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To Hull & Back

Hull City 0-2 Newcastle United (Friendly)

I was in Taunton on Friday, scoring at Somerset v Kent in the Metro Bank One Day Cup. Michael Vaughan’s son Archie making his debut in first class cricket but getting out, run out without even getting to face a ball. A memorable debut to forget for him, but he at least did ok with his bowling and Somerset more importantly won, dad will be proud at least.


Today’s game is a switch to bigger balls between Hull City and Newcastle United in a pre-season friendly at the MKM Stadium. I was supposed to cover Ipswich Town and Fortuna Dusseldorf but a last minute change of plan from the bosses, it at least saves on the fuel as Hull is around an hour closer to me in Nottingham, although i'm expecting a rebate for the ticket to Portman Road I pre-brought.


Newcastle United are managed by Eddie Howe, he’s been rumoured with the England job but looks more than happy to stay in Toon. Hull City Manager Tim Walter is new into a job, the Tigers sacking Liam Rosenior after a seventh placed finish last season. Ambition this season looks like playoffs or bust.


It’s a 2pm kick off today, so I’m out the door for eleven, a couple of hours or under to Boothferry Road, where I’ll park on one of the side streets of terraced houses, £1.50 over the Humber Bridge but it’s worth the entrance fee alone. Then a walk of the last leg, a good ten or fifteen minutes which is good for the step count, then through the leafy West Park, idyllic and peaceful, before reaching the concourse of the Hull City stadium.



The Venue


Inside is bowl like, curved roof, black seats, pitch green and carpet like with green paint over the white lines drawn for the local rugby league team which also resides here. Newcastle have brought a good 5,000 crowd and are behind the goal to my right, I’m in the East Stand, near half way, right at the top on row FF. A cracking view as the congestion of fans build around me.


The Game


I’m chatting to a lad to my left who was lucky enough a couple of years ago to be one of the fans who got picked to go on an all-expenses flight to Turkey, mixing with the team on their training camp in Antalya. He said the owner laid on beer and food for them free of charge but "probably didn't expect us to drink so much"


Club president Aycun Ilicali is a Turkish broadcaster and more recently took his side to play against Fernabache who thrashed the Tigers 5-1 in a friendly. A couple of Turkish players they have include Dogukan Sinik and Abdulkadir Omur, the latter of which starts in the Tigers midfield today.


And the Tigers are tigerish… They start bright, press Newcastle hard and the away side are quick to react, in the know they are in a game, it's competitive and fast paced, they step up their slow start and soon begin to control proceedings.


Often whipping balls into the box from out wide, Newcastle go close on a couple of occasions whilst Oscar Estupinian blazes a tidy volley inches over for Hull, but Jacob Murphy has been busy down the right for the away side, he’s tricking and teasing again, crossing low for Alexander Isak who’s long leggy toe beats Croatian goalkeeper Pandur to the ball.


The Score


Nick Pope makes one incredible save in the Newcastle goal to keep his side in the lead, the England goalkeeper diving left with a big powerful wrist to keep out an effort inside the area from Regan Slater, and that proves decisive as up the other end, Jacob Murphy again breaks, he enters the box before crossing low, a daisy cutter that evades everyone and bobbles into the far side corner of the net.


It’s a little harsh on Hull who haven’t been bad. Newcastle clinical in attack, the second half, the home side has more pressure, but they can’t make it tell, even when the visitors bring on their substitutes, most of which directly from their Academy side, the only players of recognition by the time minute ninety hit, Dan Burn who's been playing centre half today, and new signing Odyseas Vlachomodis, who did have a hand in saving one long range attempt from Omur.


The Stars


Some flashes of quality down the left by the lively Jamal Lewis in the first half from the away side. The bleach blonde Brazilian Joelinton was brilliant in the Newcastle midfield whilst front trio Harvey Barnes, Alex Isak and Jacob Murphy caused real problems to Hull. A mention to the fair haired Lewis Hall who started in midfield and quickly moved to left back, a player always looking to get on the ball and spread the play with his range of left footed passes, a good talent who’ll be knocking on the England door soon I suspect.


For Hull, centre half Alfie Jones was a solid competitor and decent in possession, little Omur on the right side of midfield certainly looked like he could play. Regan Slater was busy in the middle of the park, but the Tigers often lacked the creation to get it up to the awkward looking centre forward Estupinian, in reality their second half performance was much better against lesser opponents when Newcastle brought on their subs, Jean Seri their standout off the bench, diminutive but dynamic, a good midfielder who buzzes around trying to get things on the go. 33-years-old now but he'll be essential if Hull do well this coming campaign.


The Verdict


Tim Walter will sink or swim in the Humber, he’ll need to get off to a fast start to win the fans over, many of which still have fond memories of the job his predecessor Liam Rosenior done, but some frustrated by the old manager’s style will be hopeful it improves under Walter, the team passed well, they pressed well, but lacked a little invention in the final third, a void not helped by the departing exits of Jaden Philogene, Ozan Tufan and Jacob Greaves who were all brilliant last season.


Newcastle at half strength looked a level above, which of course they are, in Eddie Howe they have a tactician who can tinker to effect during games, who can set up to stifle opponents and impose his own delicate intracules, and I would be doing what I possibly could, to keep him at the club, and keep England as far away as possible. I believe without the distraction of Europe, and with Howe at the helm, the Magpies can have a better season in the league, but they’ll want their own stability to continue, and a big part of improvement this year, would also depend on keeping their best players, as fit as they can, and on the pitch, instead of the treatment room, where many, spent the last campaign.


The Teams


Hull City: Ivor Pandor, Lewis Coyle (Brandon Fleming 65), Ryan Giles (Nathan Tinsdale 80), Alfie Jones (Stan Ashbee 89), Sean McLoughlin (Andy Smith 84), Ryan Longman (Sincere Hall 89), Xavier Simons (James Furlong 89), Oscar Estupinian (Jean Seri 62), Regan Slater, Matty Jacob (Cody Drameh 46), Abulkumar Omar (Harry Vaughan 84).


Newcastle United: Nick Pope (Odyseas Vlachomidos 74), Tino Livramento (Trevan Sanusi 64), Dan Burns, Emil Krafth, Jamal Lewis (Johnny Emerson 74), Lewis Hall (Dylan Charlton 84), Joelinton (Alfie Harrison 64), Jamie Miley (Ellis Stanton 79), Harvey Barnes (Jay Turner-Cooke 64), Alexander Isak (Ben Parkinson 64), Jacob Murphy (Anthony Munda 74).


2:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 27th July 2024, Hull City Stadium, Kingston upon Hull (att 13,670).

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