Premier League - Stoke send Hull closer to drop

Eurosport - Sat, 16 May 14:02:00 2009

Hull City's Premier League survival hopes suffered a huge blow as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Stoke City.

FOOTBALL Stoke City fans - 0

Goals in either half by Ricardo Fuller and Liam Lawrence condemned the home side to their fifth defeat in a row and their ninth game in succession without a win.

Andy Dawson curled in an injury-time free-kick to give Hull a glimmer of hope, but Stoke held on for a win which guarantees their Premier League survival.

While Stoke were not mathematically safe before kick-off, they were well clear of the drop zone, and this, combined with Tony Pulis's side's poor away record, meant that this was supposed to be the game where Hull got a crucial three points, or at the very least one, to edge away from the bottom three.

And they had their chances in a tight opening period - first when Daniel Cousin saw his looping header tipped over by Thomas Sorensen 13 minutes in.

Ten minutes on, Richard Garcia was given the freedom of the Stoke penalty area to control and volley at goal - but his driven effort was directed straight at Sorensen.

Kamil Zayatte and Cousin fired half-chances hopelessly high and wide before Stoke broke the deadlock four minutes before the break.

The goal came from a corner from the left from Lawrence which should have been cleared at the near post. Instead, the ball fell for Fuller, who swivelled on the edge of the six-yard box and side-footed powerfully past Boaz Myhill.

Hull pressed in and around the visitors' area for much of the second period but failed to create a clear-cut chance. Perhaps their best opportunity came seconds after the re-start, when Sorensen scrambled a bobbling Kevin Kilbane shot behind for a corner.

Stoke posed a threat on the counter and from set-pieces throughout, and very nearly doubled their advantage from another corner on 65 minutes. Lawrence's delivery was cleared to the edge of the box, where Glenn Whelan had time to control before unleashing a dipping volley which crashed off the angle of the crossbar and the right-hand post before bouncing clear.

Lawrence wrapped things up with a similarly spectacular strike seven minutes later, as he picked the ball up on the edge of the Hull box on the right before thumping a shot into the top left-hand corner of the net.

The second goal sapped the belief out of Hull and their supporters, but Dawson's cultured free-kick five minutes into injury-time gave them a very, very late injection of enthusiasm.

There was just time for one last attack at the death and, incredibly, it very almost resulted in another goal as Sorensen flapped at a high ball, allowing substitute Geovanni to shoot at an unguarded net. But the Brazilian's effort deflected agonisingly wide, extinguishing Hull's chances of an unlikely comeback.

They now face being level on points with Newcastle or Middlesbrough if either side wins their clash at St James's Park on Monday night.

Ben Phillips / Eurosport

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  1. Man U will field a youth team = 1 point. Hull will­ destroy Bolton = 3. Hull you DID display a­ breathtaking disrespect to the likes of Arsenal and­ Liverpool oh yeah and Chelsea. You have at least give­ your supporters some memorable moments. Stoke hmmmm,­ nah. Stoke ... I can't be bothered just read the­ entries by theapeofdeath (ooOOOH! That name must be a­ display of wit or something in Stoke?) and cameron w or­ thevaldettes, yeah? Get my point?

    From saintstephen, on Wed 13 May 8:52PM

  2. Yeh Stoke are staying up we have their style of­ football to look forward to next season (snigger)

    Do­ me a favour

    From saintstephen, on Tue 12 May 8:13PM

  3. good buy hull lol we r stoke

    From thompson287, on Tue 12 May 9:44AM

  4. Hull are going down along with Boro and West Brom. They­ might, just maybe, with a lot of luck, be able to­ salvage a point or maybe even 3 against Bolton, but­ against Man U, they've got no chance whatsoever.­ GLORY GLORY MAN UTD!!! MAN U FOR THE CL AND­ EPL!!!!!!!!!!!

    From rishi.dayal, on Tue 12 May 12:01AM

  5. It is very sad when you can't take a joke - even a­ bad one.

    From ERIC P, on Mon 11 May 10:33PM

  6. Eric P
    Read what I wrote! If you only go to a football­ match to abuse other (fans) you gotta be....SAD!

    From Jedi S, on Mon 11 May 10:01PM

  7. byebye brownpants

    Hull are going to­ HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

    From Giskard, on Mon 11 May 9:58PM

  8. Whats this? one set of fans abusing another set at a­ football match?

    I've never heard of that before.­ No wonder the Hull fans are upset. Surely its usually­ a cheery wave and a cup of tea and a fairy cake after­ the match.

