Hull Daily Mail

WE AIM TO PUT ON A SHOW

CITY STAR DOCHERTY SEEKS UPSET AGAINST EVERTON IN MAGICAL FA CUP

- By BARRY COOPER barry.cooper@reachplc.com @bazdjcoope­r

HULL City’s Greg Docherty insists the FA Cup has not lost its magic as the Scot prepares for Saturday’s third round tie with Everton under the MKM Stadium lights.

City host the struggling Premier League side at the MKM on Saturday teatime and with the game being broadcast live on the BBC, there’s a very real possibilit­y of Grant Mccann’s Tigers causing an upset - or so their followers will hope.

When the draw was made last month, City were in the middle of a terrific four-game winning run which was followed up with draws against Reading and Bristol City.

Since then, however, form has taken a turn for the worse with successive away defeats either side of Christmas at Nottingham Forest and at Blackpool on New Year’s Day.

The form of Rafa Benitez’s Toffees continues to be a problem with his side booed off after defeat to Brighton on Sunday afternoon left them languishin­g at the wrong end of the table.

Saturday’s 1-0 reverse at Bloomfield Road proved a pretty accurate summary of City’s frustratin­g season to date; lots of good play, some not so good and a lack of quality at either end of the pitch deciding the game - these hugely annoying 1-0 defeats are becoming an all too familiar tale for Mccann.

Taking a mini-break from the desperate search of Championsh­ip points at the weekend will present the Tigers with a chance to change focus, says the Tigers’ influentia­l midfielder, who hopes victory over the Merseyside­rs will rekindle that momentum which has been lost over the festive period.

“It’s huge, I think it’s a great opportunit­y to dust off the disappoint­ment (of Blackpool).

“I’m sure there will be a great crowd at the game, it’s live on TV,” Docherty told BBC Radio Humberside.

“I’ve been fortunate to play in some big FA Cup games when I was on loan (at Shrewsbury) and I loved it, I love that competitio­n, it’s great and it’s historic – as players, you want to play in it.

“Ultimately, it’s disappoint­ing as the league is our bread and butter.

“Maybe it’s an opportunit­y to focus on something different and a chance to right the wrongs of this week and try to put a show on for what I’m sure will be a big crowd.”

 ?? CRAIG THOMAS/ NEWS IMAGES ?? Hull City’s Greg Docherty
CRAIG THOMAS/ NEWS IMAGES Hull City’s Greg Docherty

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