The Away Report - Rams Go To Hull And Back!
Wednesday, 15th Sep 2010 16:06 by Daniel J Sewart

The Rams were hoping to bounce back after a poor effort against the Blades. Although the effort was imporved the result was much the same.

Match Attendance:

19,714

Referee:

Mr D. Whitestone

Goals:

Ayala (43), Koren (82)

Yellow Cards:

Barker, Leacock

Teams:

Hull City: Duke, Dawson, McShane, Fagan, Bostock (Garcia 68), Cairney, Koren, Simpson (Cullen 90), Gerrard, Ayala, Bullard - Subs: Oxley, Ashbee, Kilbane, Atkinson, Solano

Derby County: Bywater, Brayford, Barker, Leacock, Moxey (Doyle 82), Bailey, Savage, Cywka (Commons 55), Green, Bueno (Pringle 70), Kuqi - Subs: Deeney, O'Brien, Ball, Martin

The Away Report:

It was a tale of new signings for both the Rams and Hull but when the final whistle went it was the Tigers that seemed to have made the better investments as Daniel Ayala and Robert Koren both scored as Hull City ended a four game run of losses by keeping the Rams off the scoresheet.

The Rams had some early chances as Shaun Barker was unable to head Tomasz Cywka's corner truly while Paul Green and James Bailey shot from long range with little result. New boy Alberto Bueno also had a decent had penalty appeal turned down as he was closing in on goal.

At the other end Ayala failed to connect cleanly with a Bullard corner with the ball only just going wide. Bywater was called into action when he was able to keep a good effort from Simpson out. Sadly his save was not enough to keep Hull from scoring their first just before half time.

Simpson and Ayala both challenged for a great cross from Cairney after some hard work by former Ram Craig Fagan. It was Ayala who was able to get contact on the ball and send the Rams into despair as once again they headed to the break with a lot of work to do.

HT: 1-0

The second half began without much inspiration and Commons was injected to try and get some spark into the Rams attack. He instantly made an impact with threatening play and a shot that just went over from 20 yards.

Commons had the best chance of the match for Derby when he shot wide from a Pringle cross when he really should have scored.

Bywater was able to keep Simpson out for a second time but as in the first half a great save only resulted in a Hull goal.

Andy Dawson and Simpson combined in a good move that ended in Simpson firing a shot which cannoned back off Bywater only for Koren to gobble up the rebound and score from 10 yards.

Derby threw everything at the Tigers with Commons once again testing the keeper while Bullard nearly added a third in stoppage time.

The Tigers like the Rams had not won since the first day of the season but now unlike the Rams, have added a second win to their tally.

The performance was an improvement on the dire effort on Saturday but still nowhere close to where the Rams need to be if they are to add to their wins column any time soon.

FT: 2-0

They will need to see more from not just the regular faces but also Bueno and Kuqi who had very little effect on the game. They will need time to settle in but Derby can’t afford to give them much. It seems once again time is not on their side.

The win was the Tigers' first since the 2-0 victory over Swansea on the opening day of the season and provided a timely boost to Nigel Pearson's side.

Manager's Reaction:

Johnny Metgod faced the media after the match for an absent Nigel Clough:

"We have to defend better, simple as that. We're giving silly goals away right now, and it has to stop”.

"Hull's first goal came from a needless free-kick, and the second goal was poor one too. Both came at bad times, because we were pushing to get a goal and looked the most likely to score”.

"It is very simple, if you want to win games you have to defend far, far better. Defensively we can get better, and we can do more in the attacking areas too”.

"We have to hit the target more, because that is the only way you are going to score goals. We have to learn, football isn't about how much possession you have; it is about scoring goals”.

"It is a harsh lesson for us, and it is tough right now but we just have to keep working hard to turn it around."

"I am convinced we are better than where we are in the table right now, in a few weeks time, I am sure we won't be in the bottom three as we are now”.

"The level and standard of play, apart from on Saturday, has been good this season and we've played well. We are playing with confidence despite not getting the results we would have liked, and we have to keep playing that way."