Hull City's Premier League campaign begins with victory over Fulham

Hull City's Premier League campaign begins with victory over Fulham
Hull City (1) 2 Fulham (1) 1

Hull City's Premier League campaign begins with victory over Fulham - Football
Great: Caleb Folan celbrates as Hull record their first win in the top flight Photo: Getty Images

They waited 104 years for this, and, on balance, it was probably worth it as a record crowd at the KC Stadium saw Hull add another chapter to what has been a fairy-tale rise. Five years ago they were in English football's fourth flight. Now, only goal difference separates them from the top of the Premier League. Their manager, Phil Brown, spoke of "managing expectations", but the celebrations in Hull were heart-felt and deserved.

And yet, for quarter of the game, it looked like being a very different story. When Mark Schwarzer produced a stunning save to keep out Geovanni's third-minute header, and Nick Barmby's close-range follow-up hit John Pantsil on the line and then the post, there must have been a thought in the minds of home fans that that was it, that that would be the moment generations of the future would look back to and wonder what might have happened if only that effort, as all logic seemed to decree it must, had gone in.

What followed was a seeming eternity of Fulham pressure, in which Simon Davies three times went close, Zoltan Gera scuffed badly under little pressure at the back post and, most significantly, Seol Ki-Hyeon glanced Jimmy Bullard's cross past Boaz Myhill as Michael Turner and Anthony Gardner stood respectfully aside. "This year's going be based on foundation," said Brown, "on being hard to play against, being hard to beat – and that goal could have been prevented." This, it seemed, was the financial reality of the Premier League – not a lesson, for Hull can hardly have been unaware of the differences of their new division, but a bleakly unflinching reminder.

But, as Brown observed "goals change games", often beyond reason.

"They give confidence to football players and individuals," he said.

"For 15 minutes after the goal we were chasing shadows, but a bit of magic from Geovanni got us back into it." Taking down Richard Garcia's pass on his chest, he turned, advanced, and arced a left-footed shot around Schwarzer to equalise.

As Hull improved, with George Boateng excellent, so Fulham wilted. "We started game brightly," said the Fulham manager Roy Hodgson. "At half-time I was rather hoping we'd play same football in the second half. They played more aggressively second half. They played a lot of long balls, pushed up and pressured us well."

By the time Garcia drew another fine save from Schwarzer on 69 minutes, Hull were clearly in the ascendant. And then, eight minutes from time, came the moment Hull fans must have dreamed of as Paul Konchesky slipped, presenting possession to Craig Fagan, who burst into the right side of the box and squared for Caleb Folan to sidefoot in the winner.

In itself, one win means nothing, but for now Hull can allow themselves to believe. Perhaps the doom-mongers were wrong. Perhaps Hull won't suffer an ignominiously prompt return to the Championship.

And, if nothing else, they've already managed more than a quarter the points Derby totalled last season.

Best moment: Mark Schwarzer's sensational third-minute save, plunging to his left to keep out Geovanni's header
Worst moment: An unmarked Zoltan Gera sidefooting wide when unmarked.