Iain Dowie has not given up hope of achieving automatic promotion from the
Coca-Cola Championship after Crystal Palace registered their sixth consecutive
victory at Hull.
Although Reading and Sheffield United would appear home and hosed at the top
of the league, Dowie's team put in another impressive performance at the KC
Stadium to advertise their claims as the in-form side in the division.
After a 2-1 win over the Tigers Dowie said: "I'm always the optimist and
although I believe Steve (Coppell) and Neil (Warnock) have done fantastic jobs,
it (automatic promotion) can still be done.
"We've got to go on a hell of a run and win as many games as we can but I'm
not one for seeing how others are doing. We've just to keep our form up."
Darren Ward opened the scoring from four yards in the early exchanges before
Hull centre-back Leon Cort deflected Wayne Andrews' superb cross past his own
goalkeeper six minutes before the half-hour mark.
Debutant Jon Parkin halved Hull's deficit 60 seconds later with a neat finish
and although they flickered with promise throughout the second half, Peter
Taylor's men failed to penetrate a well-organised Palace side, who were good
value for their three points.
"We unquestionably deserved to win the football game and some of our football
in the second half was terrific," added Dowie.
"Lots of aspects to our game were pleasing and I thought we defended
admirably even though we are down to a bare squad.
"We were less clinical than I would have liked but some of our football was
very pleasing.
"I was always worried with that one-goal disadvantage but Gabor (Kiraly)
hardly had any saves to make in the second half. They never really troubled
us."
Counterpart Peter Taylor acknowledged his side are embroiled in a fight
against relegation after Hull slipped to a third league defeat on the spin and a
fourth loss in all competitions.
"After we scored our goal we believed we could have got something from the
game but I'm not so sure that was the case before that," he said.
"The first goal was disappointing because we were on the back-foot after
that.
"Then they go and get a second goal but after Jon Parkin scored, maybe we
could have got something from the game.
"That proves to me we are definitely not far away. We are in a scrap but I've
no doubt in my mind we are good enough (to stay up)."
Taylor also expressed his disappointment at Palace's tactics as Dowie's team
were caught time-wasting on several occasions during the game.
He added: "I thought they tried to waste time and if they've done it today
they've probably done it before.
"But if they haven't done it before then that is probably a compliment to
us.
"I was not disappointed with Palace for doing what they had done because they
are away from home and they have to slow things down, but I was amazed with only
two minutes extra-time being added on at half-time."
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