Brown's tough love pays off

Hull City 2 Wgan Athletic 1

Phil Brown's Hull City players will be hoping life can return to some sort of normality again in the wake of this much-needed victory, following a week of recriminations and bizarre punishments that somehow had the desired effect.

Four straight defeats prior to this game saw Brown resort to drastic measures, including ordering the players' dart board to be taken down in the canteen, as well as putting them through extra early morning training sessions and a walk across the Humber Bridge. The plug on the coffee machine was even removed, but instead of backfiring, there was a method to Brown's madness as second-half goals from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Geovanni helped secure Hull's second league win of the season.

It was the first time since January that Hull have scored twice in a league game and they showed the hunger and desire Brown had been demanding. He said: "Full credit to the players, and I mean that. OK, this week they have suffered, but they've taken on board what we're trying to achieve here.

"We are a Premier League team and maybe we got away from that. We had to get back to thinking about who we are and we've done that this week."

Wigan appeared to be still basking in the glow of last week's dismantling of Chelsea and manager Roberto Martinez said: "This league can bring you down to earth very quickly, but I don't think we got carried away after the Chelsea result."

Hull City (4-5-1): Myhill ; McShane , Sonko , KiIbane , Dawson; Zayatte (Olofinjana, 82), Barmby (Ghilas, 65), Marney, Geovanni, Hunt; Vennegoor of Hesselink (Mouyokolo, 89). Substitutes not used: Duke (gk), Halmosi, Altidore, Cairney.

Wigan Athletic (4-1-4-1): Kirkland; Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa; Thomas (King, 89); Rodallega, Diame, N'Zogbia (Sinclair, 84), Scharner (Gomez, 66); Scotland. Substitutes not used: Pollitt (gk), Cho, Kapo, Koumas.

Referee: M Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).

Booked: Wigan N'Zogbia, Gomez.

Man of the match: Zayatte.

Attendance: 22,822.