Bristol City 1 Hull City 1 - Archive

Kieran Agard and the Robins' players can expect trouble and strife at home if they become City slackers.

Striker Agard, 26, opened the slammed in the opener in the 39th minute to help the Robins edge further from the drop zone and stretch their unbeaten run to three games before revealing:

"We had a great team spirit last season when we won the title in League One. That's carried over to this season when things haven't quite gone our way.

"The players all get on well, meet up for coffee after training and banter with each other on WhatsApp, but our wives and girlfriends are also good friends too and so we spend time at in each other's houses chilling out, having meals and playing FIFA. If any of us stops working hard we're more likely to get it in the ear at home than on the pitch."

Agard scored fourteen goals in City's title winning campaign, but has been used sparingly by boss Steve Cotterill this term after picking up a bad knee injury and undergoing surgery BEFORE pre-season training had even started. 

And the former Everton trainee revealed City's close knit group kept him going during the first three months of the campaign. He said:

"I was just trying to make sure I was fit and ready for pre-season and was running on grass when it went. It's been frustrating, but everyone has supported me - the players, family, friends and the staff here."

Substitute Shaun Maloney equalised for the Tigers in the second half, but has also been dogged by injury and restricted to a handful of starts himself since joining the club from US outfit Chicago Fire in the summer.

Former Wigan, Celtic and Aston Villa striker Maloney, 32, damaged a hamstring while on Scotland duty in September, but said:

"The team has been excellent and so if I'm not playing I have to have a positive effect on them. The harmony of the squad is more important than any one individual and you have to respect your team mates, particularly me as I didn't have a pre-season with them.

"There's no doubt that it's been difficult. There's a pretty big difference in the intensity of training here compared to my previous club, but I knew that would be the case before I arrived."

And Maloney is backing Hull to make it back to the top flight. He said:

"This is a club trying to get back into the Premier League and the quality of the squad is of that standard so we really need to keep it together in January. We're in a tough league though and three or four other teams have won consistently like we have, so we'll have to continue the form we're in."

But Hull boss Steve Bruce is looking forward to having rested leading marksman Abel Hernandez leading the line again when his side take on promotion rivals Derby next Friday. He explained:

"We left him out to get a bit of sun on his back. It's been the third time in two months that he's been back and forward to Uruguay and it's a sixteen hour flight so we decided to freshen him up. We hope that it works and he'll be fit and lively for Derby."

Cotterill has been impressed with the job Bruce has done following relegation from the Premier League last term and said:

"Steve has some made some changes and I think they are probably a better side than they were last season. They have a good spirit about them, they have good legs and they have very good footballers.

"I think they will be up there at the end of the season and I think they will be promoted."

- ends -

Bristol City: Fielding 6, Ayling 6, Flint 6, Baker 6, Williams 6, Bennett 6 (Little 83, 5), Smith 7, Pack 7, Freeman 7, Agard 7, Kodjia 5 (Wilbraham 79, 5).
Subs not used: O'Leary, Cox, Reid, Moore, Bryan.
Entertainment value: 3

Hull City: McGregor 6, Odubajo 5 (Aluko 83, 5), Dawson 5 (Davies 35, 6), Maguire 6, Robertson 6, Elmohamady 5, Livermore 6, Huddlestone 6, Clucas 6, Akpom 5 (Maloney 62, 7), Diame 6.
Subs not used: Jakupovic, Bruce, Taylor, Haydn.
Entertainment value: 3

Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire) 5

Sun star man: Korey Smith (Bristol City) Battled tirelessly for the cause in midfield.