Mendy 7,McShane 4, Mouyokolo 7,Kilbane 6; Garcia 5 (Vennegoorof Hesselink 72, 6), Boateng 6,Bullard 6, Marney 5 (Geovanni58, 6); Fagan 6; Folan 5 (Altidore65, 6). Booked: Mendy.Man of the match: DannyHigginbotham. Referee: Lee Probert. Hull goalkeeper BoazMyhill said: 'He was asbrave as a lion to puthis head in there. Itkilled us going down to10 men at that pointhaving used all oursubstitutes.' Hull were 1-0 downwhen Boateng went offin the 73rd minute. But,even with 11 men, theyhad hardly threatened. Stoke took five minutesto go in front. PaulMcShane misjudged aflick-on by Dave Kitson,allowing Ricardo Fullerto burst through toscore from 10 yards.Stoke added adeserved second in the89th minute whenMatthew Etheringtoncrossed for LiamLawrence, who scoredwith a low shot. Stoke have comfortablyavoided relegation forthe second season in arow but manager TonyPulis said: 'We've got tomake sure we're betteragain next season.'  Stoke 2 Hull 0: Boateng knocked out as Tigers' dismal away run goes onTHE 2009/10 managerial merry-go-round: Leyton Orient make Geraint Williams the 36th exit of the season Ryan Shawcross didn't mean to break my leg, insists Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey 

Source: Daily_Mail