Hull City 2 Middlesbrough 4: Tigers plan to crash party and revive play-off dream

Loftus Road is likely to be rocking as the London club go in search of the point that will be enough to book a return to the Premier League.

Rangers may not even need that with third-placed Cardiff City having to claim all three points from their own trip to Preston North End today to have any chance of pegging back Neil Warnock’s side.

Nevertheless, there can be little doubt that the Championship’s long-time leaders will be determined to finish the job themselves – not least as the possibility of a points deduction still hangs over the club ahead of the May 6 Football League hearing into the controversial signing of Alejandro Faurli in 2009.

It means Hull, whose own promotion hopes suffered a serious blow courtesy of a first-half capitulation to Middlesbrough, are in for a testing afternoon in Shepherds Bush.

Simpson, however, believes the Tigers have the mettle to pull off a shock against his former club.

“I don’t see QPR taking their foot of the gas at all before the season ends,” said the 22-year-old who netted 12 goals in 39 Championship appearances for Rangers last season while he was on loan from Arsenal.

“Warnock is a winner and if he felt they did (take their foot off the gas) then he wouldn’t be happy.

“They have changed a lot since last season, when it was an awkward club to be at. They had five different managers and there wasn’t too much stability.

“But Warnock has come in and grabbed hold of the squad and they are top of the table.

“They have been consistent all year. I think it was November when they lost their first game and if you can go unbeaten for that length of time then you are going to be up there.

“So, whether they were promoted already or champions, they would go out there and want to win the game.”

On the size of the task facing City today, Simpson added: “My old club will be eager to celebrate but we are going there to gatecrash that.

“I know the teams around the play-off positions won’t fancy us going to QPR and getting a win or even a point but I don’t see why we can’t.”

Simpson’s confidence that Hull can surprise the runaway leaders has a lot to do with the amazing away record of Nigel Pearson’s side, who last lost on the road back in September.

During that 16-game unbeaten run, points have been taken off a host of top sides including Swansea City, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Leeds United and also Watford.

If QPR are to be added to that impressive roll-call of names, however, then there can be no repeat of the Keystone Kops-style defending that handed Boro such an unexpectedly comfortable win.

After going ahead inside just 150 seconds through a close-range header from Simpson, City imploded in remarkable fashion.

First, Jack Hobbs smashed what should have been a routine clearance against a team-mate on 12 minutes and the ball rebounded to Scott McDonald who finished coolly past Vito Mannone.

Then, just 79 seconds later, the normally ultra-reliable Andy Dawson attempted a back pass that fell short of Mannone and McDonald was again the beneficiary after being found by Marvin Emnes.

If Dawson thought that was a bad enough way to mark his 500th career game, his afternoon got even worse on 26 minutes with it being another mistake by the Hull captain that presented Julio Arca with an open goal.

The City fans were stunned but their suffering was not over just yet, McDonald completing his hat-trick in first-half stoppage time after turning smartly away from Dawson before rolling a shot past Mannone.

There was no way back after that, though credit to City for at least not giving in during the second half as Matty Fryatt struck the post and Robert Koren brought a flying save from Paul Smith.

Hull’s endeavours were rewarded 21 minutes from time when Anthony Gerrard drilled an unstoppable 25-yard effort into the corner of the net.

Boro, however, were in no mood to give up their advantage and came close to netting for a fifth time when Leroy Lita drilled a shot against the underside of the crossbar late on.

For the visitors, the afternoon offered hope that next season may not be quite the disappointment that 2010-11 has been at the Riverside. The win also, according to manager Tony Mowbray, tasted that little bit sweeter due to his side having been dismissed in certain quarters ahead of kick-off.

The Middlesbrough chief said: “I picked up the Hull Evening Chronicle (sic) or whatever it is called on Friday night and we were being written off by certain people.

“I was reading comments from people who I don’t know. But it was useful for my team-talk.

“That is what football managers do, they look for angles to inspire their team. Cannon-fodder was one term used. If you have any professional pride, then you have to use that for yourselves. I thought we did that.”

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