Pre-season, everyone but the Tigers must have been looking at a trip to the KC as a guaranteed 3 points. Early results proved that this wasn’t going to be the case and Middlesbrough were the latest team to travel to the Humber carrying a great deal more respect than they originally thought they’d have to for their hosts.

Both teams set out to frustrate the other and in a non-action packed first half the most entertaining moments were provided by Geovanni whose two attempted diving headers endangered both corner flags in quick succession. The ribbing the Boro fans gave him must have been nothing compared to that endured during the half time break.

If any team were going to score in the first 45 minutes it probably would have been Middlesbrough. They edged the better chances and looked like a team that if they scored one would have gone on to score a few. Yet the second half was a different matter. Hull looked more compact as a team and offered more of a threat. But in typical fashion the match turned in the last fifteen minutes. Hoyte broke away on the right and his low cross was turned in via the heel of Tuncay. Hull have not performed in the Premier League this year without a fight and less than 5 minutes later were level when Mendy’s shot rebounded off the post onto keeper Turnbull and over the line. The drama was not over and when Geovanni chased a long through ball, Wheater challenged him and the Brazilian went down. Incredibly to the visitors and the travelling fans, the referee pointed to the spot and gave Wheater a straight red card for a professional foul. Marlon King duly dispatched the penalty and Hull held on.

Hull fans are clearly on cloud nine at present and potentially are being lifted far from reality by their teams performances. Indeed, at 2-1 with a couple of minutes to go the HUFC fans were heard to chant to their rivals ’get back to your ********’ - a reference to their thoughts of the quality of life on Teesside. With Hull being home to the largest council estate in Europe and having being rated very high up on recent lists as to places most likely to be affected by the economic downturn, continued success on the field by the Tigers may be as vital to the city as a whole now as it has been to the loyal fans who have turned up in all weathers in all divisions and dreamt of seasons such as Phil Brown’s boys are having. They will be very much hoping that come the return fixture at the Riverside they are not swallowing their own words.