Hull City's 2007/08 season, which started indignantly on a warm summers evening in July with defeat at Winterton Rangers, will end in May at Wembley in the play-off final. They put us through the mill tonight, starting shakily, moving into nerve jangling territory and the horror of a Watford goal before they calmed the nerves and moved up through the gears, hitting scintillating, high speed elation as they booked there place in the richest one off game in world football and most importantly, etched their names into Tigers' folklore.
City started quite well, the first 5 minutes or so was calm enough, but the indecision over whether to go for the jugular or sit on the 2-0 lead was always visible. We started making mistakes in the midfield and Watford got the early goal that we absolutely, definitely did not want them to have. Garcia initially made a great run to stop Jobi McAnuff being allowed to receive the ball, but when it was played forward, we headed it out to McAnuff's feet; he ran at us and somehow, he squirmed a pass through to Henderson, who played a 1-2 with Ellington and finished well. It was game on, fantastic for your neutral TV viewer, murder for the Tigers army in the stands. For the next 15 minutes, we were a quivering wreck. Watford cut through us too easily, we were horrendous in possession and we couldn't get near McAnuff or Tommy Smart. They moved around well off the ball, Ellington dropped deep and we had to defend well when they got into the box, which happened with all too much regularity. The game changed for us in an odd way, when Nick Barmby was booked for clattering Mariappa. It gave us a breather, gave everyone a chance to calm down a little bit, players and crowd, and we started to play our way into the game a little bit. It still wasn't particularly good, but it was better and it stopped Watford cutting through us. Garcia came into the game and he and the excellent Nick Barmby were much more involved, Garcia's running from deep caused them a problem. Just before half time, we scored, Barmby heading in, although garcia's looping header looked to have been going in anyway. That really was tie over. The confidence flooded back into City. Watford would be disappointed with the goal; a rotten defensive header gave Garcia the chance and even then, the 'keeper should have taken the ball. Half time was party time.
The city side that walked out in the second half was the one we've come to know and love. Gone were the wide open paces in the midfield and out wide and gone was the sloppiness on the ball. We dictated the game. Watford had the occasional foray into our half and won a couple of corners but we were as resilient as we were on Sunday afternoon. They chucked on a third forward, who immediately forced a decent save out of Bo Myhill, but it turned out to be a mistake as City exploited the gaps at the back. Deano, who hadn't had his best night, was replaced by Caleb Folan and, oops, he did it again. As the East Stand and the South Stand engaged in dueling chants, Garcia strode away with the ball and fed Ricketts, he raced down the wing and dinked over a beautiful cross that Folan headed down and beyond the 'keeper. I've never in my life heard a roar like the one that greeted the ball hitting the net. The feeling was absolutely sensational; we were going to Wembley, no doubt about it. The last 20 minutes was a blur as we sang and danced and someone even started a Mexican wave. Nerd. Watford tried to stay interested and for a little while, City eased their foot off the pedal but they couldn't break through our defence. With a couple of minutes left, Garcia picked the ball up on half way, ran at them through the middle, watched a gap open up, danced through it and slotted the ball into the net. Cue pitch invasion. Watford were absolutely buried and desperate to get off the pitch but before they could, Nathan Doyle ran at them and his shot deflected in. Cue pitch invasion #2. The ref ended the game rather abruptly. Cue pitch invasion #3. We stood on the pitch at the end and watched the players emerge into the director's box. It was absolutely fantastic. It was, by far, the best feeling in the world, ever.
Myhill had a solid evening, showed good hands and made a save when he had too. Ricketts had another torrid time facing McAnuff. The plan was obviously to stop McAnuff getting the ball but that didn't work. Sam was chasing shadows for 45 minutes. In the second half, McAnuff tired and Sam just got stronger and stronger, setting up the winner and finishing the game at the same pace he started. Dawson coped a bit better with Smart, but had a tricky spell in the middle of the first half. Like Ricketts, he enjoyed a good second half as we dominated in midfield and stopped them finding the wide players with so much ease. Turner hasn't had many tougher games than he's had in the last 4 days. Ellington and Henderson were a handful, two big, strong strikers who were good on the floor and in the air. Ellington proved tough to mark first half as he dropped off but again, we dominated them after the break. It was a warning for Wembley though; Turner will have to be at his excellent best to cope with Big Dele Adebola. Brown alongside had a fair game, he stuck his head in where it hurt again and used his brain to make up for the lack of pace. The back four a unit, while they didn't always make the best decisions or read situations like they should have done, were fantastic because they showed pure, bloody minded determination and incredible bravery, which is what the entire squad have shown on their rise up the league.
Garcia had a shaky start and afforded them too much room for 20 minutes, but he grew into the game and proved a real handful in the lead up to half time and beyond. His goal was sensational. He might have had two, but Barmby nicked it, I hope he isn't on a huge goal bonus. Barmby was fantastic again. His work rate is supreme, his reading of situations, defensively and going forward gives him a head start on the oppo's and his ability to get into the box causes problems and gets goals. He was always the calm head in possession. Ash worked his socks off but things didn't always run for him. He did a good job of trying to keep the ball and was a pretty useful attacker. He missed a sitter from a corner after a great run lost his marker. Bryan Hughes had a strange old game. On the ball, for the most part, he was pretty poor, either passing it poorly, or misunderstanding where his mates wanted it. Without the ball, he was absolutely fantastic. He stuck his head in where boots where flying, he read their passes, he made tackles and he even turned up on the line to clear away a Henderson header. If you were rating him, he'd get 5 out of 10 for his work on the ball and 11 for his work without it. Phil Brown let Nathan Doyle loose to make his third highly impressive cameo in the last 3 weeks. He worked back well, did well on the ball and got his first goal.
Up front, we struggled early on, despite the best efforts of Deano and Campbell. Space was at a premium and our passing was far too poor to create openings. They worked their way into things. Campbell showed his incredible appetite, again. He gave away the ball in the first half, playing what should have been an easy pass well beyond Ashbee but he hared down the touchline and harried and then robbed the defender. He will not give up anything and he won't make someone else have to work to recover his mistakes. He has a phenomenal attitude. As does his partner, the old warhorse, who gave everything without much success. Browny sent on Super Caleb who terrorised the weary Watfordian rearguard and scored a priceless winner. Fagan also came on and even managed 10 minutes up front as Campbell was afforded a rest. The reception for Campbell was incredible, in what might be his last game for City at the KC, I hope not though, I'd love to see him sign on again, temporarily or permanently.
So that was it. It's hard to judge the players after a night like tonight. The play wasn't always great and the Watford goal was a real scare but in the end, we showed the great strength of character, the quality and the mentality that has carried us this far. To a man, we were brave and strong and undaunted by the size of the prize.
Our season comes down to one game with a 50/50 chance of promotion to the top flight. I think we'd all have swapped everything we have for that opportunity back in August. Without wishing to sound pessimistic, chances like this don't come around to often, so we have to give it everything we've got. If we aren't good enough on May 24th, then so be it, but let's not walk away from Wembley with any regrets. You only get one shot at this, we, as fans, have to give everything we have, and the guys on the pitch will do the same.
Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be, but we'll always love City. Oh, and we're going to Wembley. Que Sera, Sera.
Ratings: Myhill 9.5, Ricketts 9.5, Dawson 9.5, Turner 9.5, Brown 9.5, Garcia 9.5, Barmby 9.5 (Fagan 9.5), Hughes 9.5, Ashbee 9.5, Windass 9.5 (Folan 9.5), Campbell 9.5 (Doyle 9.5)