Hull City was held to a 0-0 tie by 10-man Leeds United at the MKM Stadium as a capacity crowd watched, but the Tigers took encouragement from the situation.
Hull City kept their fine start to the season going with a battling 0-0 draw with rivals Leeds United in front of a capacity MKM Stadium crowd. Liam Rosenior’s men struggled to create against a well-organised Leeds side who saw Joe Rodon sent off in the second half for clattering Aaron Connolly, though the Tigers will take heart from the fact they’ve taken four points off two of the relegated Premier League sides in the opening seven games of the campaign.
Rodon was sent off on the hour after clattering Connolly when the Irish striker looked to have touched the ball beyond him on halfway, and City had a golden chance to win it with a minute left when Connolly squared the ball for substitute Adama Traore who hit a post with the goal gaping.
Rosenior made a big, if not expected call at the start of the contest, by bringing in Ryan Allsop for his debut with Matt Ingram dropping to the bench for the first time this season. There was also a first league start for Cyrus Christie at right-back with him coming in Ruben Vinagre, who, like Ingram, was named on the bench where there was a welcome return for Ozan Tufan after injury. With Vinagre not in the starting XI, skipper Lewie Coyle switched to left-back.
City started quickly with Allsop playing forward immediately and the hosts looking to get Philogene up against Ayling. His lay-off to Coyle saw the skipper fire in near post looking for Connolly, Joe Rodon knocking behind for an early corner from Scott Twine which amounted to nothing, but it showed positive intent from the hosts.
The Tigers head coach once again did his bit for the FA’s Christmas dance by picking up his second successive caution for not-so-discreetly kicking the ball away to halt a Leeds throw, referee Martin racing across to quickly flash yellow. After failing to recover from clattering Twine, Willy Gnonto had to be replaced by Crysencio Summerville after 20 minutes.
Leeds were slowly starting to assume control and should have gone in front when Greaves couldn’t block a through ball for Rutter which allowed the striker to race clear and look to slot past Allsop, who made a terrific block with his legs, and moments later he was needed again to turn a Summerville effort over.
City were struggling to get their front four into the game as the half wore on, the visitors dominating matters and they came close again just before the break when Summerville’s volley was turned behind by Allsop. Looking for a rare foray forward, Philogene was brought down by Pascal Struijk on halfway to join Rosenior in the book.
If City thought the half-time break would halt Leeds’ momentum, they were wrong. Straight from the restart, James and Summerville saw shots blocked by Allsop and then Christie.
Philogene fired over from the edge of the box as the hosts enjoyed a rare foray into Leeds territory, Twine was fouled which saw Ethan Ampadu booked and then Twine himself joined the yellow card club moments later for a shirt pull on the escaping Summerville.
With City enjoying their best spell of the game, Connolly was absolutely cleaned out in the middle of the park as he looked to turn Rodon, and referee Martin had little option but to send him off. Boss Daniel Farke then took off James and Joel Piroe for Hull-born Liam Cooper and Jaidon Anthony – Cooper was given a special welcome back to East Yorkshire from the locals.
Cooper then found himself sprawled across the right flank as Delap raced past him to fire across the box narrowly missing Connolly’s run, the Irishman then booked by Martin.
With 20 minutes left and City looking to break the deadlock, Rosenior made a double change bringing on Ozan Tufan and Tyler Morton for Delap and Twine, and those two changes were closely followed by the arrivals of Adama Traore and Jason Lokilo for Slater and Christie.
Sean McLoughlin replaced Coyle and then the chance came, the one City had been waiting for. Connolly in down the left, squared it for Traore and with an open goal, he managed to hit a post to the disbelief of the capacity crowd.
There was still time for Luke Ayling to be booked despite being substituted, and with City pouring forward, they just could not find that killer pass or finish.
A point for their troubles and four from Leicester and Leeds is solid progress.
City: Allsop, Coyle (c), Greaves, Jones, Christie, Seri, Slater, Twine, Philogene, Delap, Connolly. Subs: Ingram, Vinagre, McLoughlin, Tufan, Allahyar, Traore, Morton, Lokilo, A Smith.
Leeds: Meslier, Ayling (C), Amoadu, Piroe, Rodon, Shackleton, James, Struijk, Gray, Rutter, Gnonto. Subs: Darlow, Cooper, Kamara, Summerville, Anthony, Byram, Poveda, Gelhardt, Gruev.
