Steve Bruce happy with Hull's response in win over Bolton
Monday 14 December 2015 15:31, UK
Steve Bruce has praised Hull's battling qualities after they boosted their promotion challenge with victory over Bolton.
Hull were the only team in the Championship's top eight going into the weekend which won as they beat struggling Bolton 1-0 on Saturday.
The other seven teams drew which means Hull moved up to third, four points behind leaders Brighton and only two adrift of Middlesbrough in the second automatic promotion spot.
The weekend result was a welcome one for Bruce after he watched his team lose league games against Derby and Leeds.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "It's vitally important for us to sustain a challenge, of course, and it was important for us that we got back to winning ways.
"It was just all about the result. We didn't play that well and the conditions were awful but we applied ourselves much better than we did against Leeds.
"The conditions were awful last week and we didn't really adapt. Saturday was much the same but it was one of those days where you roll your sleeves up.
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"It wasn't very pretty for anybody but we managed to get the result and I think that's vitally important when you've had a bad week.
"We lost back-to-back games for the first time this season so it was good to get back to winning ways.
Bruce is still awaiting news on how seriously hurt his captain Michael Dawson is after he went off five minutes from the end. He had just returned to the team after a hamstring problem but landed awkwardly in a challenge with Emile Heskey.
Bruce, whose side host Reading in the latest instalment of Sky Sports' 10 in 10 on Wednesday - added on Monday: "He's away for a scan this week so we'll not know until later on this afternoon.
"But for him to come off and feel the weight in his knee the way he did, we're expecting at least a month.
"Until we have the results we don't know but it's not great. That's the downside of the whole thing - as soon as he comes back into the team, he gives what a captain gives you.
"He gives you those organisation skills which good captains have got and, of course, he's a big player for us.
"We have to be without him and unfortunately he's missed the last six games but we managed to cope so let's hope we can do it again.
