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Fans’ verdictDec01
THERE were some very strange goings on during this game, and most of them centred around Delap’s now famous throw-ins. There were arguments about Rory’s towel and whether the Tigers should be allowed to use it to dry the ball for their throw-ins. And there was the incident on the touchline where Windass, who was warming up, tried to obstruct Delap’s throw and earned himself a booking. This was all dealt with by the smallest referee I’ve ever seen, who was influenced by the player or manager who could shout the loudest. On most occasions we lost. The Tigers, to their credit, scored their only chance of the game on the stroke of half-time, but this spurred on our fans, who gave the team some fantastic support during the second half. This was always going to be a difficult game, but the Britannia continues to make life difficult for visiting teams. AS the fog and mist swirled around the Britannia, we struggled to make an impression. Although the fans could see the goals, I didn’t think either of the teams could in a first half where we had plenty of possession but failed to test the Tigers’ keeper. It was funny to watch Phil Brown jumping around and remonstrating like someone possessed at every decision that didn’t go their way, seeing Hull’s keeper kick the ball out for a corner all because he did not want to face a Delap throw-in and Windass being booked when he wasn’t even playing. The smile was wiped of my face when the Tigers went one up in first-half stoppage-time. But after the break we began to pummel Hull and it was only a matter of time before we equalised. THERE were many times during the first half when the fog threatened to force an abandonment and, after Hull’s first shot on the stroke of half-time, I was hoping it would. However, Stoke’s second-half comeback said so much about the boys. We piled on the pressure and Hull’s keeper Boaz Myhill pulled off a world-class save to deny former Leon Cort. Fuller squeezed in his spot-kick to set up an exciting finale, but I think both teams ended reasonably pleased with a point. We do lack some creativity in the centre of the park. Amdy Faye and Salif Diao are far too similar we need to take the play a little more to the opposition when we are at home.
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