Hull City v Preston North End @ The KCOM Stadium Championship 26/9/2017 19.45pm Kingston-Upon-Hull on a Tuesday night, romance does not come any better, the Capital of Culture, The town of Hull was founded late in the 12th century. The monks of Meaux Abbey needed a port where the wool from their estates could be exported. They chose a place at the confluence of the rivers Hull and Humber to build a quay. Some may say that it is still in the 12th century, some may not. Think the last time I was actually in the place was 1992 when we won 2-0 on Tuesday night, also visited Goole that day which may explain why I have not been back for a quarter of a century, that was game was played at the Old Boothferry Park ground which had a supermarket built on to one of the terraces behind the goal on Anlaby Road. It also had it's own train station specially built to take thousands to the game when Hull used to get decent attendences. They left that ground and moved ointo the KCOM in 2002. The team have had some difficult times in recent years having scuttled aound the lower leagues before progressing and in recent times enjoyed a couple of periods in then top division although then last period only lasted one season. They have had a difficult start to the season under the very likeable Russian manager Leonid Slutsky who fair play to him has learnt English because he wanted to take a post in the English league, he hasn't been helped by the loss of many of last seasons players to other clubs and the virtual season long injury to Hernandez. Fair play to the club for the ticket policy, tickets starting at £12 which we have sold out off. Only Gallagher with shingles along with Clarke and Cunningham are long term injuries, Pearson was supposed to be fit yesterday but didn't make the squad, shoukld be an interesting time on Humberside especially if the home fans start complaining about the owners which will mean we will be doing well. Last time out 1-1 at Reading 1 Allan McGregor 29 Fikayo Tomori 5 Michael Hector 21 Michael Dawson 8 David Meyler 4 Jackson Irvine 34 Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina 28 Stephen Kingsley 25 Fraizer Campbell Nouha Dicko 65' 20 Jarrod Bowen 16 Sebastian Larsson Jon-Miquel Toral 78' Stat Attack: Hull City please log in to view this image We make our sixth visit to the KC Stadium today, one of three grounds we have played at in Kingston upon Hull. The KC Stadium is built over The Circle, which was home to Hull Cricket Club for many years and also Hull City FC for a period. Prior to moving to their new home during the 2002/03 season, we had also faced today’s host at Boothferry Park and Anlaby Road, both of which were close to the KC Stadium. No matter where the venue, it has to be admitted that our record in Hull is not the best, with only four victories in 26 attempts, although we have taken points from half of our meetings. At the KC Stadium, we managed a 1-1 draw on our first visit in 2006, thanks to a Simon Whaley goal that was sadly wiped out by Youl Mawene’s own goal just before half-time. For the last of our wins, you have to go back 25 years to our last league match at Boothferry Park, when two Tony Ellis goals and one each from Lee Ashcroft and Le Cartwright gave us our biggest win on that part of the east coast. On the debit side, we conceded four, five and six goals on one occasion each, the low point being our 6-3 defeat in 1973. please log in to view this image Preston North End’s education officer Graeme Atkinson is Hull-born and started his career with the Tigers before joining us in 1994 and featuring in our 1996 promotion side. In that team, he played alongside fellow Kingstonian Andy Savile, who scored 30 goals that season. Scott Wiseman and Gerry Ingram were also born in Hull, whilst players for both clubs include Garry Swann, Neil Williams and Michael Keane. On This Date Mel Tottoh is 61 on 26th September and is probably the most well-known player ever to make only one substitute appearance for North End! The story of him having to leave his job at BAC to sit on the bench for the Lilywhites before being called on as a second half substitute could only have been bettered if he had scored the winning goal – but real life is not like that and we lost the game to Scunthorpe 2-0. Club stalwart Mick Wearmouth made the first of his dozen appearances for North End in 1964 on the same date, before later returning as club secretary. Mick is still a regular at Deepdale and has a wealth of knowledge of the club which he is always happy to share. Last Five Games At Hull City Hull City 2 (Hernandez, Davies) Preston North End 0, 29th Aug 2015 Hull City 1 (Gerrard) Preston North End 0, 12th Feb 2011 Hull City 3 (Windass, Campbell, Dawson) Preston North End 0, 10th Nov 2007 Hull City 2 (Forster, Livermore) Preston North End 0, 10th Mar 2007 Hull City 1 (Mawene, og) Preston North End 1 (Whaley), 22nd Apr 2006 Ref Watch: Hull City please log in to view this image It’s a bit of a trek for the match official for Tuesday night, as the Isle of Wight’s James Linington takes charge of the clash at the KCom Stadium. Whilst this is his first PNE game of this season, last year the referee made his first visit ever to Deepdale for the clash with Wolves back in November and was then the referee in the away game at Derby County back in March. The season before he was referee of the PNE game at Ashton Gate, when Greg Cunningham scored the winner against his former club and that was his third game in charge of PNE. The other time he refereed North End was another game in the south of England, when the Lilywhites won 1-0 at Gillingham in the League One promotion season, courtesy of Paul Huntington’s goal in his first start of the season. So far this season, he has taken charge of 11 games, issuing 39 cautions and four red cards, including refereeing Hull City’s 2-1 defeat at Queens Park Rangers earlier this campaign. He will be assisted by Robert Merchant and Shaun Hudson, with Daniel Middleton the fourth official.
