Hull City produce five-star show to dismantle Birmingham in style
HULL City recorded their biggest win of the season to destroy Birmingham City 5-2 and climb back up to second in the Championship this afternoon.
Two goals apiece for George Boyd and Gedo, and a long-range effort from Robert Koren capped a devastating attacking performance from the Tigers.
And though Peter Lovenkrands and Chris Burke both struck inside the closing stages to dent a perfect afternoon at the KC Stadium, City were back to their very best to record a fourth consecutive home win.
The win quickly banished the demons of a shock defeat at Bolton and, more importantly, lifted Steve Bruce's men back into the automatic promotion places. Cardiff's defeat at Middlesbrough also leaves the Tigers just five points off the summit.
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If City endured the worst possible start at Bolton seven days earlier when 3-0 down inside eight minutes, the perfect opening was theirs to treasure back on home soil.
Less than a minute was needed for Boyd to mark his full debut with a goal that Birmingham tumbling into a tailspin.
Robbie Brady's incisive throughball from the touchline carved open an embarrassingly open defence and sent Boyd galloping clear. The coolest of finishes followed when rounding Jack Butland with ease.
City were far from satisfied and continued to probe an uncertain opponent. The reward was forthcoming by the 11th minute with another goal to provide Birmingham boss Lee Clark with sleepless nights.
A ball over the top from David Meyler set Gedo off in a foot race with Steven Caldwell and when the Egyptian showed the greater strength to hold off his defender, he fired a low finish past Butland - his fourth goal in four games at the KC.
The floodgates were open and a bedraggled Birmingham struggled to keep afloat. Ahmed Elmohamady's dipping drive came close to making it 3-0, as did Gedo and Boyd when denied by the bravery of Butland.
City's flair had supporters applauding their appreciation and a third goal followed soon after the half hour mark.
Elmohamady played a pass into the feet of Boyd and when a limp challenge from Caldwell allowed the City forward to bundle into an opening, a left-foot finish was too good for Butland.
Birmingham's best efforts to find a way back in were dealt with comfortably by the Tigers and not even a change of ends could grant the visitors a change in fortune. In fact, it quickly got worse.
Koren's prowess from long range was clearly lost on the Blues and his low shot from 25 yards made it 4-0 with 41 minutes still to play.
Butland was again found wanting but his best was required to keep things mildly respectable. Brady's inch-perfect cross was headed down by Gedo but the highly-rated keeper acrobatically tipped over.
While retaining complete control of a one-sided contest, the search for a fifth required patience.
Meyler, outstanding from a holding midfield role, fizzed a left-foot shot narrowly wide of the upright but with 13 minutes remaining City got number five.
Quinn's clever pass out to Elmohamady brought an excellent cross headed low past Butland by Gedo for his second of the game.
There was still time for Peter Lovenkrands to pull a goal back when his deflected shot ruined David Stockdale's hopes for a clean-sheet before Burke gave the remaining Birmingham fans something more to cheer with a second from the edge of the box.
City would not be denied the three points, however, and look towards Tuesday's trip to Crystal Palace with confidence sky high.
• Gallery: Hull City 5 Birmingham City 2 in pictures
43 Comments
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by yank4hullcity
Monday, March 04 2013, 7:55PM
“Just to clarify...I'll fly over even if we are in the Championship next year...did not mean to sound like I'd jump on the bandwagon only if we are in the Prem :-)....but I do need to see my first live Hull City game for over 40 years.
Either way, I really like the current squad and I'd like to see all the players remain for next year. Seems like a "family" that the management have put together and SB is our dad now. It would be great if we are seeing the start of many years of success. It took 104 years to get to the top division, here's hoping it only takes two to get back there.
I noticed Fahti did not even make the bench last Saturday...is it due to a logjam for positions now with the new signings, still lack of fitness, or other reasons?”
by yank4hullcity
Monday, March 04 2013, 3:35PM
“Thanks again tiger_rick, always a pleasure. Great result on Saturday, but a big game tomorrow at Palace. Fingers crossed, I'm on the plane to Hull for a few weeks next season if we get promoted. As SanDiegoTiger stated, promotion is our only hope of seeing City play as they will be on the telly a few times, thanks to Fox Soccer channel. Biting me nails already.”
by MikeMadrid
Monday, March 04 2013, 8:32AM
“Great result. Sure we'll get at least a point if not all 3 at Palace. Watford at home will be the crunch game. Looking at the games we have left and the team we now have, I think we'll do it!”
by Fatboyslim50
Monday, March 04 2013, 7:30AM
“Great result City , best game I have seen for many months. The destiny is in your hands now and if you want it as bad as the fans then nothing should stop you achieving the Dream again.
Pitch was a bit of a mess due to the odd shaped ball players and it's time they started playing on Pickering park . At least this would make their fan base look bigger lol.”
by TheMouldsy
Monday, March 04 2013, 4:07AM
“Thaiger, I may need some of your humble pie soon.
While I never thought the play-offs were beyond this Tiger team at seasons opening, I've said I thought they were punching above their weight being in the top two or three. It's a tough league to get out of, and we have had problems converting chances in the past few years.
However, if this squad can come up with 7 points or more from the rest of March's fixtures, I may need a spoon for that pie.
The rest of the play-off hopefuls need to look out for Brighton, who may well do us some favours down the road (Palace & Leicester have to go there, and Middlesboro play them too).
Clip the Eagles, cork the Clarets, top the Tricky Trees and muzzle the Terriers..... 11 games left ... go Tigers!”
by HCAFCscarb
Monday, March 04 2013, 1:41AM
“Steve Bruce is already a better manager then Phil Brown ever was...
IF he can get us promoted it would be the 3rd time he has won promotion from the championship to the premier league..
And to think quite a few posters moaned and ranted when The Allams appointed Steve Bruce..
Assem Allam
he sure knew what he was doing....”
by HCAFCscarb
Monday, March 04 2013, 1:37AM
“ok who said the Allams didnt know what they were doing when they sacked Nicky Barmby ??
come on out with it.......
OF course someone said it could turn out to be a master stroke
:-)”
by VaultHunter
Sunday, March 03 2013, 10:03PM
“Curious how two matches can give you two extremes of emotion. Last week Hull City fans felt despair, this week euphoria. The question is was this performance as much of a blip as that against Bolton? Having seen it first hand I think that Steve Bruce has got his team very close to his ideal. The acid test will be on Tuesday against Crystal Palace, a good result there and Tiger fans will be justified in believing that automatic promotion is very much a reality. Certainly Steve Bruce looks very close to challenging Phil Brown as the most successful Hull City manager.”
by wezzytiger
Sunday, March 03 2013, 8:21PM
“Only thing I would change on Tuesday night is to drop Alex Bruce who, IMO was at fault for not hungry enough to close people down in the danger zone on Saturday and at Bolton. get mackerel back in and restore our tiger defence back to its best. Or will Bruce find a a round hole for a square peg as he has done a couple of times this season and put his son in midfield?”
by mickeyja1949
Sunday, March 03 2013, 7:16PM
“A great resut and real fun to watch - BUT - those two late "cosolation" goals should not have been allowed to happen. Bruce was certainly at fault for the first and poor goalkeeping the second. Scoring five excellent goals but then letting in two stupid ones spoilt an otherwise tremendous afternoon.
Boyd looks the business, and with Gedo wanting to stay we have the beginnings of a great side. Not eveyone looked fit to me, but its a side with confidence and the abiliy to finish. Bolton but a blip and a memory.
UTT!”