Hull City -vs- Ipswich - Preview

Hull City`s next opponents are Ipswich Town in tomorrow`s early Championship kick-off. The game will take place at half twelve tomorrow after the game was moved forward due to Hull FC`s semi-final play-off against Wigan, scheduled to play the same day

Whilst Ipswich have had seven days off since their 4-1 demolition of Coventry City at Portman Road, Phil Brown`s side had to play ninety minutes against one of the best teams in Europe. However, due to a combination of players being out through injury and Brown choosing to stick with the cup team that had progressed him through the earlier rounds, the Tigers team should be a fresh one for Ipswich`s visit.

Ipswich arrive at the KC in a similar vain of away form as they did last season. For a team that doesn`t enjoy their travels, last seasons game in February was a brief highlight for the travelling fans as they destroyed the Tigers 5-2. With the tractor boys having failed to win away from home this season, picking up only a solitary point, Phil Brown will be hoping a reoccurrence of last season does not happen.

A main threat last season was Francis Jeffers but with the former Blackburn striker now at Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich have lost a vital component of what beat the Tigers last season. However, in Alan Lee and Jon Walters, alongside Paulo Counago, Ipswich do have a strong front-line.

Most of the City fans will need no introduction to Alan Lee after the on-off saga that was his proposed transfer to Hull City. Lee was one of Brown`s top summer targets having failed to capture Jamie Cureton. Following his move to Norwich City, Brown turned his attention to Lee but the two clubs could not agree on a suitable fee following Ipswich`s persistence with a £700,000 price tag for a striker who`s contract runs out at the end of this season.

Lee immediately reinforced his scoring credentials at this level by taking an early lead in the Championship scoring stats by netting four times in his first three games. The defensive pairing of Michael Turner and Wayne Brown will have to ensure that they keep the influential Lee quiet if Hull are to win whilst the Tigers fans will be hoping the return of Dean Windass and Caleb Folan from leg injuries will be enough to spur the club on to three points with which, due to the early kick-off, could move the Tigers temporarily into the top half of the table.

The term consistency is the key for the Tigers at home but with a win, a draw and a loss from the three home fixtures so far, it seems they haven`t stumbled across the right formula yet. However, with the recent defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, two home games in the space of four days gives Hull City the perfect opportunity to propel themselves up the league table, even if the opposition is the unpredictable Ipswich Town and the recently relegated Charlton Athletic.

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