Run to the Final: The Fixtures

By Hull City

Middlesbrough 0-2 Hull City

4 January 2014 | Riverside Stadium | Round Three

Our FA Cup run began in North Yorkshire as Steve Bruce searched for their first win of 2014 away at Middlesbrough. Playing Liverpool on New Year’s Day at Anfield, there were nine changes made to the starting XI, with Maynor Figueroa and David Meyler being kept in.

The latter of the duo played a key role in the opening goal on 10 minutes as his deflected shot fell kindly to Aaron McLean to rifle home from close range, beating Dimi Konstantopoulos to the ball.

The Tigers would book their place in the fourth round in the second half when quick feet from George Boyd saw the winger cut the ball back for Nick Proschwitz to produce an accomplished finish into the top corner.

Hull City: Harper; Rosenior, Faye, McShane (Chester 76’), Figueroa; Meyler, Quinn (Jahraldo-Martin 83’), Boyd; Gedo, McLean (Elmohamady 80’), Proschwitz.

Subs Not Used: Jakupović, Fletcher, Fryatt, Sagbo.

Southend United 0-2 Hull City

25 January 2014 | Roots Hall | Round Four

Twenty-one days after Middlesbrough, Steve Bruce’s side travelled to Roots Hall to face an old boss in Phil Brown as the Tigers faced Southend United.

The hosts, who had ex-Hull City midfielder Will Atkinson starting, had the first opportunity of the game as captain Ryan Leonard’s long throw was met by the head of Barry Corr, but a good save by Steve Harper denied the striker.

Dan Bentley then denied Danny Graham as the first half ended goalless, while Michael Timlin struck the bar with an ambitious effort from range for Southend.

Three minutes past the hour mark, City took the lead as a well-worked team move saw Matty Fryatt place a low left-footed finish into the bottom corner. In stoppage-time, Fryatt beat defender Luke Prosser with a few step-overs before securing his brace with a powerful attempt at the near post.

Hull City: Harper; Rosenior, McShane, Faye, McShane, Figueroa; Meyler, Quinn (Bruce 83’), Boyd; Fryatt, Graham (Brady 73’), Sagbo (Livermore 82’).

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Davies, Elmohamady, Koren.

Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Hull City

17 February 2014 | AMEX Stadium | Round Five

Another long trip away for the Tigers in round five of the FA Cup as they went to the AMEX Stadium to face Brighton & Hove Albion.

Bruce’s side looked to show their Premier League status over the Championship side when Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross was converted onto the bar by Yannick Sagbo. However, it would be the Seagulls who took the lead through Leonardo Ulloa’s one-on-one finish.

Curtis Davies would next strike the bar from Tom Huddlestone’s corner delivery as Brighton lead at half-time. However, City would force a replay five minutes from time as Sagbo cooly finished off Sone Aluko’s cross with a confident finish through the legs of Peter Brezovan.

The Tigers could have won it late on as another Huddlestone corner was this time met by the head of David Meyler, but the substitute’s effort was cleared off the line by Jake Forster-Caskey.

Hull City: McGregor; Elmohamady, Davies, Faye (Boyd 67’), Figueroa; Livermore (Meyler 82’), Huddlestone, Koren, Quinn (Fryatt 66’); Aluko, Sagbo.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Bruce, Chester, Henderson.

Hull City 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

24 February 2014 | KC Stadium | Round Five Replay

Seven days after the draw, the Tigers welcomed the Seagulls for the fifth round replay at the KC Stadium.

Two days after producing one of our biggest away wins in the top flight with a 4-0 triumph over Cardiff City, it took Bruce’s side just 14 minutes in to open the scoring as Curtis Davies met Robert Koren’s corner to place his looping header into the far corner, with the aid of the post.

Twenty-two minutes later, City doubled their lead as Koren’s deflected free-kick was spilled into the net following a mistake by goalkeeper Peter Brezovan.

