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Hull striker Matty Fryatt reckons his FA Cup heroics might now earn him one more game this season – if he’s lucky.

Fryatt, out of contract in the summer, is well down the pecking order now at the KC Stadium especially with the Tigers splashing £14million on Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long.

That pair were cup-tied for Saturday's 2-0 victory at League Two Southend, managed by Phil Brown – who famously took Hull into the top flight for the first time in their history.

And the 27-year-old Fryatt - who had a successful loan in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday earlier this season - did what he could in a rare outing with two cool finishes to steer his side into the fifth round.

But Fryatt, one of NINE changes made by Bruce, looks in limbo and sounded like a man ready to move on after 19 months of first a serious Achilles injury and then more frustration.

After putting his goal-scoring craft in the shop window, he said: “The manager has made two more signings. In the Premier League that’s what happens, you just have to get on with it.

“I’m behind the two that have come in. If you make two big signings, then they are going to play. I was delighted to score and get two goals - the two new signings can’t play in the FA Cup, so I may get one more game.

“It was difficult coming back from injury. I felt I did well in pre-season but the manager has backed the players who got us promoted and makes his own signings too.

“So then I was playing catch-up. I was grateful to go out on loan and score a few goals. If given an opportunity I will do my best but at the minute I’m not starting games. What will be, will be, if Hull don’t play me or don’t want me and someone comes in, then we will see but I will carry on doing my best.”

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Bruce went all Arsene Wenger on Fryatt’s future, insisting, “I haven’t really seen him” after the injury lay-off – but he admitted there had been no moves on a new deal.

In comments that were non-committal at best, Bruce added: “Matt won’t be going, not at this moment. But hey, if he gets a wonderful offer and he is out of contract…

“I haven’t really seen Matty Fryatt, because he got injured in my very first game but if Sone Aluko is not quite right and Danny Graham [on loan from Sunderland] is not ours – then he still has a part to play. We have not really thought about it [a new deal]. He has done well today and we are relaxed.”

The Hull manager also insisted it was now up to defender Jack Hobbs to agree a deal with Championship side Nottingham Forest, with an acceptable bid – one of several – having been received.

Southend could twice have taken the lead in a stirring tie, Steve Harper tipping over Barry Corr’s header and Michael Timlin crashing a 35-yard effort against the underside of the bar.

But Fryatt struck after 63 minutes and then in stoppage time to snuff out Brown’s dream of going back to the KC Stadium for a replay.

Promotion-chasing Southend’s former Hull trainee Will Atkinson said: “It’s a shame we just didn’t get the goal. Michael Timlin’s effort could have been one of the great FA Cup stories.

“But I don’t think it will be hard to get back up for the league, that has always been our main aim this year. We can take the positives from this game.”