Wounded Barmby scents blood among weaker prey
Hull City 0 Portsmouth
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Nick Barmby, with a broken nose for his trouble after helping Hull to secure a potentially precious point, will not mind inflicting some pain on Middlesbrough next weekend, even if it means pushing an old mate and a former club closer to relegation.
The former England forward spent a season on Teesside in the mid-1990s and won a good proportion of his 23 England caps alongside the current Middlesbrough manager, Gareth Southgate, but will shed few tears for either's demise if Hull keep their place in the Premier League.
"You only have to look at the history of the Premiership and what has happened to the likes of Leeds and Nottingham Forest to know no one is too good to go down," Barmby said, revealing that a collision with Peter Crouch's elbow had caused his disfigurement. "Middlesbrough have some good players but it is hard when you are down there and we have to capitalise on them making mistakes. I enjoyed my time there, but I'm a Hull player and only concerned about what we do."
Should Hull return from Middlesbrough successful, the gap between themselves and Southgate's next-to-bottom team would stretch to 10 points, which Hull's manager, Phil Brown, believes would leave his side almost safe. "It would certainly put a big distance – more than a cushion or a comfort zone – between them and ourselves," he said.
Portsmouth, one point behind Hull, are beginning to breathe more easily, too. "We still need to win some games but we have stopped shipping goals," said the caretaker manager, Paul Hart. "We're doing OK."
In a match of few chances and one excellent save, by David James to deny Craig Fagan in the second half, Portsmouth's Hermann Hreidarsson hit the woodwork with a last-gasp header. But the dismissal of the England defender, Glen Johnson, after 80 minutes for a second yellow card irked Hart more than the result. "He is an important player for us and it is frustrating because I felt both alleged fouls were innocuous," Hart said.
Hull City (4-1-4-1): Duke; Ricketts (Folan, 85), Zayatte, Turner, Dawson; Ashbee; Mendy, Barmby (Marney, 74) Geovanni, Fagan (Kilbane, 71); Manucho. Substitutes not used: Myhill (gk), Garcia, Halmosi, Featherstone.
Portsmouth (4-4-2): James; Kaboul, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson; Johnson, Mullins, Hughes, Kranjcar (Belhadj, 76); Crouch, Nugent (Kanu 64). Substitutes not used: Begovic (gk), Pennant, Basinas, Pamarot, Utaka.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
Booked: Portsmouth Johnson, Crouch.
Sent off: Johnson (80).
Man of the match: James.
Attendance: 24,802.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments