Year ends at Hull

Last updated : 29 December 2006 By Tony Scholes
Craig Fagan
And as we go to Hull, our year is ending the way it started with a disappointing run of form that has seen us win just once in the last nine games, that against Hull's fellow relegation rivals Leeds United.

We were sat in third place in the table when we met in October, just a point behind second place and current leaders Birmingham. Hull were next to bottom, just one place lower than their current placing, and were sat a point above Sheffield Wednesday a side now level with us on points.

Two goals in the first thirteen minutes from Michael Duff and Gifton Noel-Williams were enough that day and it took us into the top two and Hull onto the bottom with Wednesday winning. It had been a disastrous start for manager Phil Parkinson, brought in controversially from Colchester to replace the now Legend of the Palace.

How Parkinson must have wished he'd never moved. His old club are riding high whilst for him defeat at home to Southampton on the first Saturday of the month was the straw that broke the camel's black and two days later he lost his job.

The temporary replacement, the fake tanned Phil Brown, is best known for his time as coach at Bolton whilst his attempts at management last season at Derby proved to be almost as disastrous as Parkinson's time at Hull.

He's still in charge four games later as the search for a new manager goes on. Iain Dowie is thought to have turned it down and the longer it goes on the more likely Brown is to land the job on a permanent basis.

It is still Parkinson's squad of course, the transfer window has been shut since Brown took over, so he has the same players who were there when they were at the Turf over two months ago.

Having beaten Cardiff 4-1 in Brown's first home game in charge, they weren't able to follow things up with another home win on Boxing Day even though they went in front through a Craig Fagan goal right on half time against Leicester. The Foxes came back and scored twice before Hull had Danny Coles sent off for a professional foul with just under twenty minutes to go.

Although a win wouldn't have lifted them out of the bottom three, it would have taken them two points clear of Leeds whereas they currently lead the Elland Road club on goal difference.

Click HERE to see all Hull's results this season.

Burnley need to get back to winning ways, and quickly, to get back towards that top six. This is very much a winnable game and having dropped points at Barnsley that should have been won this is a big opportunity to take out points tally into the forties.

Team News

Brown will have to make at least one change from the side beaten by Leicester with Danny Coles now serving a one match suspension, and his place is expected to be taken by Michael Turner who was on the subs bench on Tuesday.

That Boxing Day game saw the return of big striker Jon Parkin who has been out with an ankle ligament injury sustained early in the win against Wolves seven weeks ago. He returned via the bench on Tuesday, replacing Michael Bridges in the second half.

The manager has said he could start, as could Nicky Barmby if he can prove his fitness ahead of the game, having missed the last two with a groin injury. In fact he said he will play Barmby even if he is only 75% fit.

There are suggestions that Andy Dawson might not make the starting line up because of injury and that would see Ryan France play at right back with Sam Ricketts moving onto the left.

Hull's side could be: Boaz Myhill, Ryan France, Michael Turner, Damien Delaney, Sam Ricketts, Ian Ashbee, Dean Marney, Nicky Barmby, David Livermore, Craig Fagan, Jon Parkin. Subs from: Matt Duke, Andrew Dawson, Stuart Elliott, Nicky Forster, Michael Bridges, Michael Byron, Mark Yeates, Nicky Featherstone.

Click HERE to see the full Hull squad.

It is looking very much likely that it will be same again for Burnley, the same starting eleven and the same five subs who were on duty at Barnsley. As well as the bad news on Andy Gray there is nothing positive to report on goalkeeper Danny Coyne or defenders John McGreal and Frank Sinclair, they are all ruled out again as they will be on Monday.

Steve Cotterill has hinted that he'll make no changes and we'll line up: Brian Jensen, Stephen Foster, Michael Duff, Wayne Thomas, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, James O'Connor, Chris McCann, Steve Jones, Gifton Noel-Williams, Kyle Lafferty. Subs: Micah Hyde, Alan Mahon, Garreth O'Connor, John Spicer, Graham Branch.

Last Meeting

Our first visit to the KC Stadium was hardly a classic. Played on Easter Saturday this year it ended in a goalless draw but it was a game we really should have got three points from.

It was the game that signalled the end of Phil Bardsley's time at Burnley, he came off with what looked like a hamstring injury before half time and our other loan player at the time Michael Ricketts was nowhere to be seen, presumably with one of his injuries.

Kyle Lafferty came in for him and had our best chance with a one on one but got too close to keeper Myhill who saved. There weren't too many chances and our best performances all came at the back with Frank Sinclair edging out Michael Duff and John McGreal for man of the match.

The only other thing of note was the dreadful performance by referee Darren Drysdale, but I'm sure someone will let us know the day he has a decent game.

The teams were;

Hull: Boaz Myhill, Alton Thelwell, Leon Cort, Damien Delaney, Andy Dawson, Ryan France (Billy Painter 81), Stuart Green, Keith Andrews, Kevin Ellison (Stuart Elliott 81), Darryl Duffy (Craig Fagan 81), Jon Parkin. Subs not used: Matt Duke, Scott Wiseman.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Phil Bardsley (John McGreal 39), Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, Jon Harley, Alan Mahon, James O'Connor, Chris McCann, Graham Branch, Andy Gray, Kyle Lafferty (John Spicer 83). Subs not used: Micah Hyde, Wade Elliott, Garreth O'Connor.

Previous 20 Seasons

Season

Div

Ven

Result

Att

Scorers

1992/93

2

a

2-0

5,751

Heath(2)

.

.

h

2-0

9,974

Heath Slawson

1993/94

2

a

2-1

11,232

Davis Deary

..

h

3-1

10,574

Pender Eyres(2 1pen)

1995/96

2

h

2-1

10,613

Nogan Allison(og)

..

a

0-3

4,206

.

2005/06

C

h

1-0

11,701

Akinbiyi

..

a

0-0

19,926

.

2006/07

C

h

2-0

11,530

Duff Noel-Williams

Click HERE to see all our results against Hull dating back to 1905 and a 1-1 draw away from home.