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Hunt happy to prove there's life without Bullard
STEPHEN HUNT has revealed how a desire to prove Hull City are not a one-man team was a major factor in their stunning first-half display against Everton.
The Tigers, without the talismanic Jimmy Bullard due to a stiff knee, blew David Moyes's side away with arguably their most complete 45 minutes since winning promotion to the Premier League.
Hunt, Hull's man of the match on Wednesday, netted the opening goal before further strikes from Andy Dawson and Dean Marney ensured the home side went in at the break 3-0 ahead.
Everton, aided by some poor defending by Kamil Zayatte, rallied in the second half but Hull ran out 3-2 winners.
The manner of the first-half performance suggested Phil Brown's pre-match insistence that Hull are not over-reliant on Bullard contained more than an element of truth, a view shared by Hunt.
He said: "We are not a one-man team. I think that may have been a bit of a motivation, to be honest. Jimmy got the press for the last two games but we worked our socks off as well.
"Jimmy has been good since he came back and will be fit for Saturday (at Manchester City), though whether the manager picks him I don't know.
"George Boateng came in after having been out for a while so to play like he did is a credit to him. He is a great pro."
Hunt's ninth-minute opener was his first goal since the opening week of the season when he netted in the defeats to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. It set the Tigers on their way to a second win in three home games, the other having finished as a thrilling 3-3 draw against West Ham United last Saturday, to continue the club's recent mini-revival.
The 29-year-old, who has featured in all 14 league games since joining from Reading in the summer, believes the upturn in results is a deserved reward for the manner of Hull's displays.
Hunt said: "Jozy Altidore up front has been a handful lately. He is holding the ball up well and that helps because it allows the midfielders to be brought into play.
"Jozy came in from Villarreal, who are a quality side. That means he is going to have quality. He also has a World Cup to play for so is going to be keen to impress.
"Craig Fagan has also done well in attack, while Jan (Vennegoor of Hesselink) has also scored a winner so I think that has been a factor."
Hull's improved results have come as something of a tonic for Hunt after the major disappointment of missing out on qualifying for the World Cup finals with Ireland.
The wide man was on the bench in Paris as Thierry Henry literally handed France a 2-1 aggregate victory and admits the experience will take some time to get over.
Hunt said: "It has been an up and down week for me. Not qualifying has left a sour taste in my mouth, a World Cup would be the pinnacle of anyone's career.
"The disappointment will be with me for a while, probably until we qualify for a major championships. But with the manager we have, I think you can put us down as a banker to qualify for the next one."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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