This was not the result Marco Silva will have wanted in Hull City’s bid to avoid relegation. They were playing a Burnley side who have struggled away from home, but there were at least green shoots of improvement once again.
In a game that was even throughout, a draw was a fair result. Tom Huddlestone put Hull ahead from the penalty spot following handball by Michael Keane before Keane atoned with the Burnley equaliser. Ashley Barnes was sent off for a second yellow card late on, but neither side could make the decisive breakthrough.
Sean Dyche’s side could make the journey home with relative satisfaction after their embarrassing defeat to non-league Lincoln City in the FA Cup the previous weekend, and for Hull there is continued momentum before a crunch meeting with Leicester next weekend. Hull are level on points with the managerless champions, who play Liverpool on Monday.
“When you prepare the team to win of course you want more,” said Silva, who was without a number of players including Lazar Markovic, Sam Clucas and two centre-halves. “I’m a little bit disappointed with the result but this is football. In tough games like this against Burnley, when one team plays direct balls, it comes down to individual duels during the game.
“We had chances during the 90 minutes. We showed good balance in some moments. We scored first but after we lost our focus – we need to keep our focus through the whole game. Next is Leicester, I understand they are close to us in the table but it’s just one more game. We need to continue working.”
Harry Maguire epitomised Hull’s renewed spirit under Silva, injuring his knee in the first half but playing on in discomfort regardless. Huddlestone was also a standout player but Burnley were good value for their point, defending well and capitalising on some sloppy defending to equalise almost immediately after going behind.
Kamil Grosicki and Ahmed Elmohamady had half-chances before the interval but the closest either team came to an early goal was when Ben Mee met Robbie Brady’s deep free-kick with a header on the run, only for Eldin Jakupovic to tip the ball onto the crossbar and somehow scramble it behind.
The first clear opportunity came in the 59th minute and went Burnley’s way following Ashley Westwood’s fine lofted ball over the home defence for Andre Gray, but the striker dragged his shot inches wide of Jakupovic’s right-hand post. Moments later Grosicki almost scored a brilliant goal, curling an effort that flew just past the post after a slick Hull move.
After that, Silva’s men did not have to wait too long for the opener. Hull won a corner down their left and when the ball was swung in it ricocheted into the arm of Keane. Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot and Huddlestone stepped up to convert.
If Keane felt aggrieved at the decision, he soon made up for it. Four minutes after conceding, Burnley earned a corner and Brady’s deep cross found him at the far post, the defender lashing the ball low past Jakupovic.
Of the penalty decision, Dyche said: “It’s a harsh one but it’s hard for the referee. When I saw it back Keane goes with his head and Maguire actually pushes his arm on to the ball, not deliberately, but he hasn’t thrown his arm to handball it. But how do you define that for a referee in a millisecond? It’s a tough one to call.
“There was good resilience and good defending overall, Hull had a couple of moments but not many. I’m really pleased with the mentality of the players because a lot is made of our away record but there’s no fear there. We were more than ready to take on the challenge. All the noise from last week goes away immediately.”
