From Hull City AFC Website
Phil Parkinson will be without midfielder John Welsh as he prepares his Hull City side for battle against Southend United at Roots Hall this evening (KO 7.45pm).
Welsh damaged a hamstring in the weekend defeat against Sunderland and Parkinson admits it is a blow to lose the former Liverpool man.
"John has done well recently and I've been very pleased with his contribution. He's got a slight hamstring strain and we'll know the extent of it when he's had a scan but he will definitely miss Southend," said Parkinson.
"He scored a good goal for us at Preston and he really drove us forward in that game. It is a blow to lose him, but it will give somebody else a chance."
Following the loss against the Black Cats on Saturday, Parkinson has been pleased with the way his players have reacted in training and is looking for them to put things right tonight.
"The boys have reacted well. Obviously they were a little bit down on Monday morning, which is understandable because even though they didn't play great on Saturday, there was a lot of honest endeavour out there.
"When you concede a goal so late it is a crushing blow, but we've recovered and we're ready to go again.
"It's no good feeling sorry for ourselves or hanging around waiting for somebody else to lift you.
"You have to lift yourself and I'm no different. I will look to lift myself and I'll do my bit to try and help lift the players.
"But they have also got to lift themselves. Football is a tough game and we have got to make sure we have players who want to swim all of the way with us and keep their heads above water."
With Southend sitting 23rd in the table, tonight sees a battle of the bottom two in what Parkinson describes as a 'big' game.
"It isn't something I envisaged at the start of the season and I don't suppose Steve Tilson did either.
"But the reality is that we're down there because we haven't done well enough in the first 14 games.
"It's a big game for both clubs."
Tactically, Damien Delaney played on the left side of midfield at the weekend and Parkinson says he is happy to use the Irishman's versatility.
"Damien is a versatile player and he is a player with immense drive and commitment.
"He is somebody we feel we need in the team."
With the injury to Welsh, Dean Marney is pushing hard for a recall while Danny Mills is available to play despite picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Sunderland.
The defender will serve his one-match ban at the weekend, missing the trip to Southampton.
For Southend, former City striker Billy Paynter will miss out on facing his old club with a hamstring injury picked up in the Carling Cup win against Leeds a week ago.
Hull City’s Boaz Myhill expects Hull to bounce back
The Tigers travel to Essex tonight for a bottom-of-the-table clash against Southend United and Boaz Myhill views the game as a chance to put things right.
City were beaten by a last minute goal against Sunderland at the weekend and Myhill knows it is important they get something from tonight's fixture.
"I think the main thing is to get something from the game. Obviously they will be looking to be strong at home because any team coming into this division knows it's going to be tough away from home.
"We'll be looking to do the best we can down there. We're confident we can win the game, so hopefully we can do that."
Having lost in the manner they did on Saturday, Myhill admits it is especially hard to bounce back and says it was the worst possible way to lose the game.
"It's happened to us a couple of times now this season. When it happens that late, there is nothing you can do.
"Sometimes when a side scores a goal, they open up and look for another, but there was no time and it really was a killer blow.
"It was disappointing, but the games are coming thick and fast at the moment so we've got another chance to go out onto the pitch and put things right."
City boss Phil Parkinson has already described the Southend clash as a 'big game' and Myhill says he didn't think a Tuesday night match against the Shrimpers would be so important at this stage of the season.
"For us as a club, to spend three or four years growing in this league will help us to push higher.
"But until then, it's all about staying in this league and giving the club time to adjust.
"That is what we're looking to do this season and we all knew that at the start. If we can stay in this league this year, that will be another fantastic achievement."
The game tonight will be a far cry from the last time the Tigers visited Roots Hall on a Tuesday evening.
In April 2004, goals from Junior Lewis and Ian Ashbee earned City a 2-2 draw to take them to the verge of promotion from Division Three and Myhill admits the ground holds happy memories for some of the lads.
"I remember 'Ash' scored an unbelievable goal the last time we were there. It was almost a frustrating night last time, so I hope that won't be the case this evening.
"We need a positive result soon to end this run of defeats. We're positive as a group of players and we fancy ourselves strongly to win.
"We'll go there and give it our best."
