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Video: Hull City reproduce that Wembley feeling with comeback victory
BRIAN HORTON believes Hull City moving out of the relegation zone yesterday was testament to Phil Brown's management skills.
The Tigers claimed only their third victory of the season thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time winner by birthday boy Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Click here to watch video highlights from Hull's win over Stoke and other Premier League matches >>
The Dutch striker came off the bench to net his second goal for the club and prompt delirious scenes of celebration around the KC Stadium.
The win not only moved the Tigers out of the bottom three, it also earned manager Brown a stay of execution after a difficult week.
New chairman Adam Pearson had told his under-pressure manager that results will decide his fate and with back-to-back home games to come this month, Brown has a golden chance to stake his claim to remain.
Assistant manager Horton, who spoke to the media as Brown opted to have a "deserved pint of Guinness" instead, said: "I thought the manager got it spot on. He called for a real team effort from the players and got it. They responded brilliantly.
"The manager has been very calm all week long. We took the players away the night before the game to relax them; it is something we try to do from time to time.
"Of course the players are playing for the manager. They are all right behind him – and rightly so because of where he has brought them from in two-and-a-half years.
"Pressure is something you have to deal with in the Premier League. It is the name of the game."
Hull's fighting spirit shone through yesterday as they fought back from going behind in the 29th minute to Matthew Etherington's goal.
The Stoke wide man took advantage of some poor defending by Bernard Mendy and Kamil Zayatte to rifle a shot inside Matt Duke's post.
Seyi Olofinjana equalised on 62 minutes to set up a dramatic finale that saw Stoke captain Abdoulaye Faye sent off before Vennegoor of Hesselink netted a stoppage-time winner.
Horton added: "The players did well to come back from a goal down. Some teams can go under, especially when the goal is down to a mistake.
"But we didn't and, instead, kept going. The feeling in the dressing room is like we had at Wembley (when they won the Championship play-off last year).
"If we play like that and show the same commitment, we will be fine."
Another plus for Hull yesterday came with the performance of Jimmy Bullard on his home debut – 10 months after joining the club for 5m from Fulham.
It was the 31-year-old midfielder's shot that led directly to Hull's winner with Thomas Sorensen only able to parry the ball into the path of Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Hull asssitant Horton added: "I thought Jimmy and Seyi Olofinjana were great in midfield. It was also nice to see Craig Fagan come in from the cold.
"I also thought the two centre-halves were excellent. It was a good team display against a team who are difficult to play against. They have better players than people give them credit for."
Horton was guarded when asked whether he felt the win had saved Brown's job.
"I refuse to answer that question," he said. "I don't think it should be asked today.
"We hope we can now go on a run, and nobody talks about stupid things like that."
Stoke manager Tony Pulis felt his team were below par.
"We're disappointed," he said. "It is the third time we have led away from home this year and not won the game.
"We weren't at our best but when Matty (Etherington) scored we were hoping that would take us on."
Pulis angered striker Tuncay when he substituted the player just six minutes after bringing him on, because of Abdoulaye Faye's red card.
Tuncay shook his head and walked straight down the tunnel, but Pulis could understand his reaction.
He said: "I've got no problems with that, but it still won't stop me doing it again.
"It is not about me or Tuncay, it is about the team. We have lost a centre-half, so we had to put another defender on."
Pulis was unhappy with the sending-off, which occurred in a frantic finale.
He said: "I'm desperately disappointed with the two bookings. The second one, looking at the replays, he had not caught Nick Barmby at all."
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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