What looked like being a goalless draw (as City were pants in front of goal themselves) ended up a poor defeat.
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Most likely to score for City was Jason Koumas. The stats show City had 8 attempts on goal. Koumas had most of them. Apart from one Cameron Jerome effort that was skied into the back of the stand and possibly a chance for Paul Parry, Koumas was the only likely scorer. He had four free kicks, two of which whistled past either post and he produced a great first half run and short which was briliantly saved by Duke in the Tigers goal.
The front two of Jerome and Rickets had poor games. I was not happy with the City tactic of high balls to Jerome, he was done every time by the excellent, and 6' 3 Leon Cort. I could not understand why Ricketts was not the target man. Surely it's his job to muscle for the ball allowing Cameron to run and round looking to pick up the knockdowns. What happened was Cameron was beaten every time and Ricketts was nowhere to be seen.
Hull City have a super new stadium. As you can see from the pics. They have only had one crowd less than 18,000 this season so far. The atmosphere was very lively between the two sets of fans. Of course until the sending off and goals there was the usual banter after Hull went ahead the tension stepped up a notch with the come and have a go posturing but a selection of stewards and police kept it in check.
Then defeat has dropped City to 10th and next week face a trip to Leeds Utd. The Whites have won their last four games in a row. Cardiff will have to face them without the again suspended Purse and Michael Rickett's. The City striker was booked at Hull and so has reached 5 yellow cards meaning a one game ban. That fits it nicely as he was probably ggoing to miss the Leeds game anyway as he is on loan at City from Elland Rd.
The only positive I can draw from the near 500 mile round trip was another new ground ticked off the list and that was about it.
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Report from FootyMad
Cardiff collapsed after Darren Purse's second-half sending-off as goals from Billy Paynter and Craig Fagan gave Hull a much-needed win.
Purse was dismissed after 68 minutes for a second clumsy foul on Fagan and Hull took advantage to secure their first win in seven attempts.
Hull goalkeeper Matt Duke, making his first start of the season due to Boaz Myhill's suspension, enjoyed an easy start to the game as both sides struggled to find the target in the first half.
He was brought into action on the half-hour mark as Cardiff piled on the pressure with skilful and determined play from Jason Koumas, resulting in a sharp shot from 18 yards being turned away by the Tigers keeper.
Koumas had another chance minutes later, but this time dragged his shot wide of the post from outside the area.
Cameron Jerome fired a decent chance from inside the area well over the bar on the stroke of half-time and within a minute of the second half Koumas again tested Duke's reflexes with a curling free-kick.
Hull fought back soon after and a brave block from Purse prevented a well-struck Paynter volley from putting the Tigers ahead.
Cardiff then another chance to take the lead from a free-kick as Koumas fired just wide from the edge of the area.
However it all fell apart for the Bluebirds as they were reduced to ten men with skipper Purse receiving a second booking after a tackle from behind on Fagan.
Hull pushed forward immediately after and some good work from Fagan down the right flank resulted in a curling cross, which striker Paynter managed to get on the end off, beating Cardiff keeper Neil Alexander to the ball to put his side into the lead.
Cardiff came very close from a Koumas free-kick which was curled narrowly wide but Hull made sure of the win in the closing stages.
A superb crossfield ball from substitute Stuart Elliott put Fagan through on goal and he made no mistake as he slotted the ball past the oncoming Alexander.
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