The Tigers were 2-1 winners to maintain their unbeaten start to pre-season

Hull City kicked off the British leg of their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 win at near neighbours Grimsby Town, thanks to a well-worked goal finished off by Regan Slater and Ryan Longman’s effort.

In what was an unusual twist, both clubs agreed to split the game into four 30-minute quarters to help with building the fitness of the players with Liam Rosenior playing two different teams for each 60 minutes.

City were 2-0 to the good with a goal in each of those hour-long periods before a defensive error allowed Donovan Wilson to tap in a consolation.

Liam Rosenior sprung a surprise in his team selection at Blundell Park by naming a trialist in former Brighton and Hove Albion youngster George Cox on the left side of defence, and he was involved in the first goal which came in the second quarter of the 120-minute game.

READ MORE: George Cox confirmed as Hull City ‘trialist’ as Liam Rosenior runs rule over ex-Brighton youngster

His run and cross down the left saw the ball fizz across the box where Slater was on hand to prod the ball into the net from a yard out in front of the 1,500 or so travelling Tigers supporters.

The second hour began with two different teams but two familiar faces locking horns and it was Harvey Cartwright – on loan from City – in the Grimsby goal thwarting his mate Will Jarvis when the Tigers man was through one on goal.

It was a fairly quiet start to the second hour if truth be told, but somehow, Rosenior’s second side passed up a gilt-edged chance to go 1-0 in front. Tufan’s clever pass-through found Tetteh, he tried to take it beyond the advancing Cartwright who got a faint touch to send Tetteh to the deck, and in front of an open goal Longman somehow managed to miss the target.

Rosenior’s first head-in-hands moment of the afternoon, and it was one the winger will not be wanting to see again in a hurry. The lively Tetteh linked up once again with Ozan, screwing his shot just wide having turned nicely inside the box.

Jake Leake replaced Alfie Taylor in the heart of the defence for the start of the fourth and final 30 minutes and it took just three minutes for City to make it 2-0 when Longman recovered from his earlier howler to prod the ball into the net.

City’s two-goal advantage lasted for barely five minutes, as Leake’s sloppy back pass left Lo-Tutala high and dry, and new-signing Donovan Wilson was not going to pass up that opportunity to reduce the arrears.

Will Jarvis’ diving header from Tetteh’s cross looked to have sealed the victory, only to see the flag raised for offside.

For City, it was a second win in three so far this summer, another useful workout, more minutes in the legs and a chance for Rosenior to see various plans at work.

His next opportunity will come on Tuesday night when the Tigers host League One side Barnsley at the MKM Stadium.

Stand-out performers

Andy Smith again showed why he’s rated so highly with another impressive, commanding display in the back four. Albeit on trial, George Cox showed plenty of promise on the left side, linking up nicely with Harry Vaughan, and once again, Ryan Woods did nothing wrong in that deep-lying midfield role.