Phil Parkinson will be without midfielder John Welsh as he prepares his Hull City side for battle against Southend United at Roots Hall this evening (KO 7.45pm).
Welsh damaged a hamstring in the weekend defeat against Sunderland and Parkinson admits it is a blow to lose the former Liverpool man.
"John has done well recently and I've been very pleased with his contribution. He's got a slight hamstring strain and we'll know the extent of it when he's had a scan but he will definitely miss Southend," said Parkinson.
"He scored a good goal for us at Preston and he really drove us forward in that game. It is a blow to lose him, but it will give somebody else a chance."
Following the loss against the Black Cats on Saturday, Parkinson has been pleased with the way his players have reacted in training and is looking for them to put things right tonight.
"The boys have reacted well. Obviously they were a little bit down on Monday morning, which is understandable because even though they didn't play great on Saturday, there was a lot of honest endeavour out there.
"When you concede a goal so late it is a crushing blow, but we've recovered and we're ready to go again.
"It's no good feeling sorry for ourselves or hanging around waiting for somebody else to lift you.
"You have to lift yourself and I'm no different. I will look to lift myself and I'll do my bit to try and help lift the players.
"But they have also got to lift themselves. Football is a tough game and we have got to make sure we have players who want to swim all of the way with us and keep their heads above water."
With Southend sitting 23rd in the table, tonight sees a battle of the bottom two in what Parkinson describes as a 'big' game.
"It isn't something I envisaged at the start of the season and I don't suppose Steve Tilson did either.
"But the reality is that we're down there because we haven't done well enough in the first 14 games.
"It's a big game for both clubs."
Tactically, Damien Delaney played on the left side of midfield at the weekend and Parkinson says he is happy to use the Irishman's versatility.
"Damien is a versatile player and he is a player with immense drive and commitment.
"He is somebody we feel we need in the team."
With the injury to Welsh, Dean Marney is pushing hard for a recall while Danny Mills is available to play despite picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Sunderland.
The defender will serve his one-match ban at the weekend, missing the trip to Southampton.
For Southend, former City striker Billy Paynter will miss out on facing his old club with a hamstring injury picked up in the Carling Cup win against Leeds a week ago.
Hull City’s Boaz Myhill expects Hull to bounce back
The Tigers travel to Essex tonight for a bottom-of-the-table clash against Southend United and Boaz Myhill views the game as a chance to put things right.
City were beaten by a last minute goal against Sunderland at the weekend and Myhill knows it is important they get something from tonight's fixture.
"I think the main thing is to get something from the game. Obviously they will be looking to be strong at home because any team coming into this division knows it's going to be tough away from home.
"We'll be looking to do the best we can down there. We're confident we can win the game, so hopefully we can do that."
Having lost in the manner they did on Saturday, Myhill admits it is especially hard to bounce back and says it was the worst possible way to lose the game.
"It's happened to us a couple of times now this season. When it happens that late, there is nothing you can do.
"Sometimes when a side scores a goal, they open up and look for another, but there was no time and it really was a killer blow.
"It was disappointing, but the games are coming thick and fast at the moment so we've got another chance to go out onto the pitch and put things right."
City boss Phil Parkinson has already described the Southend clash as a 'big game' and Myhill says he didn't think a Tuesday night match against the Shrimpers would be so important at this stage of the season.
"For us as a club, to spend three or four years growing in this league will help us to push higher.
"But until then, it's all about staying in this league and giving the club time to adjust.
"That is what we're looking to do this season and we all knew that at the start. If we can stay in this league this year, that will be another fantastic achievement."
The game tonight will be a far cry from the last time the Tigers visited Roots Hall on a Tuesday evening.
In April 2004, goals from Junior Lewis and Ian Ashbee earned City a 2-2 draw to take them to the verge of promotion from Division Three and Myhill admits the ground holds happy memories for some of the lads.
"I remember 'Ash' scored an unbelievable goal the last time we were there. It was almost a frustrating night last time, so I hope that won't be the case this evening.
"We need a positive result soon to end this run of defeats. We're positive as a group of players and we fancy ourselves strongly to win.
"We'll go there and give it our best."
