Barmby's in the nick of time

Nicky Barmby rescued relegation threatened

Hull with a dramatic

injury-time equaliser to deny Stoke a

fourth successive home win.

Liam Lawrence’s fortuitous strike on

the stroke of half-time had looked

enough to lift Stoke into fifth place in

their bid to gatecrash the

Championship promotion play-offs.

But substitute Barmby struck in the

nick of time for the visitors after the

Stoke defence failed to clear.

Hull started the game fourth from

bottom and with a five-man midfield

reflecting their caution.

But their lone striker, Dean Windass,

failed to fire them into an 11th-minute

lead, scooping his shot over the bar

after Lee Peltier and Nicky Forster set

him up. Stoke failed to claim a

25th- minute lead when skipper Danny

Higginbottom’s powerful header from

Lee Hendry’s corner was tipped over

the bar by Boaz Myhill.

But the Hull keeper was helpless to

prevent Lawrence’s shot looping over

him off Andy Dawson just before

half-time.

Hull were denied a 67th-minute

equaliser when referee Andy D’Urso

ruled Forster had handled before

rolling the ball into an empty net but

Barmby saved them with almost the

final kick of the game.