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Hull overwhelm Watford to claim place in playoff final

14/05/2008

Hull City have emphatically sealed a place in the Championship playoff final against Bristol City with a 4-1 win over Watford at the KC Stadium.

The Tigers completed a 6-1 win on aggregate despite the visitors notching the first goal of the night.

But a strike from Nick Barmby at the end of the first half and goals by Caleb Folan, Richard Garcia and Nathan Doyle in the final 20 minutes of the game put an end to Watford's hopes of causing an upset.

Watford were facing a 2-0 deficit from the first leg but got themselves off to a dream start when Darius Henderson put them in front after 12 minutes. He exchanged passes with strike partner Nathan Ellington before smashing the ball home from 12 yards out.

The Hornets continued to press and were unlucky not to go level in the tie when Jobi McAnuff's shot was palmed away by Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.

However, Hull got a vital goal just before the break as Barmby pounced on an error by Richard Lee. A series of headers caught the Hornets' goalkeeper out of position and Barmby was on hand to get the final touch.

Watford introduced substitute Tamas Priskin midway through the second half as they went in search of more goals and were nearly rewarded with his first touch, but Myhill made a good save.

Phil Brown countered Watford's attacking substitution with one of his own, brining on Folan, and that helped put the tie beyond doubt as the striker headed home Hull's second of the night.

Garcia made it 3-1 two minutes from time as he waltzed through a tiring Watford defence and Doyle gave the scoreline a flattering look with Hull's fourth in injury-time.

Hull have never played in the top flight during their history but are now just one game away when they take on Bristol City at Wembley in ten day's time.