Brady ends Tigers' drought
Robbie Brady's strike ended Hull's long wait for a home goal and victory as they beat Reading 1-0 in the npower Championship.
The hosts drew a blank in their opening three home matches in league and cup but finally laid that ghost to rest with a battling performance at the KC Stadium.
Royals boss Brian McDermott handed Kaspars Gorkss his debut after signing him from QPR earlier in the week, and the defender had work to do in the early stages, with the hosts seeing a lot of the ball as the hailstones pelted down on Humberside.
Aaron McLean saw his early shot blocked and Brady's effort was gathered by Adam Federici as Hull pressed.
With the ball zipping about on the wet pitch, both sides struggled to string passes together and Andy Griffin's poor back pass put Federici under pressure before Matt Fryatt was booked for his lunge at the goalkeeper.
And Fryatt's frustration grew when he was thwarted by an offside flag as he looked to latch onto Robert Koren's pass.
Reading had a chance to test City's defence midway through the half but the usually reliable Ian Harte lifted his free-kick over everyone and out of play.
Koren then saw his first-time effort tipped round the post but the Slovenian couldn't find a team-mate with the resulting corner.
McDermott urged his side forward as he looked to stir them from their torpor and Hal Robson-Kanu responded with a rasping 20-yard drive which went just wide.
Nigel Pearson's side went close with two long-range efforts before half-time but Federici was equal to Brady's strike and Paul McKenna's shot drifted narrowly over.
The final chance of the half fell to Fryatt but his header from Brady's cross flashed wide.
The Tigers continued to press after the break and the industrious Fryatt saw another powerful right-footed effort turned behind by Federici, who then punched Tom Cairney's inswinging corner clear.
Despite the hosts being on top, Reading sporadically threatened and Jobi McAnuff came within inches of connecting with Robson-Kanu's searching cross in the 62nd minute.
Adriano Basso was called into action moments later to pluck Robson-Kanu's latest delivery from the air under considerable pressure.
McDermott introduced Mathieu Manset, who came off the bench against Millwall to score twice earlier in the season, in place of the unimpressive Noel Hunt.
But it was the hosts who seized the advantage in the 73rd minute when Brady drilled in from 25 yards.
The visitors brought on Joseph Mills for Harte but the midweek signing from Southampton tasted defeat on his debut.
Reading have now lost four games on the spin and will need new arrival Adam Le Fondre, who signed from Rotherham on Saturday, to hit the ground running.
Source: DSG
Source: DSG