alton towers at hull city
10.8.2003
| I'm sure not many Spurs
fans shed much of a tear when it was announced that Alton Thelwell was
being released at the end of last season. Blighted by injury for the
last 2 years, he never really had the chance to play enough first team
football to make the necessary improvements to stay in Hod's first team
plans. It was when it was announced that he was heading north to join
Peter Taylor's Hull revolution that I took a little more notice because,
having been born and raised in Hull, they are my second team and I
always try to get there if I'm in the area visiting etc. So back to Alton. He lined up at right back in a standard back four, and played out a fairly unspectacular first half. He had a decent turn of pace, but the inconsistencies which cost him his place at WHL were there to see - poor distribution, lack of positional awareness etc. But it was the start of the second half that Alton really started to tower. Hull had just gone 2-1 up through Jason Price in the 47th minute. From the kick off, Darlington gave the ball away again, and a minute later, something happened that I never would have thought was possible. Alton got the ball on the half way line in a good bit of space. He started off on a surging run, exchanged passes with Price on the right wing, and smacked a glorious 20 yard dipping volley into the far corner right over the keeper's head. Goal of the game - killed off the oppo - fantastic. For the rest of the half, he was visibly more confident. Stronger in the tackle, more aware of his positioning, he really came of age. Playing regular first team football will improve him as a player. I'm sure he's good enough to work his way up through the leagues with Hull. Don't be surprised if he's back at the Lane in a few years time, but this time in black and amber!! On this performance, the promotion favourites look to be on their way. David Gwilliam |