Wigan Athletic 2 Hull City 2: Pride restored as Hull bid farewell to life in top tier

Half-time team-talks on the pitch, stunning back-to-back wins in north London, players fighting in front of the local Women's Institute and post-match karaoke sessions are just some of the many highlights that have proved to a wider audience that it really is never dull in 'Ull.

Yesterday, the fate of Yorkshire's last remaining representative in the top flight was confirmed as a failure to beat Wigan Athletic condemned the club to the drop.

And, fittingly considering Hull's propensity for drama, the final nail in the relegation coffin came via an equaliser by Steve Gohouri in the third minute of stoppage time.

Hull had, due to West Ham's goal difference being vastly superior, been all but relegated 10 days earlier following a 1-0 home defeat to Sunderland.

But now the dreaded 'R' can be added to Hull's name in the league table as attention turns to just what state the Tigers, whose debts have soared to 35m, will be in come the start of next season. Certainly, it seems the squad is in for a major makeover with the board desperate to usher the high earners through the exit door this summer.

With that in mind, the trip to the DW Stadium was always going to offer a glimpse into the future with Iain Dowie opting to drop record signing Jimmy Bullard and hand youngsters Will Atkinson and Mark Cullen their first Premier League starts.

Both debutants responded with a goal and displays that offered encouragement for Hull's on-field prospects, as did another mature display from 19-year-old Tom Cairney in midfield.

Manager Dowie, who revealed afterwards that Bullard would not have started even before sustaining an injury in training on Saturday, said: "It was heart-breaking to not win the game but I am very upbeat about the display.

"We had three young lads in the team who covered themselves in glory.

"The fans, who were magnificent, do not deserve to be relegated but they will have seen in those three young lads a lot of hope for the future. The lads brought an injection of enthusiasm."

On the heartbreaking manner of missing out on a first away win in 14 months, Dowie added: "We definitely deserved more than we got, but that just shows what a harsh league this is.

"To score twice away from home and not win is disappointing. But I believe it (the performance) restored a sense of pride.

"I asked the lads to show their character and I believe they did that."

Dowie's pride was understandable with Hull, even after falling behind on the half hour to a sublime shimmy and finish from Victor Moses, producing a battling display.

Having gone behind, they could easily have folded but instead it was Wigan who were forced on to the back foot.

First, George Boateng tested Vladimir Stojkovic with a stinging drive that the Latics goalkeeper could only palm as far as Kevin Kilbane.

The Republic of Ireland international then looked up before floating an inviting cross for Atkinson, who has spent much of this season on loan at League Two Rochdale, to power into the net from close range.

Wigan's players were incensed by the goal being given as the linesman had initially flagged for offside. Replays showed, however, that the flag had been raised in the mistaken belief that Cullen was going to meet the cross only for the youngster to stand aside as Atkinson, who had been three yards onside when the ball left Kilbane, headed past Stojkovic.

The response from the travelling fans was to chant 'we only want 10 more' in reference to the vastly different goal differences of Hull and West Ham.

They got one, 18-year-old Cullen showing the predatory instinct that has made him such a prolific scorer for the reserves and youth team by heading Boateng's cross past Stojkovic.

The 64th-minute strike looked like being enough to seal a first win on the road for Hull since the long-forgotten Manucho netted the only goal at Fulham in March last year.

Instead, there was one final twist to come with Gohouri netting in the final minute of stoppage time after Hull had failed to deal with a header across the six-yard box by Paul Scharner.

Wigan Athletic: Stojkovic; Melchiot, Caldwell, Gohouri, Figueroa; Gomez (Scotland 79), Watson, McCarthy (Sinclair 65), Diame (Scharner 82); Rodallega, Moses. Unused substitutes: Pollitt, Thomas, Boyce, Mustoe.

Hull City: Duke; Mendy, Gardner, Mouyokolo, Dawson; Atkinson, Boateng, Cairney, Kilbane; Cullen, Vennegoor of Hesselink (Folan 70). Unused substitutes: Myhill, Fagan, Barmby, Geovanni, Cooper, Olofinjana.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).