Tigers serve up a goal treat.

HULL CITY 4 EXETER 0

CROWD: 3,167

Match comment by PETE WHITFIELD

HULL CITY chose the ideal moment to serve up their most impressive victory of the season. A combination of City's early exit from the major cup competitions and a recent run of six successive home defeats resulted in City's lowest League gate of the season. The Tigers were also smarting after receiving a few home truths from manager Terry Dolan in the wake of their lack lustre display at York in midweek. The response was beyond reproach and this was the type of performance needed to win back lost fans. Exeter, who arrived with a highly impressive away record, were emphatically put to the sword and the match was over as a contest by half-time with City leading 4-0. Loan striker Martin Carruthers took his tally to five goals in seven games with two pieces of poaching inside the six yard box but this was anything but a one-man show. A lot of players had points to prove after that below par performance at Bootham Crescent and they all delivered in an irrepressible first-half performance. Hull had wallowed around unconvincingly on the gluepot pitch at York but on a Boothferry Park pitch in superb condition they proved that they are capable of playing good football on a good surface. Graeme Atkinson set City on the way when he climbed to head home David Norton's cross at the far post in the fourth minute. It was Atkinson's seventh goal of the season and he went on to erase the memory of an anonymous display at York with a confident performance. Darren France ought to have got on the scoresheet but with only Kevin Miller to beat his finishing let him down. France can, however, take considerable comfort from his all-round display. He brought team-mates into the game with his neat lay-offs and he had a hand in City's second, third and fourth goals. France's low cross from the left picked out Carruthers. He slipped and made a hash of his first attempt to force the ball home allowing Scott Daniels to block on the line. But Carruthers was alert enough to stab the rebound past Miller while still on the ground. Hull were two up with only 10 minutes gone and although Exeter held their own for a spell the Tigers underlined their superiority with two more goals dur- ing the run up to half-time. Miller's save prevented Carruthers from rounding off a sweeping move that included a delightful penalty area back heel from Norton. But City kept the pressure on and before Exeter could regroup Atkinson's cross from the left found Carruthers unmarked on the edge of the six yard box. No mistake this time. Hull were 3-0 up but any thoughts of a Blackpool-style Exeter fightback were quickly dispelled when Dean Windass climbed at the far post to power a header past Miller from Atkinson's cross. The Tigers lost much of their dash and drive after the break but they still created the better chances and they showed that they had learnt from the Blackpool game by denying Exeter any hope of a dramatic fightback. City have scored seven goals in their last two home games and it was fitting that teenage keeper Steve Wilson was able to celebrate his Young Eagle of the Month award with a clean sheet.

NOTEBOOK

4 mins: Windass pass finds Norton in space on right. Crosses to far post where Atkinson heads past Miller.

7 mins: Jenkinson dummy on halfway line pro- vides space for France. Fights off challenge from Bond and has one on one with Miller but keeper saves low shot.

9 mins: Windass finds Hockaday in space on right. Cross from right byline just too high for Wilcox.

10 mins: Wilcox finds France on left. Drills in low cross. Carruthers fluffs first attempt from edge of six yard box and Daniels blocks but while still on ground Carruthers flicks rebound past Miller.

24 mins: Carruthers and France combine to give Atkinson shooting chance. Deflected off Daniels and Miller saves.

25 mins: Miller parries Jenkinson drive.

26 mins: Miller saves Atkinson curler from edge of penalty area.

27 mins: Exeter break quickly. Hodge crosses from right byline but Dolan can't apply finishing touch at near

41 mins: Carruthers latches onto Norton back heel inside Exeter penalty area but Miller blocks his shot. Bailey blocks as France latches onto the rebound. Ball cannons to Atkinson on edge of penalty area. Carries it to left edge of box and then curls over cross. France nods it on at near post for Carruthers who beats Miller from edge of six yard box.

45 mins: France works ball out to Atkinson on right. Measured cross to far post where Windass climbs to power downward header past Miller.

46 mins: Wilcox heads over from Windass corner.

54 mins: Jenkinson gets to left byline and crosses beyond far post. Atkinson volleys high and wide.

56 mine: France creates opening for Atkinson but drags shot wide.

69 mins: Mail's long ball over top releases France but gets underneath shot.

75 mins: Wilson saves Daniels header fromTaylor comer.

85 mins: Bailey through ball finds Chapman in space on right. Moran can't apply finishing touch.

Match Video 

From Tiger Tube 

Teams 
HULL CITY

1 Wilson (7). Little to do but did it well.
2 Hockaday(7).Got forward,found space.
3 Miller (7). Solid game.
4 Mall (8). Gave away nothing.
5 Wilcox (7). Threatened at set-pieces.
6 France (7). Had a hand in three goals but finishing let him down.
7 Norton (8). Inspirational in first- half.
8 Atkinson (8). Back to his best.
9 Carruthers (8). Very sharp. Took goals well.
10 Windass (7). Competed well. Passing game on song.
11 Jenkinson (6). Rarely involved.
12 Warren (not used).
14 Stoker (not used).

EXETER

1 Miller. 2 Hiley. 3 Cook. 4 Taylor. 5 Bond. 6 Daniels. 7 Collins. 8 Bailey. 9 Moran. 10 Dolan. 11 Hodge. 12 Redwood (for Collins 59 mins). 14 Chapman (for Dolan 71 mins).

REFEREE: John Watson (Whitley Bay).

Hull City Manager's comment
by TERRY DOLAN

WE HAD a chat about things after our disappointing display at York in midweek and all the lads deserve great credit for the way in which they have responded. It would have been nice for us to get at least another goal after the break. But at least we had learned from the Blackpool game and didn't let Exeter back into it and full marks to the lads for doing the job properly in the first-half. Having seen Martin Carruthers get a couple and Graeme Atkinson and Dean Windass getting one apiece Darren France was anxious to get on the score-sheet himself. We told him not to worry about that at half-time and I am pleased with his con- tribution. He won more balls in the air and he laid the ball off intelligently. It was nice for Steve Wilson to keep a clean sheet to celebrate winning the Young Eagle of the Month award. He thoroughly deserves the recognition because he has done very well for us since coming into the side. We can now look forward to our Autoglass Trophy game with Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday and if we can follow up with a third home win on the trot we will have hopefully got that bad home run out of our system.