In the second half, Brighton pushed for a route back in the game as Joel Ward’s cross was met by Lewis Dunk, who hit the bar with his strike, before Leanardo Ulloa pulled a goal back late-on when converting David López past Steve Harper.

Hull City: Harper; Chester, Davies, Figueroa; Elmohamady, Livermore, Meyler (Quinn 84’), Koren, Aluko (Boyd 76’); Fryatt, Sagbo.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Bruce, Faye, Huddlestone, Rosenior.

Hull City 3-0 Sunderland

9 March 2014 | KC Stadium | Quarter-Finals

A place at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals were at stake as two Premier League sides battled it out at the KC Stadium for the honour.

Maynor Figueroa hit the bar with a floated cross before City were awarded a oenalty when Seb Larsson fouled Sone Aluko. The forward stepped up, but saw his spot-kick saved by Óscar Ustari.

With the first half ending goalless, up stepped Curtis Davies to guide his header into the far corner, when he rose highest to meet Tom Huddlestone’s free-kick. Four minutes later, David Meyler haunted his old side when racing through on goal to fire home one-on-one, before Matty Fryatt secured the club’s first FA Cup semi-final since the 1929/30 season when capitalising on a stray back pass to score.

Hull City: McGregor; Rosenior, Davies, Chester, Figueroa; Elmohamady (Quinn 81’), Meyler, Huddlestone, Aluko (Koren 67’); Sagbo (Boyd 58’), Fryatt.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Bruce, Faye, Henderson.

Hull City 5-3 Sheffield United

13 April 2014 | Wembley | Semi-Finals

One of the most hectic games that Wembley has seen saw an eight-goal thriller for a place in the FA Cup final. However, it would be League One side Sheffield United netting the opener as Jose Baxter converted John Brayford’s delivery.

City would equalise on 42 minutes when Yannick Sagbo slid in to meet Jake Livermore’s low cross and fire home, but the Blades would be ahead at half-time courtesy of Stefan Scougall’s finish.

Four minutes into the second half, half-time substitute Matty Fryatt levelled the scoring when he reacted quickest to stroke the ball home following a Tom Huddlestone corner. The ex-Tottenham Hotspur then netted the pick of the goals when linking up well with both Curtis Davies and David Meyler to place a left-footed finish into the far corner.

Stephen Quinn would next net against his former side when heading in Livermore’s cross at the back post, before United pulled a goal back through Jamie Murphy to make it 4-3. However, in the fifth minute of added time, Meyler was played through by Ahmed Elmohamady to run into the box and fire the club into their first FA Cup final with a clinical strike.

Hull City: Harper; Rosenior, Davies, Chester, Figueroa (Aluko 46’|; Huddlestone; Elmohamady, Livermore, Meyler, Boyd (Fryatt 46’); Sagbo (Quinn 64’).

Subs Not Used: Jakupović, Bruce, Faye, Koren.

Arsenal 3-2 Hull City [AET]

17 May 2014 | Wembley | Final

Heading into the game, the team had already made history by reaching the final, and it got sweeter just four minutes in as Tom Huddlestone volleyed Stephen Quinn’s corner into the path of James Chester to diver the ball into the bottom corner.

Four minutes later, City got a second as Curtis Davies converted from close range with a thunderous finish. Alex Bruce almost made it 3-0, but his header was cleared off the line by Kieran Gibbs before Santi Cazorla pulled a goal back with an inch-perfect free-kick.

Laurent Koscielny netted an Arsenal equaliser with less than 20 minutes to go to take the game to extra time before Olivier Giroud hit the bar with a powerful header. In the 109^th minute, Aaron Ramsey scored the decisive winner for Arsenal with a low shot into the bottom corner.

Hull City: McGregor; Davies, Bruce (McShane 67’), Chester; Elmohamady, Huddlestone, Livermore, Rosenior (Boyd 102’); Quinn (Aluko 75’), Meyler; Fryatt.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Figueroa, Koren, Sagbo.