Wembley bound Tigers make it Heaven for Hull

GOALS from Nick Barmby, Caleb Folan, Richard Garcia and Nathan Doyle helped Hull reach Wembley for the first time in the club’s 104-year history and set up a Coca-Cola Championship play-off final clash against Bristol City on May 24.

Barmby cancelled out Darius Henderson’s opener as Watford briefly threatened a stirring comeback in the semi-final second leg at a packed KC Stadium before succumbing to a convincing aggregate defeat.

Substitute Folan climbed off the bench to add his side’s second after Barmby had notched his second goal against Adrian Boothroyd’s side in the space of four days.

Garcia and Doyle then grabbed a goal apiece late on as Hull romped to victory to spark a pitch invasion at the full-time whistle.

Tigers boss Phil Brown will take the majority of the plaudits after guiding a club seemingly in freefall when he took charge in December 2006 to safety last season and now to within one game of securing promotion to the Barclays Premier League.

As for Watford and boss Boothroyd, they are left to reflect on a run of one win from 16 games which scuppered any hopes of an immediate top-flight return. Trailing 2-0, the visitors needed an early goal and it duly arrived after 12 minutes, with Henderson firing clinically past Boaz Myhill from 10 yards to take his tally for the season to 13 goals.

But Barmby’s equaliser galvanised Brown’s men who looked more comfortable in possession after the restart.

Sub Folan effectively ended the game as a contest 20 minutes from time as he stooped unmarked to head home Sam Ricketts’ cross. The Tigers finished with a flourish as Garcia scampered through the Watford defence and slotted home from 14 yards after 88 minutes, before substitute Doyle’s deflected effort from 12 yards completed the scoring barely a minute later.

HULL: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Brown, Dawson, Garcia, Ashbee, Hughes, Barmby (Fagan 72), Windass (Folan 63), Campbell (Doyle 78).

WATFORD: Lee, Mariappa (Priskin 57), DeMerit, Bromby, Sadler, Smith, Eustace, Williamson, McAnuff, Henderson, Ellington (Ainsworth 79). Ref: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).