Hull United got their promotion bid back on tract
Hull United’s NCEL promotion push was put back on track with a 3-1 win over Humber Premier League leaders Crown FC yesterday.
Curtis Woodhouse’s men sit 4th, with games in hand over 3rd placed Reckitts and Crown FC, who remain at the top of the table despite the defeat.
With only Sculcoates Amateurs left to play out of the top four, the Citizens will have to hope their title rivals drop points elsewhere if they want to win the league.
After a slow start, the Citizens got the ball rolling and started to dominate the midfield areas, a fine ball from Ben Kinsley found predator Brett Agnew, who’s sweetly hit volley was parried away by Jordan Douglas as Crown escaped an early scare.
With United overhauling the visitors in the first 15 minutes, it seemed only likely they would open the scoring. But against the run of play, Crown were handed a vital opportunity to open the scoring and dent the home sides chances of promotion.
Player-chairman Jamie Waltham was adjudged to have fouled Brad Allon in the area, and Crown were rewarded a penalty. Allon took the kick himself but fired wide of the target.
In an exciting few minutes, the Citizens were at the other end with a chance to score as they were not hesitant in attacking the Crown defence.
Brett Agnew found a hole in the visitors’ back four, and he slid past Douglas to put the score at 1-0.
Veteran Mark Greaves had a chance to double the lead just minutes later, he found space in the area after a corner came in, but couldn’t quite connect to score his first goal since coming out of retirement.
Seconds later Greaves was again amongst the action, but this time in his own area, he fouled Crown top scorer Alex Reveley and the visitors were awarded another penalty. Allon made no mistake in converting his penalty this time and as the game settled in the final 10 minutes of the first half, both sides had everything to play for with the score at 1-1 going into the interval.
Due to a missing key at half time for the home side’s dressing room, Curtis Woodhouse took to the pitch to do his team talk in similar fashion to Phil Brown how did for his former side Hull City, much to the amusement of the home crowd.
After no doubt wise words from Woodhouse even in the absence of a dressing room, the Citizens turned up their tempo and began their search for the all-important second goal.
Just minutes after the second half kicked off, Ben Kinsley saw his cross from a free-kick almost find a way through and was just inches away from sneaking in past Douglas.
After a series of chances went begging for the home side, they finally doubled their lead on the hour mark, a wonderful back heel from Kinsley gave Jordan Harrison space in the area, and he volleyed home to put the score at 2-1.
Substitute Callum Harrison could have put the Citizens even further in front, after a ricochet off Crown captain Ryan McAllister, he volley narrowly wide as the home side were looking to seal the win with another goal.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Callum Harrison had another chance to put his side home and dry, but he couldn’t find the target again as another chance was wasted.
But seconds later Brett Agnew showed his goal scoring ability again as he drove the ball past Douglas to give the Citizens a vital 3 points for their promotion campaign.
Hull United manager Curtis Woodhouse:
“Last week was for the first game under me and Ian (Ashbee) that we didn’t really turn up for. We were poor last week and we didn’t start playing until we were 3-0 down.
“It was great today to get back to how we can play and the tempo of our game was a lot better and we took out goals really well, and I’m delighted for the lads.
“Until it’s done it’s not done, I don’t know if results had of gone our way today we could have gone up, but I haven’t looked at the results because our aim is still to win the league and we have to hope results go our way and we need to keep winning.
“Speaking to Jamie Waltham, he wants this to be a league club, however long that takes us, the aim is to get Hull United in the Football League.
“I know it’s a bit of a cliché but you can’t really do it without the fans.
“For local people to come out and really back us and get behind the side it means a lot and the lads really appreciate it.
“It’s a big draw when we’re getting around 400 people when in other games in the league there’s 30/40 people so it’s a bit of a difference.”
Hull United: Nicholson, Taylor, Piercy, Palmer, Waltham, Greaves, Hill (C. Harrison 45), Garth (Smith 85), Agnew, J. Harrison, Kinsley (Richardson 68). Sub unused: Hall.
Crown FC: Douglas, Grout, Beardshaw, Gregory, McAllister, Devaney, Lee, Hunter, D. Allon, Reveley, B. Allon. Sub unused: Staplehurst.
Referee: Andrew Brown
Attendance: 256