History beckons for Bruce as Tigers book Wembley date
HULL CITY will play in an FA Cup semi-final for the first time in 84 years next month. They must wish they could play Sunderland every week.
For the third time this season, Steve Bruce (right) masterminded victory over his former club and three goals in nine second-half minutes booked a last-four Yorkshire derby against Sheffield United at Wembley on April 12.
The victory sparked a pitch invasion and raucous cheers around the KC Stadium as Hull supporters celebrated the semi-final draw which kept t hem apart f r om Barclays Premier League heavyweights Arsenal.
Bruce said: ‘ Managers, coaches and players come and go but the people you have got to be happy for is the supporters.
‘It is quite remarkable that 1930 is the last time we were
in a semi-final. I’ve said all along that it’s sad that the FA Cup has lost a bit of the magic for whatever reason, but when you reach this stage it becomes exciting.’
Bruce, who began his managerial career with an abridged spell at the Bramall Lane in 1998, added: ‘Sheffield United gave me my chance in management a long, long time ago.
‘I’m delighted for everyone. I’ ve seen the scenes at Bramall Lane today and now we’ve got a big Yorkshire derby to look forward to at Wembley, which will be a magnificent occasion f or everyone.’
There is to be no Wembley return for Gus Poyet’s Sunderland side who were a shadow of the team that gave Manchester City a Capital One Cup final scare a week earlier and restored some pride and optimism to Wearside.
The Sunderland manager made six changes to his Wembley side, and lived to regret a decision described on Twitter as ‘ an insult to travelling supporters’ by the A Love Supreme fanzine.
Poyet said: ‘The players who played today were not good enough and that is simple — in the 50-50s, in the diving, in dealing with the referee when he panicked for 10 minutes — in not recovering well and not creating one chance.’
Never in the game for the entire 90 minutes, they looked like a team with a raging cup hangover.
Sunderland’s FA Cup exit means they have missed out on another Wembley trip as well as European football next season.
Instead, they must now concentrate on Premier League survival, with a critical home clash with Crystal Palace up next on Saturday.
Poyet could not even look to the bench for inspiration. A minute after his double substitution which was wildly cheered by the 4,000 travelling fans — Adam Johnson and Fabio Borini on for Emanuele Giaccherini and Ignacio Scocco — Sunderland were behind . Defender John O’Shea, having first given away an unnecessary free-kick, was
outjumped for Tom Huddlestone’s cross by Curtis Davies, who headed home.
Two more goals followed in nine minutes. David Meyler muscled Lee Cattermole off a bouncing ball and, hell-bent on a memorable celebration, powered through on goal himself before slotting the ball past Oscar Ustari.
Hull’s third goal came thanks to Lee Cattermole, who played an awful back pass into the path of Matty Fryatt, who calmly slipped the ball past Ustari.
Poyet, whose son Diego was also knocked out of the competition yesterday while playing for Charlton against Sheffield United, refused to make excuses, preferring to concentrate on the match with Palace.
He said: ‘I invite every single Sunderland fan to fill the stadium because this is the key moment.
‘We didn’t play well, didn’t create enough and we are out. I am not going to analyse it because it will sound l i ke excuses. Now every player has to defend Sunderland to the best of his ability. If we are good enough, we will stay up.’
Poyet managed to keep 11 players on the pitch for the first time against Hull, despite his best efforts to fall out with referee Craig Pawson.
Sunderland’s boss lost his composure after Meyler’s goal and pushed a steward, although Hull City said last night no further action will be taken.
Pawson’s display was to prove the least of Poyet’s worries. Sunderland had one weak shot on target from Scocco to show for their socalled efforts all match.
In fact, Hull could have been three-up at the break. Maynor Figueroa’s shot hit the crossbar, Fryatt could only direct a diving header wide of the post and keeper Ustari saved Sone Aluko’s weak penalty after the playmaker fell under Seb Larsson’s challenge. SUPER STAT: Hull City last reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1930. They drew 2-2 with Herbert Chapman’s Arsenal at Elland Road, then lost 1-0 in the replay at Villa Park. Hull were relegated from Division Two on the final day of that season on goal average. HULL CITY (4-3-3): McGregor 7; Rosenior 6.5, Chester 7, Davies 7.5, Figueroa 6.5; Elmohamady 7.5 (Quinn 81), Meyler 8.5, Huddlestone 7; Fryatt 6.5, Aluko 6 (Koren 67, 6.5), Sagbo 6 (Boyd 58, 6.5). Subs not used: Bruce, Faye, Henderson, Harper. Booked: Huddlestone. SUNDERLAND (4-1-3-2): Ustari 7; Bardsley 6, Vergini 5, O’Shea 6, Dossena 5; Cattermole 5; Larsson 4.5, Giaccherini 4.5 (Johnson 67, 5.5), Colback 6; Scocco 3.5 (Borini 67, 5.5), Fletcher 5. Subs not used: Ki, Celustka, Cuellar, Bridcutt, Mannone. Booked: Cattermole, Scocco. Man of the match: David Meyler. Referee: Craig Pawson 6.