The Vikettes take the piss!

Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Hull City

Coca-Cola League One

Saturday 22nd January 2005

When you're the reigning Division Three champions, describe yourselves as a 'Pub Team Having A Laugh' and are playing against the big-spending, noisy neighbours who you pipped to silverware at the end of the previous season, what's the best way to rub it in?

Obviously, it has to be by getting your cheerleaders to parade the trophy infront of about 3,000 away supporters who've made the trip to Belle Vue in a move which bore similarities to Jim Bowen saying 'Come and have a look at what you could have won!' to some unlucky loser at the end of an episode of Bullseye!

It was hilarious, though probably not to Hull City's fans. God knows what would have happened had they charged onto the pitch in anger - or what any subsequent Football League investigation would have made of the matter!

In fairness, the Tigers managed to have the last laugh as they earned another promotion, finishing in second spot again - this time to runaway champions Luton Town, before going on to enjoy plenty more success over the next decade or so as they flitted between the Premier League and Championship.

But it's fair to say they were more than humbled by 'little old' Donny Rovers during this era when both clubs were very much in the midst of an upwards trajectory!

Just a few weeks earlier, Hull had come out on top in a dramatic contest infront of 25,000 fans at the KC Stadium which saw Dave Mulligan's free-kick cancel out Danny Allsopp's opener, before Stuart Elliott (later to become a Rovers player) win it late on. Jermaine McSporran and Nick Barmy were sent-off for having a scrap which, apparently, continued even after they'd left the pitch.

At this game, after the Vikettes' parade, the 'pub team' exacted their revenge on the field with Michael McIndoe grabbing the winning goal around the hour mark with an acute angled shot which ricocheted off both posts before it eventually crossed the line. Belle Vue erupted into raptures; the goal brought plenty of pleasure and the Tigers couldn't find a response though their cause was hardly helped by Ian Ashbee's late dismissal.

The main talking point afterwards was still the Vikettes parading the trophy. Therefore, I'll let the dulcet tones of Jim Bowen in the video below remind Hull's fans what they could have won...