Ghilas on target as Hull beat Bolton

Aug 22, 2009 - 6:12 PM By CHRIS TUPLING STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Hull manager Phil Brown believes Saturday's 1-0 victory at home to Bolton will have a major bearing on the Tigers' Premier League survival hopes.

Kamel Ghilas scored his first goal in English football to lead Hull to their first home win in 2009 as Brown's side bounced back from Wednesday's 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham.

Brown said: "It is a massive three points because we got nothing from the first two games.

"We put a little bit of pressure on the players and they responded brilliantly. Our season had to start today.

"Our season has to be about what we do against teams like Bolton and Wolves, who we play next week, the teams who I think will be around where we are.

"I think a point a game, 38 points will be enough to keep us up this season.

"There are lots of positives from today. They defended valiantly, rode our luck in front of goals but scored a good goal and Ghilas looked a threat."

Algerian Ghilas, a 1.7 million pounds buy from Spanish side Celta Vigo, came into the Hull side as one of four changes from the Tottenham debacle.

Bolton threatened to open the scoring inside the first minute when Johan Elmander raced onto Fabrice Muamba's through ball only to drag his shot wide with Matt Taylor waiting for a pull back.

It took until 13 minutes before half time for Hull to threaten Bolton's goal as Brazilian Geovanni cut in from the left past two defenders and rifled in a low 20-yard shot, which was tipped wide by Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Bolton should have gone into the half-time break in front, with Kevin Davies blazing wide of an open goal from Sean Davis's free kick seconds before the interval.

Hull had not claimed a victory at home this calendar year while Bolton had not won away so something had to give and it was Ghilas who broke the deadlock 16 minutes after the re-start.

Substitute Jozy Altidore made an immediate impact by threading the ball through to Ghilas with his first touch after coming on and the Algerian coolly beat Jaaskelainen from 12 yards out to notch his first goal in English football.

USA international Altidore almost marked his debut with a goal nine minutes later when he volleyed onto the roof of the net from Geovanni's cross.

Ghilas came within inches of adding his second in the 70th minute, rattling the Bolton cross bar from close range.

Ghilas should have wrapped up the win seconds later after linking neatly with the impressive Altidore but blazed high over the crossbar with the goal gaping.

Bolton manager Gary Megson challenged his misfiring forwards to find their scoring touch after drawing another blank.

Megson said: "We have got people on the pitch who in the past have scored goals.

"Matt Taylor got ten last year and needs to step it up. Elmander and Kevin Davies have got to start scoring. We need goals from all over the pitch."