Hull City 1 Preston North End 2 Bowen 50 Barkuizen 37 Robinson 88 Hull City line-up: McGregor, Irvine, Hector, Meyler, Larsson, Bowen, Dawson ©, Campbell (Dicko, 84), Kingsley (Clark, 25), Tomori (Grosicki, 46), Aina. Subs not used: Mannion, Mazuch, Toral, Henriksen. PNE line-up: Maxwell, Fisher, Earl, Welsh (Robinson, 67), Huntington ©, Davies, Barkhuizen (Horgan, 78), Browne, Hugill (Harrop, 67), Johnson, Maguire. Subs not used: Hudson, Woods, Spurr, Mavididi. Attendance: 15,443 (1100 PNE fans) Referee: Mr J Linington Up to fourth after last night's deserved win over Hull City, if we had taken our chances it would have been over long before the finish however the 1100 that made the journey were more thasm satisfied in the end. 25 years and 11 days since we last won there at thge old Boothferry Park and I was there, in truth have a decnt record in this part of the country. It was a misty old evening on the Humber, arrived and were welcomed by staff who were friendly and helpful, also have to say the away supports lounge is class and inside the stadium is top notch although a bit odd that the seats are all balck and whte the rugby clbs colours and there is little amber colouring in the ground. If you are going for a night match don't be an epileptic as they flash the floodlights on and off to create a pre match although they did struggle a bit last night. The first we dominated going down either flanks was bringing us joy were Barkuizen was having a field day whilst Maguire was his usual energetic self and probably was also fouled about 15 times in the first half. Hull offered little apart from a tame Campbell effort and a curling left footed effort from Aina which went narrowly over the top. Nort End missed a sitter when a duff clearence from McGregor which only went to Hugill, he advanced on goal, ball to Maguire them Browne who should have shot, delayed and away went the chance. After some great build uo play Barkuizen was denied by a great save by McGregor whilst the follow up effort was saved by Browne. Just before the whistle we took the lead Barkie down the left cross to the back post, Huntington header saved by keeper back to Barkuizen who lashed home left footed. Boos for the home side at the break but the home fans were happy within five minutes hen from a centrally placed free kick two headers won by the home side from the second Bowen scored. North End narrowly missed, a header by Hugill going wide, but City were dominant for the first time in the game and we did well to hold on, we eventually weathered the storm and then with the action down the other end missed a series of chances which would have sealed the win earlier. Barkuizen and Maguire cocked one up between them, a tame Maguire shot was easily saved should have done better and Huntington was denied by a good McGregor save. These misses could have cost us dear as substitute Grosicki hammered one against the bar and Hector headed wide from about an inch really should have scored. The introduction of Grosicki at half time made Hull better in the second maybe he should have started the game. Having weathered this little storm Harrop and Robinson got in each others way to fluff another one, then North End who were getting tons of space down the right when Horgan advanced into the box crossed to Robinson who was about one yard out and in it went. There was still time for Harrop to also hit a post. Question about last night which will remain unanswered there didn't appear to be any penalty spots. Praise to the boss brought on three attacking substitutes, where probably the previous manager would have sat back for a point, speaking of the last manager he's next up on Saturday. Hull City boss Leonid Slutsky: "I say sorry to the supporters because I understand they must be disappointed because we don't bring results, I don't bring results. It's very difficult speaking about a performance when you concede in the last minute and it's not the first time. "In this situation it's possible to lose confidence because everyone is frustrated now and it's very difficult, because each match is very close. In each match we have chances to win but we can't. "When you don't win five matches in a row of course you lose confidence. It's a new team and results are important for developing." Preston North End manager Alex Neil: "It was a great result. I thought over the piece we deserved to win the game. "I had a real decision as to whether I bust the game open with an aggressive substitute or being happy with a point. "I made the decision to go for the game and they rewarded me by winning the match - one sub creating the goal and one sub scoring the goal."
