MEDIA FOCUS

Stuart Elliott

Sunday Final Edition

John Maffin reviews the weekend media following Hull City's 2-1 away win at Colchester United

It was a far-flung cry from the mid-week classic at Hillsborough in terms of the venue and atmosphere, but the Tigers took another three points at Layer Road by beating hosts Colchester United 2-1 to bounce back to second place in the League One table. A scorcher on 11 minutes from Ryan France and yet another from the dynamite boots of Stuart Elliott did the trick - but it was a tense finish after the U's pulled one back in the 73rd minute.

The Hull Sports Mail was soon on the streets after the final whistle with a message of cheer for City fans. "Vive le France" it proclaimed in the front page banner headline. From the less than palatial Layer Road, John Fieldhouse phoned his reports through to add fact to the Mail headline writer's eternally entertaining and journalistically essential fantasies. His page one summary gave the gist of the afternoon's events.

"A Ryan France spectacular and Stuart Elliott's 16th goal of the season were enough as Hull City battled to a hard-earned win at League One rivals Colchester United this afternoon.

"France, again preferred to Stuart Green, had given the Tigers a great start with a superb strike after 22 minutes. But Peter Taylor's Tigers failed to build on that advantage as they struggled to repeat the form which had seen them demolish Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough midweek.

"Elliott eased their nerves when he fired a shot past ex-City keeper Aiden Davison in the 50th minute. The highly experienced keeper looked to be at fault as he allowed Elliott's shot to bounce over his despairing drive.

"City appeared to be coasting at that point, but substitute Gareth Williams gave Colchester a glimmer of hope when he scored in the 73rd minute - just four minutes before coming on.

"City had to survive a number of anxious moments before clinching a foiurth consecutive win which sent them back into second place in the table, after Tranmere's victory against Bournemouth last night.

"In the end it was too close for comfort, although City did go close in the closing stages."

Ryan France "A geat vein of form"

BBC sports editor David Burns had a story of his own to tell after having climbed to a dizzy height in the stand roof via a functional ladder that would have been an antidote to almost anyone suffering from constipation. Luckily for the fans below, Burnsy weathered the storm and described Ryan France's first goal with consummate enthusiasm and clinical acccuracy.

"Barmby to Elliott. Over half-way. Switches it. France is going to go clear of the defence. France on the edge of the box. Shot. Oh what a finish! What a break for City. From one end defending to the other end and Ryan France in a great vein of form buries a cracking finish with his right foot. It was edgy early on - but what a great, great goal!----- City lead at Colchester by a goal to nil.

It was unclear whether usual City match reporter Alex Burgess was Christmas shopping, the victim of BBC cuts in services or rooted at the bottom of the ladder, but Burnsy single-handedly continued commentary and simultaneously drank coffee, ate pies and spoke with summariser ex-Tiger Frank Banks. He still had enough breath to describe the second goal.

"Barmby's gone on the left side. Just checked outside the area. Elliott comes in to the box and hits it with his left foot. It's a bouncing one. And Stuart Elliott has done it again. And there is the cartwheel.  I've seen it sixteen times this season. So have the City fans - and they'll never get sick of it. That should've killed the game."

Elliott's goal should've, but unfortunately didn't, kill the game. Whilst Tigers were trimmed to keep the lead, the hosts were still trying to claw their way back. A report on the Colchester United Official Website described how they pulled one back

"---with seventeen minutes to go, the home fans had something to cheer when the U's pulled one back. A ball down the right to Halford saw the forward send over a low, firm cross fizzing in front of Myhill and Williams nipped in to tuck home the ball."

 Peter Taylor

Meanwhile, with Burnsy still stranded in the God's, a very wise Peter Taylor spoke to him from his mobile in the tunnel below. It was hardly Romeo and Juliet. But, if he'd been a City fan, Shakespeare would have loved the prose. The City boss quipped that it was the highest he'd ever seen Burnsy - and then got down to the nitty-gritty.

"The performance was not as good as we would have hoped. It was a very together performance. I think that's the most important thing.  To get two away wins in four days, I think is fantastic.

"I think they worked very hard at closing us down. They also played some good football. We were holding on to a lead a little bit so sometimes we didn't play as much patient football as we could've done. They may be negatives---- but the positives were the two goals

"The first goal was the outstanding play- and the way that we defended as a team. They were the two big plusses for us."

Football First provided an adequate match report with quotes from both managers. Colchester boss Phil Parkinson refused to criticise his players -

"We got stung on two breakaway goals. Aiden Davison held his hands up  after the second goal and admitted he had made a mistake. We managed to get a goal back, but were not getting enough quality balls into the box at the end. We were guilty of taking one too many touches before putting the ball into the box.

"I thought Hull did well, but I'm not here to praise them. I can't be critical of my team either. I thought they were brave and they kept trying to create chances. However, it's another defeat at home and that is not good enough."

The paper's statistics package showed that City had 59% of the possession. Yet the home side held sway on corners by nine to one. There was also an interesting quote from City boss Peter Taylor.

"I give credit to the opposition. It wasn't an easy game and they made us work hard away from home.  I felt we defended too much and we gave the ball away in bad areas. On the strength of that though, we defended strongly. We got our heads to the ball and we got stuck in."

On the message board of the Official Hull City Website, HATS gave his personal view.

"Well the result is the important thing and just as well for the football on offer was non-descript. Colchester United decided to play the hoof-it tactics much loved by Dolan in years gone by and it was not pretty to watch. The only real piece of football in the first half resulted in France scoring from 18 yards.

"The Layer Road ground is as bad as I remembered it to be and the quicker they get permission to relocate the better. City's second goal seemed to be a bad bounce deceiving Davidson in goal but after that City really struggled to contain the hosts.

 Layer Road

Next Saturday's top of the table League One game at the KC Stadium promises to be a thriller with the visit of Brian Little's Tranmere Rovers. Although not a make or break match at this stage of the season, like every other game, it will be a key contest when the points and goal-difference are counted at the end of the season.