The Tigers hold a 3-0 advantage from Saturday’s first leg and it will take some comeback by the Rams to stop Hull reaching the national stadium for the third time in as many years.
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They can look forward to trying to secure some bragging rights, by picking up some points from the Rams again. Hull then proceeded to take the sting out of the game, seemingly content with what they had and happy to try to hit Derby on the break. That gave them the momentum for the first-leg at the weekend and must have played a part in their superb performance in the lunchtime sunshine.
The Hull defence can only partially clear the danger from the corner, the ball kindly to Martin who twists and turns before curling a shot at goal which forces Jakupovic into a dramatic stop!
Steve Bruce’s side will head into the game against the Rams as favourites, and Holloway expects them to win it 2-0 to go through to the Championship playoff final easily.
Hull seemed stunned, and perhaps were thinking back to the earlier league game here which Derby won.
Wednesday booked their place at Wembley by seeing off Brighton over two legs on Friday and Monday night.
Russell curled a teasing left-foot free-kick narrowly wide of Eldin Jakupovic’s near post as Hull fans watched on nervously.
In the second Championship play-off, Derby County welcome Hull City to the iPro Stadium in the race for Premier League promotion.
That brought sarcastic cheers from some Rams fans, while others vented their anger over the delay in bringing on striker Darren Bent, who was introduced with only three minutes of normal time left despite Derby being desperate for a goal.
Bryson was only three yards out, but the ball bounced off him and back to Weimann when a third goal looked like a formality. “They performed in a way I expected them to do all season”.
It is reported that £170m is said to be at stake for the team promoted to the Premier League, so it could be nerve-racking over the two legs for these two former Premier League outfits.
DERBY will need to rewrite play-off history if they are to keep the season alive.
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Such an early goal caused panic and nervousness amongst the home defence and they failed to cope with Derby in a frantic first-half. Hull and Steve Bruce will know that while Derby must believe that.
