Steve Bruce is looking forward to another day out at Wembley after Hull booked their third trip to the national stadium in two years.
But Bruce saw his side do it the hard way as they were pushed all the way in an aggregate 3-2 victory over Derby in the Championship semi-final.
Johnny Russell and an Andy Robertson own goal earned Derby a 2-0 win in the second leg, a repeat of the score the Rams had achieved at the KC Stadium during the regular season in November.
Derby had also beaten Hull 4-0 at home but it was the play-off first-leg 3-0 defeat at the iPro Stadium on Saturday – courtesy of Abel Hernandez, a Jason Shackell own goal and Robertson – which proved decisive and earned the Tigers another trip to the capital where they will face Sheffield Wednesday.
Following FA cup semi-final and final trips in 2014 – the latter ending in a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Arsenal – the Tigers are on their way back to London at the end of the month.
A relieved Bruce said: “We are through and we will start preparing for a big day out at Wembley.”
Reaching the final was the minimum requirement for Bruce after his side faded from one-time leaders to miss out on automatic promotion and an immediate return to the Premier League.
“For a club like ours it’s a magnificent achievement [to get back to Wembley]. In that respect we’re really pleased,” the Hull manager added.
Bruce knew that his side nearly threw their advantage away and revealed he had tried to calm their nerves at half time in the second leg.
“We had to erase everything and do the basics,” he said. “Go back to basics was the call and we knew we still had the goal to hang on to. In the second half our defensive side kicked in.”
Derby manager Darren Wassall had gone into the second leg believing in his players who were looking to create Football League history by becoming the first team to come back from a 3-0 first-leg deficit in the play-offs.
“We all believed before the game we could win the game, we believed that we could do it,” he said. “I thought everybody saw tonight that the belief was there.”
But despite fighting their way back into the tie Derby were not able to complete the comeback, leaving Wassall still unsure how they had not done it. “To beat Hull three times, we are the only team to win here. We have won here twice and we still haven’t gone through,” he said.
Asked what the future held for him after the defeat, Wassall added: “I’m going to get back on the coach, very disappointed at going out of the tie, and have a pizza on the way home.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Read more about the coronavirus
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Wayne Rooney's career
Everton (2002-2004)
- Appearances: 48
- Goals: 17
Manchester United (2004-2017)
- Appearances: 496
- Goals: 253
England (2003-)
- Appearances: 119
- Goals: 53
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
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• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
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Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
The specs
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.