14th May 2016 Pride Park Stadium Saturday : City outplayed the Rams today….everything they tried worked for them and very little worked for Derby.
I thought we would do OK today if we held on to last weeks form, but a three goal lead to bring back to the KC is immense.
By half time the black and amber boys had a 2 goal lead and Derby were in disarray, and never recovered. They could not penetrate the visitors defence and when they lost the ball City came at them in numbers. Wonderful football.
Goals via Hernández (30′), Shackell (40′ og), Robertson (90’+8′).
The Hernandez goal was his 22nd of the season and his sharpness continues, he controlled receipt of the ball when, two touches and a shot which beat the keeper at the near post.
Odubajo hit a shot which probably may have just been on target, but was steered neatly past his own keeper by Shakell, who turned his back to the incoming ball.
Andy Robertson’s strike from just outside the box capped off a good team move which started just outside their own box: a super day for the Tigers fans.
So the Rams have to come to the KC on Tuesday night with a mountain to climb and let’s hope there is a big turn-out to drive Tigers to Wembley.
Steve Bruce on the home teams performance…..
“No disrespect but I could have played in goal today! I can’t really recall my keeper having to make a save.
“That was the best we’ve played for a long, long time.
“We were comfortable and ran out worthy winners.
“The first goal is often crucial in big matches like these and when we got it, that made it difficult for Derby as they had to chase the game.
“It was a good day for us and a bad day for them.”
“In big games you want your big players to turn up and I thought today our experience, apart from the two full-backs, all our lads had played in the Premier League and it certainly showed.
“It was a really, really good performance from start to finish – which in a big game is great to see.
“We know we’re capable of that but what we have got in our locker is complacency, and we’ve got to guard against that on Tuesday. The reason why we haven’t made the top two is because we’ve thrown in a curve-ball every now and again.
“If you look at us at Bolton a couple of weeks ago compared to that, then that’s our Achilles heel. We’ve been up and down a little bit too much this season but we looked a very, very good team today and if we perform to the levels we’re capable of then it’s going to take a very good team to beat us.”
Hull City: Eldin Jakupovic, Moses Odubajo, Curtis Davies, Tom Huddlestone, Abel Hernandez (Chuba Akpom 83), Robert Snodgrass (Sam Clucas 87), Jake Livermore, Mohamed Diame (Alex Bruce 90), Michael Dawson, Andrew Robertson, Ahmed Elmohamady. Bench Unused: Dusan Kuciak, Harry Maguire, Shaun Maloney, Sone Aluko.
Derby County: Scott Carson, Cyrus Christie, Craig Bryson, Richard Keogh, Chris Martin, Johnny Russell (Nick Blackman 71), Jason Shackell, Bradley Johnson (Jacob Butterfield 59), Will Hughes (Darren Bent 87), Tom Ince, Marcus Olsson. Bench Unused: Lee Grant, Jake Buxton, Jeff Hendrick, Chris Baird.
Hernandez celebrates his goal – Photo Reuters
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