Hull 0 Aston Villa 1

Dec 30 2008 By Andy Hampson, PA Sport

A LATE Kamil Zayatte own goal saw Aston Villa snatch a victory at Hull.

Villa had been frustrated throughout a drab Barclays Premier League encounter until Zayatte turned in Ashley Young's cross in the 88th minute.

In a dramatic conclusion, Hull thought they had been awarded a penalty but referee Steve Bennett changed his mind following consultation with his assistant.

Bennett initially thought Ashley Young had handled on the line following Michael Turner's header from a late corner but, much to the hosts' frustration, replays backed up the assistant with the ball having hit the bar.

The result lifted Villa back into the top four and continued Hull's poor run, the Tigers have now won just once in 11 games.

It will be of little consolation, but the performance was at least the one manager Phil Brown wanted after his side's Boxing Day humiliation by Manchester City.

Brown reacted to that 5-1 thrashing at Eastlands by wielding the axe and making five changes.

Top scorers Geovanni and Marlon King both started on the bench while George Boateng, Dean Windass and Dean Marney were dropped from the squad altogether.

It made for a bitter-sweet day for 39-year-old Windass, who earlier officially became Hull's oldest-ever goalscorer after a meeting of the league's dubious goals panel credited him with the equaliser against Portsmouth last month.

Sam Ricketts, Nick Barmby, Richard Garcia, Peter Halmosi and Daniel Cousin were the men drafted in to try to get the Tigers back on track in their final match of a memorable calendar year.

Villa, by contrast, were unchanged from the side which drew 2-2 with Arsenal last time out.

Hull started well and had a goal disallowed with five minutes gone after an error by Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

The American spilled the ball under pressure from Barmby and makeshift right-back Nigel Reo-Coker turned it in as he struggled to clear but referee Bennett blew for an infringement.

Villa, in fine form after seven games unbeaten, responded by winning two corners in quick succession but Gareth Barry put their first decent chance over.

Bernard Mendy whipped in a dangerous cross for Halmosi as Hull attacked again but the Hungarian, starting for the first time in three months, could not make contact.

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