Football: Laid-back Blues given a late fright; All 'too easy' then Hull go on attack.

Byline: By Colin Tattum The Mail's Mr Blues

BLUES 2 HULL CITY 1

DAVID Sullivan warned that this season was going to be a roller-coaster ride, not an easy ride. Boy, was he right.

Blues returned to the top of the Championship (jointly, on points) after their third straight league win at St Andrew's by such a margin.

But they continued to provide plenty of evidence that they are still a work in progress rather than a well-oiled Reading of last season.

For long stretches they dominated the first half against the Championship's bottom club and played some sumptuous football.

DJ Campbell's poacher's goal in the 16th minute provided the catalyst for them to express themselves and the crowd lapped up the neat passes, smooth interplay and individual flashes of skill.

When Nicklas Bendtner punished slack marking to head in Gary McShef-frey's corner eight minutes after the break, the contest was over - or rather, it should have been.

In a nutshell, Blues became complacent. When they weren't in their lull, they over-played and didn't take enough care. You got the impression that they felt it was all too easy for them.

Hull sensed the change in the air and after David Livermore planted a strong side-footed shot past Maik Taylor in the 67th minute they gave Blues the heebie-jeebies.

Hull also pepped their side up by adding more attacking players and Blues, with no defensive spoilers to call upon - indeed, Mehdi Nafti went off -were fortunate to escape with the victory.

Nicky Forster reminded regular Blues' watchers of years gone by - he sprinted down the right of the penalty area and struck a fierce shot that beat the goalkeeper but slammed into the post.

Then, eight minutes later in stoppage-time, the improbably-sized Jon Parkin rumbled clean through with just Taylor to beat. Fortunately he too was only able to find the base of the same right-hand post, though some credit must go to Taylor who stood up for a while and stared him down.

The 6ft 4in Parkin, who resembles a rugby prop-forward, came on in the 78th minute and was like a one-man demolition crew.

He collected his second booking 90 seconds into stoppage-time for felling Radhi Jaidi in an aerial challenge - and that's no mean feat considering his bulk - sparking a face-to-face bust-up between managers Steve Bruce and Phil Parkinson on the touchline.

Eventually Blues clambered from what was the wreckage of a last quarter of the match for them, hopefully having learnt another lesson at the start of their return journey in football's second tier.

Had Blues taken their chances -McSheffrey, Nafti and Campbell could have killed Hull off once and for all just before and even as Blues rocked, while Campbell also glanced a header against the post in the 39th minute - there would have been no cause for such anxiety at the end.

Bruce is in a strange position. He has tried to be more expansive in his approach, and encouraged passing football on the deck.

David Dunn got the nod in central midfield (Damien Johnson went to right-back) and the more attack-minded Julian Gray at left-back.

Even his harshest critics could not throw a charge of negativity at him.

After a flat start - Brummie Ian Ashbee squandered a glorious back-post chance as Blues fell asleep at a corner routin e that unhinged them at Cardiff City - Blues got the measure of Hull.

Dunn was a preening presence directing traffic on the ball, Bendtner and Sebastian Larsson oozed class and Campbell was a livewire menace. Collectively, Blues were at pains to keep the ball, and pass and move.

A searing 40-yard pass by Dunn set McSheffrey away on the left, he crossed quickly to the near post where Campbell sniffed out the opportunity and stabbed the ball past Boaz Myhill.

It was a superbly-constructed goal and showed that Blues can be a notch above in terms of class at this level.

Yet, by loosening the constraints, it does leave Blues susceptible if the opposition are prepared to have a go. And when Blues coast, or become slack, danger lurks.

As he strives to get the balance right, it's almost a no-win situation for Bruce: fans (even the chairman, now in his 70th year) are demanding resounding victories, he plays a team geared to that end, sacrificing rigidity and some physical strength, but still it's heavy going.

The consolation is that, as reasoned observers would confirm, Blues can and should improve - and in the meantime the necessary results continue to be accrued.

How They Rated

BLUES (4-4-2)

MAIK TAYLOR 7

Alert, agile and gave off a confident aura and presence.

JOHNSON 6

As usual, turned in a performance that was not wanting in efficiency.

GRAY 6

Back in from cold storage he kept things simple, was tidy enough.

JAIDI 6

Began in an assured and powerful manner but then got embroiled in difficulty.

N'GOTTY 6

Like his defensive partner, showed early strength but later left living on nerves.

LARSSON 7

Showed great skill, passing, crossing and willing but went off boil in second half.

DUNN 7

Revelled in the centre of park on the ball but didn't go mad' forced off by a hard challenge.

NAFTI 6

Understated and unspectacular but nonetheless diligent.

McSHEFFREY 6

Always trying to engineer danger yet things wouldn't quite fall for him.

* BENDTNER 8

Sure of touch and confident, he was hard to contain when in possession.

CAMPBELL 8

A goal threat, buzzed around and worked the defenders very hard.

SUBSTITUTES:

Danns (for Dunn, 68) Competitive ... .8

Kilkenny (for Nafti, 81)

Not used: Forssell, Martin Taylor, Doyle.

HULL CITY (4-4-2)

Myhill, Ricketts, Dawson, Ashbee (France, 73), Collins, Turner, Livermore, Fagan, Forster, Bridges (Welsh, 82), Marney (Parkin, 78). Not used: Thelwell, Duke.

CROWD WATCH 6

Sat back and waited for the foregone conclusion that wasn't.

REF WATCH 6

T Kettle (Leics): Generally all right but got fussy and busy towards the end.

THE MANAGER 7

Steve Bruce picked the sort of team people wanted to see and in-match changes were not a bone of contention.

GAME RATING 7

Another that ebbed and flowed, providing fascinating entertainment.

INJURY WATCH

Jerome (knee) not risked, Dunn took hefty whack.

WHOS' NEXT UP FOR BLUES?

QPR (a) tomorrow, 7.45pm.

What did you think?

Write to Your Shout, Sports Desk, Birmingham Mail, Weaman Street, Birmingham B4 6AY. Call us on 0121 234 5999 (after 10am Mon-Fri) or email y [e-mail]

CAPTION(S):

LOOKING GOOD... Nicklas Bendtner latches on to a Gary McSheffrey corner eight minutes into the second half as Blues were cruising. Pictures: Tim Easthope.' GOOD START... DJ Campbell slots home in the the 16th minute as Blues turned on the style in the first half.