George Boyd's dream Hull City debut can spark run that seals promotion
HULL City new boy George Boyd wants his dream home debut to mark the start of a pivotal period in the Tigers' chase for the Premier League.
A week after signing on loan from Peterborough United until the end of the season, Boyd needed just 47 seconds to mark his first start for the club with a goal as City thumped Birmingham 5-2.
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George Boyd scored twice on his home debut for Hull City
The 27-year-old ended with a brace – a feat matched by strike partner Gedo – to fire the Tigers to their biggest win in over two years.
Having seen closest rivals Watford slip up on Friday night when drawing 1-1 at Wolves, City quickly bounced back into second spot in the Championship and to within five points of league-leaders Cardiff.
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Boyd, a three-time promotion winner with parent club Peterborough, sees only encouraging signs from his new team-mates, but wants no let-up as they head to Crystal Palace tomorrow night.
"This is the reason I joined to be second in the league and going for promotion, these are exciting times," he told the Mail.
"There are going to be many twists and turns before the end of the season. The key is to get that momentum of winning games. At Peterborough we went 16 games unbeaten at this time of the year.
"March is a big month, if you can get a run in March it sets you up nicely for the end of the season. All the boys are together and that is vitally important at this stage."
Boyd wasted no time in making his mark on the Tigers' season at the weekend.
Handed a first start following a bright debut in the 4-1 loss at Bolton seven days earlier, the playmaker responded with a goal inside the opening minute when rounding Birmingham goalkeeper Jack Butland. A second followed when drilling low into the corner soon after the half-hour mark.
With Gedo weighing in with a brace of his own and Robert Koren joining the party after half-time, City blew their beleaguered visitors away.
"It was fantastic to score that early and overall the team performance was good," he said.
"I was surprised I was through so early but it came off the cuff. It was natural to take it round the goalie and slot it in and it must be the quickest goal I have scored.
"I had seen Hull early in the season and knew how good they play, but I thought we played some lovely stuff and we linked up well in midfield and worked really well up front."
City's handsome win has them back in the driving seat ahead of a crucial trip to Crystal Palace tomorrow night.
The fixture at Selhurst Park will see Boyd face his boyhood club but having rejected a switch to Palace during the January window, he is expecting a rough ride.
"I am expecting some abuse for not choosing them but I am looking forward to it and have some friends and family going down," he added.
"It was important to get the win and other results have gone for us. If we win Tuesday it will take us further away from Palace."
• Gallery: Hull City 5 Birmingham City 2 in pictures
13 Comments
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by BigBillyBilly
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 1:35AM
“Jack,never really shared your anxieties post-Aluko,but I WAS concerned about Robert Koren's diminishing impact...I should be more worried about you,Jack,in the land of the re-fried double cheeseburger,but perhaps you live in a wholesome,gluten free,organic neeps n tatties world.
Good info on Palace absentees,but aren't the ones you mention long term?
Hurrah,I'll be at Selhurst Park later today.Apparently Palace are unbeaten in 16 at home,but if anyone's going to break that record we must have a chance,surely?
Either way,I now feel as confident as Steve Bruce that we are about to be promoted,and that the first mini-shock will be registered tonight.Even though I know full well what hubris means!
I'll give a report whatever happens,though I aint in tiger_rick's league...”
by places
Monday, March 04 2013, 9:50PM
“come on all hull city fans get to the k.c on tues. 12.th march. , 7pm kick off, hull city youth v liverpool . last 8 of f.a. cup. lad for liverpool jack dunn new steven gerrard ?”
by Jack_Russell2
Monday, March 04 2013, 4:22PM
“When Sone Aluko was declared out for the season, I thought that's it, our chances of going up had gone. Nevertheless, the form of Elmo and Gedo as blown those thoughts away. Now George Boyd has come storming in to add even more mouth watering options.
Hopefully, the squad can remain injury free until the end of the season as other teams that are in the chase are having problems with their squads.
Mark Davies, who gave us a rough time at Bolton has now got an anterior cruciate ligament injury and is out for the season. Malky McDonald at Cardiff is going bananas at losing skipper Mark Hudson who is the main man in their defence having lost the last 2 games without him.
In our next game with Crystal Palace, they have McCarthy, Joel Ward and Danny Gabbidon out with injuries and another three key players also doubtful.
Seems good for the Tigers, but a season ago Leeds were in the same boat with half of their first team out with injury and yet they cuffed us 4-1.
But , some how with Steve Bruce in charge, I feel results like we had at Bolton will be few as SB's mind set for consistency will always be there driving them on.....UTT”
by costatiger
Monday, March 04 2013, 3:35PM
“Bob Marsden-Despite your flurry of red arrows,none have come from me as i understand exactly where you,re coming from.I said before the game that it,s now the time of season where its dog eat dog and that we need to be cynical in our approach and cut out silly errors.Well,we certainly dismantled Birmingham,but as against Birmingham and Bristol City away and Millwall at home,we once more took our foot off the gas.I can understand to a point that with a big game coming up on tuesday,they could be forgiven for easing up,but this division is so tight,it would be a shame if we missed out on automatic through goal difference and had to meet a side on a roll in the play off lottery. I am not being negative here,as some of the football was top drawer,and Gedo deserves plenty of credit for getting his head on the end of a cross which Elmo really fizzed in at pace.I know a few strikers who would have avoided that one! Its just that 5-0 seems to reflect a far more decisive victory than 5-2, does,nt it?”
by JH1311
Monday, March 04 2013, 2:24PM
“BobMarsden, what blow hasn't been delivered when you 5-0 up mate? we have "thrown away all but one game this season, blackpool at home, and even then we came from a goal down to go 2-1 up.
my point is this, since that game we've became stonger, we beat Watford, Derby and Forest at their place by grinding the result so conceding 2 late goals when you already have scored 5 is nothing to worry about, remember when Birmingham brought it back from 3-0 to 3-2? did they score a third? I rest my case
UTT!!”
by adolfo
Monday, March 04 2013, 1:58PM
“What a find is boyd, brilliant technically, always been needed and now found!.........”
by waterbob
Monday, March 04 2013, 11:37AM
“ambertigerfan
£17m - thats a good deal - what did their ground cost to build compared to the KC - its a bigger capacity isn't it?”
by tigertim53
Monday, March 04 2013, 10:19AM
“Still in shock! Your comments are right keep playing till 95 mins not 85. Remember City 4-1 down against Sheff Wed drew 4-4 scored all the goals in the last 10-15 mins. Yes Man Utd do it all top teams press up to the finanl whistle. Impressed by Boyd, Quinn work rates also Gedo chases everywhere. Palace game is a biggy any result 1 or 3 will be nice. Think my A game that night is City not Man Utd. Keep it up SB”
by mattlill90
Monday, March 04 2013, 9:32AM
“Man utd do it very often in close games. Im guessing thats where bruce picked it up wrong. 1-0 up 70-75 minutes on the clock... possession is crucial and safe passes are key. Why give the striker an over hit over the top ball for it to run througj to their keeper. Possession lost and we are on the bac foot. This is how we grind out good results. Its not ideal but ita fantastic tactics.”
by Ambertigerfan
Monday, March 04 2013, 9:20AM
“From Goal.com:
Leicester City's owners have purchased the club's King Power Stadium in an estimated £17 million deal. The ground had been owned by American pension fund company Teachers Insurance since the club came out of receivership soon after the ground opened in 2002.
Perhaps this provides a model for the purchase of The Circle by Hull City.”