Hull City 2-2 West Ham United: Spoils shared on an entertaining night at the KC

Hull City and West Ham United ended up all square at the end of an entertaining night at the KC Stadium.

The final result did not seem a likely one in Humberside after a dire first 30 minutes between these sides. However Hull's record signing Abel Hernandez lighted things up by heading the Tigers into the lead on 39 minutes following a measured right wing cross from Ahmed Elmohamady who picked out the Uruguayan international in the centre of the box and he powered a header into Adrian's bottom left corner.

The opening goal arrived just after the Hammers had gone so close down the other end. A deep cross from left back Aaron Creswell was headed back across goal by Valencia which hit his incoming strike partner Diafra Sakho just three yards out and looked like it had wrong footed Tigers goalkeeper Alan McGregor only for the Scot to pull off a wonderful save left handed.

Before the first half came to a close Hernandez could have had a second after he pulled off his marker and bent one left footed from 25 yards which had Adrian beaten all ends up only to see the ball crash off the underside of the bar.

West Ham came out the brighter at the start of the second half and it payed diffidence as Valencia equalized. In the 51st minute the Ecuadorian was allowed to pick up the ball and run across Hull's half from the left before being met by Michael Dawson 25 yards out, nothing appeared to be on however Valencia simply dipped his shoulder to find space and unleashed a dipping shot which cannoned in off the underside of the bar leaving McGregor no chance.

Hernandez was becoming a constant threat for Hull and on 57 minutes his left foot half volley from 25 yards was thwarted by a flying Adrian save to his right after West Ham only half cleared cross. Seven minutes later however and Hull were back in front courtesy of another debut goal this time by former Iron Mohamed Diame.

A schoolboy mistake by West Ham as Creswell threw the ball across the middle of his own half and the former Wigan midfielder was quickest to react as he nicked in ahead of Kouyate and strolled into the box before bending one right footed in off Adrian's left post to leave former teammates, manager and fans furious.

Although Hull's joy was short lived as the Hammers were back on terms just three minutes later. Stewart downing played the ball down the right side of the box to striker Sakho who first time fired across goal right footed and saw his shot tipped by McGregor into the path of retreating defender Curtis Davies who bundled the ball into his own net, one for the dubious goal committee.

Following the second leveller the visitors finished the game stronger and had two great chances to win it both falling to their strikers. The first opportunity fell to Sakho who found himself unmarked at the back post and was picked out by Downing's left footed cross from the right which he headed across goal only for McGregor to claw away left handed. The second and better chance fell to Valencia who with seconds left of stoppage time attacked a hung up right footed cross from Downing down that wing and after out jumping the defender so his header hit the clueless keeper and flick onto the bar.

Overall a point each was probablly fair as both sides had the dominant periods in attack but were also very poor in defence at times.

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