Tigers survive scare
IT WAS fraught, frantic and nerve-shredding, but a £200m prize is now in sharp focus for Hull boss Steve Bruce and his players.
Under the lucrative new television deal, that is the price of top-flight promotion this season, a feat which now beckons the Tigers when they face Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley on May 28.
Having survived the mother of all fightbacks from Derby, Bruce, his players and the city of Hull could breathe a monumental sigh of relief.
Take nothing away from Derby, the Tigers certainly took nothing away from them during last night’s white-knuckle ride.
The Rams forged a 2-0 interval lead at a raucous KC Stadium but their first-leg capitulation meant the miracle they had dreamed of did not quite materialise.
Bruce, in his 200th game as manager, will now take Hull to Wembley for the third time in three seasons as the Tigers chase a third Premier League promotion in eight years.
Shortly before kick-off, Hull paraded their promotion-winning heroes of 2008 onto the pitch to rapturous applause.
Dean Windass, whose glorious volley sealed a 1-0 win over Bristol City at Wembley to take Hull into the top flight for the first time in their 104-year history, predictably took centre stage.
Windass now serves as a club ambassador at Hull and wrote in
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the match programme about how the goal changed his life, neatly encapsulating the effect that reaching the promised land can have on a football club and a city.
Bruce named an unchanged side but Derby were 2-0 up at half-time to set up the possibility of a famous comeback.
Rams manager Darren Wassall swung the axe after the 3-0 firstleg surrender, dumping big-money signings Bradley Johnson and Tom Ince to the bench and replacing them with Jeff Hendrick and Andreas Weimann.
The Rams, backed by a raucous contingent, attacked with sustained cohesion from the off and it was no surprise when they forged ahead in the seventh minute.
Midfielder Johnny Russell, who had already sent a shot just over, swept the ball home from close range after his first effort was blocked when Chris Martin headed a cross into his path.
Few contests stir the blood quite like play-off football and Russell’s strike poured confidence into Derby’s players.
Hull gradually steadied themselves and Mo Diame narrowly failed to head home a teasing right-wing delivery.
But, with Will Hughes’ educated boot guiding his team around the park, Derby continued to dominate. Russell curled a teasing left-foot free-kick narrowly wide of Eldin Jakupovic’s near post as Hull fans watched on nervously.
On the half-hour, Craig Bryson hit a fierce shot from distance which fizzed narrowly wide.
Nine minutes before the break, Derby had their second as a low cross from Marcus Olsson was diverted into his own net by Hull defender Andy Robertson.
Moments later, Hull appealed in vain for a penalty when Moses Odubajo went down under Olsson’s challenge.
Shortly after the restart, Derby should have levelled the tie on aggregate. Martin played Weimann in down the left flank and his low cross was met by Bryson, who could not steer the ball goalwards from six yards out.
It was a golden opportunity wasted and Ince came on for Weimann on the hour as the Rams desperately sought a third goal.
Derby continued to press and Martin’s curling effort from 20 yards drew a smart stop from Jakupovic, who parried the ball to safety.
Bruce was almost beside himself pitchside, but his anxiety soon turned to ecstasy as the party got under way.
HULL (4-5-1): Booked: