Revenge is so sweet as City beat Fleetwood
MAGENNIS AND BURKE GOALS SEE TIGERS ATONE FOR LEAGUE DEFEAT AND BOOK SECOND-ROUND PLACE
As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold. And while some will have preferred three points at Fleetwood Town last month, Saturday’s dominant Hull City display in the FA Cup will have gone some way to extracting revenge for that disappointing evening a month ago.
A goal in each half from Josh Magennis and Reece Burke sealed a deserved, if not surprisingly comfortable 2-0 success against the Cod Army, sealing City’s place in today’s round two draw.
Given Joey Barton’s pre-match comments about the bad blood between the two sides, Ched Evans’ departure just minutes into the game under a challenge from Callum Elder, you could be forgiven for thinking that matters were about to get rather tasty.
If anything, that took the sting out of the encounter which struggled to get going and was, for the most part, controlled by City, as they secured a safe passage into round two with some ease.
And given the rivalry which had developed in the previous month since the fiery encounter at Highbury, boss Grant Mccann opted to name a strong side, despite making five changes from last weekend’s defeat at Swindon.
George Long came in for Matt Ingram, Jacob Greaves took the place of Jordy de Wijs, Alfie Jones took the spot of Greg Docherty, while Magennis and James Scott came in for Hakeeb Adelakun and Keane Lewis-potter.
Both Docherty and Adelakun were left out of the squad altogether, while somewhat surprisingly, Regan Slater was again named on the bench.
Play was halted for almost 10 minutes barely five minutes in, when Evans fell to the ground under an aerial challenge from Elder.
Evans, the apparent subject of targeted abuse in the game between these two sides last month - according to Barton - received lengthy treatment, before being stretchered off into a waiting ambulance.
After a really low-key start, City began to feel their way into the game and their increase in tempo saw them take the lead on the halfhour.
Josh Emmanuel was given too much space on the right flank, he lifted in a cross to the near post which was flicked on by Mallik
Wilks and at the back post, Magennis on the stretch managed to stick out a leg to prod back across Jason Leutwiler and into the net. It should have been 2-0 41 minutes in. Emmanuel surged into the box, seeing his low effort blocked behind for a corner which Elder fired in, picking out Greaves, but he could only power a header over from sevenyards out. Nine minutes were added on for the Evans stoppage, and Wilks was next to go close with a driven effort from the edge of the box, which deflected just wide.
On the stroke of the break, danger man Harvey Saunders went down after a collision with Long, and he needed lengthy treatment before being replaced by Josh Morris - another big blow to Barton, who was less than impressed with the referee as he trudged down the tunnel at the break.
Scott’s first real involvement in the tie came at the start of the second period, combining well with Elder to slide over a cross which evaded Magennis by an inch or two.
In truth, the Northern Irishman was caught on his heels.
The pressure kept coming from the Tigers, and the introduction of Lewis-potter for Scott just after the hour mark brought about the
crucial second. Lewis-potter saw a glancing header turned behind for a corner, and from that Elder kick, Burke rose highest to head in his first City goal and make it 2-0.
The excellent George Honeyman was then replaced by Sheffield United loanee Slater with 15 minutes to go, and that change was followed by Thomas Mayer coming on for Wilks.
City’s game management was rock solid, seeing out the closing stages without any drama and ensuring Long kept a clean sheet without being troubled by the visitors.
Good day: Richie Smallwood: Many onlookers were probably surprised to see him start a cup game after a flurry of big league fixtures, however, his influence was felt
Bad day? Joey Barton - After the delight of their thumping win a month ago, Fleetwood were tepid at the KCOM.
Up next: Harrogate Town (A) in the Papa John’s Trophy - a first ever meeting between these two Yorkshire clubs and it will come in the newly-renamed competition.
After a defeat early on against Leicester City’s Under-23s, the Tigers will have a chance to get back to winning ways ahead of the weekend visit of Nigel Clough’s Burton Albion.