Stelios goal not enough

By Tiger Tim
November 27 2008

A Stelios Giannakopoulos goal against his former employers couldn't prevent Hull City Reserves from going down to a 2-1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers at the County Ground in Leyland on Wednesday night. The Tigers made two changes to the side that beat Manchester United 2-1 in their previous game. Tony Warner took over in goal from Matt Duke whilst Ryan Kendall replaced Dean Windass up front. That meant that Bryan Hughes, Ryan France and Giannakopoulos were all given further run outs.

City created an early chance when France found Nathan Doyle out on the right and his cross picked out Giannakopoulos but the former Bolton player couldn't make a decent contact and headed wide.

Wanderers took the lead with their first worthwhile attack in the 7th minute. Zoltan Harsanyi's low ball in from the left wrong-footed Steve Gardner and he could only help the ball on to Marcos Michail who had the simple task of tapping in from a couple of yards.

The hosts almost increased their lead just a couple of minutes later when Warner went full length to turn away Temitope Obadeyi's left foot strike and when Harsanyi returned the ball into the middle Michael Burns' shot was deflected onto the crossbar by Gardner.

The Tigers were level on the quarter hour mark. Hughes floated a free kick into the box, which provided an easy catch for Adam Bogdan but the Bolton keeper dropped the ball and Giannakopoulos accepted the gift to tap in.

Good work down the left from Nicky Featherstone and Will Atkinson gave Nathan Hanley the chance to cross and France's header was blocked for a corner.

Obadeyi was causing problems for the City defence with his pace and when he went racing clear Warner came out to make a crucial block.

Michail then headed wide of the City goal whilst at the other end Kendall headed a Giannakopoulos cross against the bar but the linesman's flag meant that it wouldn't have counted anyway.

Atkinson had a couple of half chances, heading wide after Giannakopoulos and Featherstone had worked a short corner and then seeing Bogdan comfortably holding his left foot strike.

The sides went in level at the break after Michail shot just wide.

Half time: Bolton Wanderers Reserves 1 Hull City Reserves 1

It took either side a while to create a second half chance but when they did City should have taken the lead. Giannakopoulos' pass split the Bolton defence open and Kendall was left with just the keeper to beat. The City striker clipped his shot over the diving Bogdan but failed to get enough pace on his shot and Chris Basham got back to clear off the line.

Obadeyi then headed over from a Nathan Battersby cross for Bolton whilst for City Giannakopoulos whistled a free kick inches off target.

When France sent Kendall through it took a superb tackle from Basham to deny him.

Obadeyi shot into the sidenetting as it looked as though the game was going to finish all level. However, Wanderers snatched the winner with just four minutes of normal time remaining. Obadeyi played a low ball in from the right across to the far side of the box where Harsanyi lashed a left foot shot past Warner.

In the remaining minutes City tried in vain for an equaliser but the nearest they came was when Matt Plummer headed wide from a corner.

Bolton Wanderers: Adam Bogdan, Tom Eckersley (Nathan Battersby 46), James Sinclair, Robert Sissons, Chris Basham, Chris Stokes (Alex McQuaid 64), Michael Burns, Sam Sheridan, Temitope Obadeyi, Marcos Michail (Jack Sampson 46), Zoltan Harsanyi.

Subs not used: Robert Lainton, Rhys Bennett.

Hull City: Tony Warner, Nathan Doyle, Nathan Hanley, Nicky Featherstone, Matt Plummer, Steve Gardner, Ryan France, Bryan Hughes, Ryan Kendall, Will Atkinson, Stelios Giannakopoulos (Bill Law 89).

Subs not used: Ben Hallam, Joe Lamplough, James Bennett, Nick McNamara.

Source Hull official site

http://www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10338~1468372,00.html