    From ERIC P, on Mon 11 May 9:55PM

  9. @gag
    What the hell are you on about? Loads of the Stoke­ fans (and I use that term loosely as you werent there­ for the football!) were just at the ground purely to­ insult and antagonise Hull fans,surely your words are­ those of one with a small wierd mind,you are clearly a­ dumb maggot who can only stand in a crowd and jeer!?­ you arent a football fan if you travel the length of­ the country to do that! Grow up!

    From Jedi S, on Mon 11 May 9:17PM

  10. Mr Brown brought us up so he deserves his chance!­ Blimey the man has had more chances than a lifelong­ Football Pools Addict! He`s blown it, his chances and­ the club right out of the Premiership! When diod it­ start? I believe about the time they started talking­ about getting rid of Deano, him being the proprieter of­ the foot that got City into the Premier League in the­ first place! Then they go a buy berks like Bullard!­ Maaaan! did they get that wrong! Oh Bullards fine and­ recuperating in the Sun somewheres,even Deano is doing­ okay, with a club that appreciates what hes got to­ give!Brown, oh he`ll have a nice new contract up his­ sleeve somewheres! Hull City, well back to the­ Championship drawing board!

    From Easyrider2609, on Mon 11 May 4:33PM

  11. to jammybee. Do you work for Paddy Power ? He lost­ theplot just like yourself. Stoke stay up because the­ whole team, and their supporters, never gave up on the­ dream.

    From thevaldettes, on Mon 11 May 3:30PM

  12. jammybee
    please answer me this simple question:
    Where­ exactly are hull gonna get their next point from?
    Hull­ are down, down, down!!!!!!!

    From cameron w, on Sun 10 May 9:58PM

  13. Sick of hearing the same old s$%t "brown took us­ up so he deserves his chance" I think his chance­ has come and gone!!!!! Wrong starting line up yet­ again,waiting to go behind every match before­ considering a change of players! Well done Fagan for­ running your @#$% off but really he is a winger isnt­ he? Windass would of at least netted a few more goals­ if he was still in but c*&t brown didnt like the­ personality clash so got rid of him as for King.... we­ can all see he can score a goal or 5!

    From Jedi S, on Sun 10 May 6:37PM

  14. Jesus these Stoke 'fans' make me laugh! You­ will be going straight back down next season who the­ hell of any worth wants to play for that shower? Most­ of the d^ck fans spent the majority of the match­ looking across to the East stand and jeering, bit of a­ waste of time travelling all that distance to look at a­ bunch of fans that are more attractive than­ you.

    ...and Newcastle fans do you really think you are­ going to stay up? Don't make me larf!! Albion -­ Newcastle - Boro see ya!!! Stoke will be joining you­ shortly.... go check the odds...

    From Jammy, on Sun 10 May 4:32PM

  15. theapeofdeath
    ha ha
    oh yes, and well done on staying in­ the Premier League mate.

    From cameron w, on Sun 10 May 12:12PM

  16. Nothings changed Newcastle and Boro will draw 0-0 on­ Monday as neither team have anyone capable of hitting a­ barn door from 5 yards.Hull to beat Bolton next week­ and stay up.Shearer back on the sofa next season.RIP­ Newcastle.

    From jimmytheshimmy, on Sun 10 May 11:12AM

  17. ha ha cameron w your loving stoke now are'nt you­ mate ..

    From Neil, on Sun 10 May 9:45AM

  18. Tigers .....lololol....more like purring pus.sey­ cats.
    That lot are going down. And then Peterborough­ United shall have them for dinner

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 10 May 4:32AM

  19. HULL FANS!!!!!!! You are the best! You are the­ lifeblood of the team you are the wittiest mob ever! I­ love you all! Stoke are @#$% and they know it. The­ Tigers need a striker and a striker only. Brown is a­ demented c@nt King should never have gone. HULL­ FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From saintstephen, on Sun 10 May 12:44AM

  20. well done Stoke

    From david.chidlow, on Sat 9 May 10:40PM
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