Facing a desperate struggle against the darkness? Cliché culture dictates that it’s time for a Churchill quote, so go on then. Forget ‘we shall fight them on the beaches’, we’ve already played Southend away, so how about:

“We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering...You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.”

Indeed Winston. Though the darkness facing City isn’t quite “a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime.” (he meant the Nazis, not Leeds United, though the description fits) it would cause considerable grief in East Yorkshire should Hull City be relegated to League One, so in spite of the terror of losing 5-2 to Ipswich, City need victories, as many as possible, starting with Preston North End at home.

Preston, for their part, require victories also, though not to avoid sliding down the relegation snake, but to climb the promotion ladder so they can bathe in gold coins from the Premiership mint. Neither side could afford to taste defeat today.

After the Ipswich Blitz City carded:- Myhill; Dawson, Delaney, Turner, Ricketts; Elliott, Ashbee (Capt.), Parlour, Welsh; Windass, Forster.

Danny Coles was (thankfully) nowhere to be seen after his Tuesday night horror show, with Turner rightfully back in the middle of defence, there was no place in the 16 for Dean Marney either, instead the underused John Welsh was given a rare start. A new addition to the Tigers squad, Portuguese forward Ricardo Vaz Te, borrowed from Bolton following Jon ‘Pieman’ Parkin’s departure, warmed the bench. 

A po faced television commentator would probably describe this game as ‘not one for the purists’ (who are these purists?  I can’t see there being many in Hull), as there was little in the way of technical ability on display, but that’s fair enough, both sides are desperate for points, and when that’s the case artistry and flair are sacrificed for determination and graft. This game had little guile but lots of guts, and thankfully most of it from City.

A two footed challenge from John Welsh on Mellor just two or three minutes in was a little too gutsy, it was reckless, and could have seen him red carded, as it turned out his game was over anyway, stretchered from the field with a suspected broken leg. A merciful ref decided not to dismiss a prone Welsh allowing David Livermore to take  his place.

The Tiger Nation were remarkably upbeat and vocal considering what they’d witnessed earlier in the week and they were pleased with the work rate of the players, who had evidently had the ‘rocket up the bum’ treatment. Not much goalmouth activity to talk about though, Deano hoped a tumble in the box would result in a penalty, it didn’t (and wasn’t), Elliott had a long range shot dealt with comfortably by the keeper and when Windass met Delaney’s high cross, directing it to Elliott, the God fearing Ulsterman headed it away from goal!

Injuries, not shots on goal were the main talking point, and Preston sustained one of their own when Nugent jumped with Bo Myhill for the ball and from what looked like fairly innocuous contact Preston’s playmaker injured his back and sat behind the North Stand goal awaiting treatment while the game continued.

The North End fans didn’t like this, nor did they appreciate the Tiger Nation questioning Nugent’s sexuality and responded with a chat of ‘Going down! Going down!’, complete with gestures.

They soon shut up, after a series of poorly delivered corners, City put in a decent one and took the lead. Ray Parlour slung the ball into the box from beside the south-east corner flag and it was flicked towards the back post by Michael Turner (using a technique mysteriously described by Ron Atkinson as ‘little eyebrows’) where it was met by Nicky Forster who nutted it in from point blank range. 1-0 City.

Nugent hobbled about in obvious pain for a bit before they decided to take him off, and once they did so Preston were never even remotely dangerous.  A few overhit crosses were pumped into the box, from one of them Sedgewick fired a shot way over the bar, no danger.

At this point the game became so dull you started noticing things you don’t normally notice in an absorbing, fast paced game. The ball for instance, it looked battered, as balls look after 6 months of kids playing ‘slam’ down a tenfoot’ with them do, how odd. People starting wondering what the exact shade of Preston’s keeper shirt was, is it cranberry? Cardinal red? Vivid burgundy? Opulent plum? Who knows? Who cares? We wouldn’t given better football, but still, we’re winning. Nicky Forster lay injured a received lengthy treatment, after which it was half time.

Those who stayed in their seats saw some Marines throwing themselves about on mats, those on the concourses quaffing ale largely agreed that it was a poor game, but that’s fine as long as we win.

It was a good attitude to have, because the football didn’t improve much, in fact the first quarter of an hour was like waiting for concrete to set. During that spell Preston had a few corners that Myhill dealt with, this didn’t look like a side with serious aspirations to play at the highest level, mind you, neither did Birmingham, Wolves or Derby at our place, this division is packed with erratic sides, and you can include City amongst them.

With Preston failing to raise their game to get back into it, City needed only to go one louder to get a choke hold on the three points, and they did. Parlour neatly found Deano who in the box, turned and executed a delicate chip towards the far post, so much so it hit the post and rolled gently away from goal. Forster then outfoxed his marker to give himself a one on one with the advancing keeper, but the shot was straight at the netman who parried it behind for a corner.

Nonetheless the City fans were loving this and the stands pulsated and throbbed with ecstatic and noisy Tiger Nationals who belted out the ‘Great Escape’ theme. Soon, they had a second goal to cheer. Deano showed a not often seen burst of pace to race back towards the halfway line to cut out a sloppy Preston pass and begin a move that ended with Ricketts crossing from the right, a backpedalling Deano cushioning the ball back across goal with his head for David Livermore to head home with a spectacular, Houchen-esque diving header. 70 mins, 2-0 City!

Job done, Preston seemed convinced that it was over as a contest so didn’t bother trying to get back into it, in fact Andy Dawson was more concerned with the well being of some West Stand old giffer hit in the mush by a clearance than he was by one time England international Michael Ricketts.

With about 5 minutes remaining Phil Brown replaced frontline workhorse Nicky Forster with Vaz Te, who proved somewhat of a curiosity, and not only because he wore white sweatbands at the bottom of his black City socks. The first time he got the ball he performed several stopovers, or ‘pedeladas’ as Portuguese speakers term them, and this looked ace, then he fell over, which didn’t. Moments later he had another go, beating his man but then launching the ball into a geosynchronous orbit. The Tiger Nation loved it anyway, you can get away with that when 2-0 up against promotion contenders.

Dean Windass was withdrawn to let him bask in much deserved applause and also to give a run out to another local hero, Nick Barmby, as he bids to regain full fitness after injury and that was pretty much it.

Victory then, and victory worthy of celebration with some Churchillian sized Habanos, as it takes us out of the drop zone, but as the cigar chomping, pug faced wartime leader of repute said ‘We have before us long months of struggle.’, This battle is won but the ‘war’ goes on till May, a victory in the next battle, at Luton on Tuesday, is attainable if we show the same work rate and application as shown today. Victory is in reach, we just need to grasp it. (LM)