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Blackburn Rovers 1 Hull City 1
IF Hull City are to stay in the Premier League beyond this debut season, there is little doubt Phil Brown's men will have to successfully negotiate a series of testing hurdles.
The Tigers have enjoyed an encouraging start by collecting four points from the opening two games, but no-one at the KC Stadium is under any illusions as to just how tough life could become while attempting to consolidate the club's newly-won top-flight status.
This means the sporting pedigree of full-back Sam Ricketts could yet prove invaluable with the Welsh international coming from a family famous for overcoming considerable obstacles.
Not only is the 26-year-old's father Derek a former world champion show-jumper who has spent August in Beijing as the manager of the British team competing in the Olympics, but his uncle is seven-times National Hunt champion, John Francome.
Ricketts, who again impressed as City extended their unbeaten start to the season, is rightly proud of his family's sporting prowess and has used it as inspiration during a meteoric rise from non-League to the top of English football inside just six years.
He said: "I am the black sheep of the family because everyone else is into horses. My sister is out in Ireland working with horses and my dad obviously works with horses, he is the chef d'equipe for the British show-jumping team.
"Basically, he is the manager – he picks the team and who rides in what order. He is due back from Beijing (today).
"I was quite good (at show-jumping) and had a few rosettes on the wall, but when I got to 13 I had to choose one or the other and I chose football.
"It seemed an easier life."
On his dad and uncle John's considerable achievements, Ricketts added: "Those two are much bigger than me.
"My old man was world champion in 1978, while John was seven-times National Hunt champion.
"But I am catching up as quick as I can."
Ricketts may not have yet reached the sporting heights of his family, but he is certainly making good progress.
Playing for Telford United in the Conference just six years ago, he then went on to play in the bottom two divisions with Swansea City before stepping up to the Championship when joining the Tigers for 300,000 in 2006.
He said: "It has been an upward curve and I want to keep going.
"I always hoped to go further, when I was non-League my goal was to reach the Championship. Once there, I then re-set my targets.
"Playing in non-League – I went to places like Leigh RMI and was watched by 200 people – makes me appreciate playing at this level now even more."
City's encouraging start to life in the Premier League suggests that Ricketts and his team-mates have quickly adjusted to their new surroundings.
After the elation of the opening day win against Fulham, this draw at Ewood Park was, if anything, a much more impressive affair with Hull being the equals of a side that finished last season in seventh place.
Against a strike force among the most potent in the top flight, City produced a sterling display with Michael Turner doing what many experienced Premier League defenders have failed to do – subdue Roque Santa Cruz.
The Paraguayan netted 19 league goals last term and until signing a new four-year deal over the weekend had been constantly linked with a 15m move away from Rovers.
But, against Turner, he had to survive on scraps and with Anthony Gardner also impressing at centre-half, there was plenty of grounds for optimism for the thousands of City fans who made the trip to Lancashire.
The vociferous travelling army will also have been pleased by what they saw from their side going forward with Blackburn being given a stiff test on Paul Ince's debut in the home dugout.
With Dean Marney's mobility in the centre of the field meaning City were able to break at speed, the visitors should have gone ahead in the 25th minute when an incisive attack saw the midfielder played into the penalty area by Marlon King.
Marney could – and perhaps, should – have shot, but instead opted to try and find Craig Fagan who showed indecision at the final moment to ensure the ball would just evade the former Derby man.
It proved a costly miss with Rovers taking the lead on 38 minutes when Jason Roberts, being played onside by Ricketts, timed his run to perfection to claim a Steven Reid pass before flicking a shot past Boaz Myhill.
Hull were not behind for long, however, with Richard Garcia heading past Paul Robinson just 90 seconds later after being picked out at the back post by Craig Fagan to ensure Brown's men claimed deserved reward from such an impressive display.
MATCH FOCUS
Hero: Michael Turner
Against one of the most potent strikers in the Premier League, namely the Paraguayan Roque Santa Cruz, Turner was outstanding with his reading of the game meaning the striker was unusually quiet on the day he signed a new four-year deal with Rovers.
Villain: Steven Reid
Reid was guilty of a poor tackle on Ian Ashbee in the 12th minute that left the City captain requiring treatment. Ashbee is not the type of player to let such a tackle get him down but it was still a dangerous one.
Key moment
40th minute: Richard Garcia's looping header past Paul Robinson just 90 seconds after Rovers had gone ahead ensured City went in at the break deservedly level.
Ref watch
Stuart Attwell: The youngest referee in top-flight history had a decent game, though Rovers were enraged when he missed a handball by Michael Turner.
Verdict
If anything, this display was more encouraging than the opening day win at home to Fulham with City more than matching a good Blackburn side. This can only bode well for the future.
Quote of the day
There were 6,000 Hull City fans who came across to Blackburn and made themselves heard. They were passionate, committed and driven.
– Hull City manager Phil Brown is delighted with the away support at Ewood Park.
Player focus
Blackburn Rovers
Robinson 6
Ooijer 7
Nelsen 7
Samba 6
Warnock 6
Reid 7
Dunn* 6
Mokoena** 6
Pedersen 7
Santa Cruz 6
Roberts*** 7
Substitutes:
Emerton* (46) 7
Tugay** (66) 6
McCarthy***(80)
Not used:
Simpson, Brown
Teacy, Derbyshire.
Hull City
Myhill 6
Ricketts 7
Turner 8
Gardner 7
Dawson* 6
Fagan 6
Ashbee 7
Marney 7
Garcia*** 7
Geovanni** 6
King 7
Substitutes:
Mendy* (58) 6
Folan** (64) 7
Barmby*** (78)
Not used:
Duke, Windass, Brown, Halmosi.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
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