A trip to Hull

A worry to see one of the least able referees I have ever seen (and I'd include some of the guys I've come across on a Sunday morning on Hackney Marshes) being giving a potentially tricky fixture.

The football:

Without the Ashton anticipation it seemed freer. For the most part the passing was sharp and accurate, and the tackling, tracking and movement were spot on. The players understood their roles, those entrusted with responsibility respected it.

The sides were evenly matched - reinforcing the feeling that City aren't far off promotion material. Barmby was probably the difference until he left the fray injured.

Formation wise I thought we looked stronger in a 3-5-2 (more of which later). But generally both systems worked well because the players stuck at their tasks.

Individually, then, things that stood out:

Phillips fine, bar a couple of shaky moments when Clayton was playing his own brand of defending...

Fortune is not a left back. No, nay, never. He was little boy lost first half, and only a marginal improvement second. When we went 3-5-2 he looked 100 times better. An excellent recovering tackle first half cleared up his own error (caught out by a lobbed ball into his channel).

Ireland is better than Butler. Dominates. He's a careful footballer. Simple things right: wins his headers, releases. What we need.

Louis along side him a bit rusty (a first outing in the position for 6 months?) but we all know what he gives us and he'll be an asset.

Smith was obviously firing on all cylinders pre-match. Geeing the lads up, talking, encouraging: great stuff. A couple of hairy moments in the game though. Too loose in possession (twice turning attack into last ditch defence) and done for pace a bit too often for comfort. Great going forwards though - another dimension to our game there, and probably the best crosser of the ball at the club.

Orr and Tins - solid, strong, never stopped running. Orr has a great knack of picking up pieces edge of box; and tested the keeper a few times with resulting shots. Quality recruit for Tins. Great to see Tins whipping the corners in instead of floating them. All it needs is a head on the end now...

Scott Brown was clearly out to do simple things right. He won possession well, and distributed efficiently, if not particularly threateningly. Problem for him was that much of the first half he was doing Fortune's job - nice that he knew how to, though, and took on the responsibility.

Murray: same old same old. Real threat until he tries crossing! Seriously though, looked as sharp as I've seen him all season.

Leroy and Brooker. Ran themselves ragged. Great striking display that we can be really impressed with, especially away from home. Both were narrowly wide with headers; but more than the chances (and the goal was supremely well worked between them) their work-rate was astounding. Leroy particularly was still nipping into channels, drifting wide, screaming for the ball, winning it, harrying, for the whole 90.

Good run out for Bell (on for Brown) in the change to 3-5-2. He gave us the balance and poise down the left that Scott Brown hadn't quite been able to (partly because of his need to cover Clayton).

No doubt that the draw was the fair result. As the game wore on it became so open that either side could have snatched it, but given the positive approach of both sides, it would have been unjust for one side to have nicked it.

The ref: what a joke. Nervous, reluctant to make decisions, rarely in the right position. Pushing and holding was randomly punished; a couple of studs up tackles went unnoticed; Barmby's assault on Phillips that led to the former's injury resulted in a Hull corner; a clean Murray tackle earned him a yellow card. He honestly didn't seem to have any idea about what happens in a football match or how to deal with players. By the end the players were effectively reffing it themselves - at one point he waved away a lino's offside flag, only for Hull to step back and let City take a de facto free kick. Absolute nonsense, and the biggest threat to the right result.

The Magnificent KC Stadium