Liam Rosenior picked up his first point as new Hull City head coach following a goalless draw against Millwall at The Den.
The Tigers had to play 55 minutes of the game with ten men, as Óscar Estupiñán was shown a straight red card in the first half following a high foot on Millwall defender Charlie Cresswell.
Millwall were the better of the two sides with numerous chances in the game, but they were to be denied the three points following a stubborn Hull defence and their inability to put their chances away.
Pre-match
Millwall boss Gary Rowett made three changes to the team that drew goalless at Birmingham City with Scott Malone, Tom Bradshaw and Tyler Burey coming in, with the latter making his 50th appearance in a Lions shirt.
Out came Murray Wallace, who was suspended for racking up five yellow cards, along with winger Mason Bennett and striker Andreas Voglsammer, who drop to the bench.
As for the visitors, new Head Coach Rosenior also made three changes like the hosts. His first line-up included bringing Alfie Jones, Ryan Longman, and Dimitrios Pelkas back into the starting XI, replacing Brandon Fleming, Ozan Tufan and Greg Docherty.
Story of the match
Despite Millwall coming out of the blocks, it was Hull who had the best chance in the opening stages, as Estipiñán tried his luck from outside the box, with former Tiger George Long forced to make a smart acrobatic save down to his right.
On the break, a ball into the box found the head of Lions centre-half Jake Cooper who was somehow in the box, with his header glancing just wide of the post.
The opening 15 minutes seemed mostly Millwall, with attacking midfielder Zian Flemming receiving the ball on the left-hand side and fizzes the ball into the box, which only narrowly flies through the crowded area.
Hull were starting to pile on the pressure as Jean Michaël Seri tried his luck from outside the box following a corner, which was deflected into a sea of bodies.
On the follow-up to Seri’s attempt, Ryan Woods was there first time outside the box to drill it towards goal. With Ryan Longman waiting in the middle, he could not quite poke it home as Long was down to gather.
Millwall’s best chance at that point came in the 28th minute, as an off-the-ball foul by Pelkas gave Flemming a free-kick from 25 yards, with the Dutchman placing his free-kick just wide as it grazed the side netting.
Millwall nearly opened the scoring with a well-worked move, with Flemming playing the ball to Bradshaw, he then lays it off to George Saville and then again to Flemming with the goal at his mercy, only for Nathan Baxter to get down well.
Moments later, Hull’s afternoon increased in difficulty as they were reduced to ten men.
Hull’s Colombian top goal scorer Estupiñán was given his marching orders from referee John Busby following a high, reckless challenge on Leeds loanee, Charlie Cresswell when going for the ball.
When the second half got underway, Greek winger Pelkas may have been lucky to have not been shown a second yellow card after he hacked down Danny McNamara in the Millwall half.
Five minutes after Pelkas was taken off, former Tiger George Homeyman did well to break up a Hull counter-attack. Honeyman’s ball was then played to McNamara with him making an overlapping run, but his cross from the right was comfortably met by goalkeeper Long.
Millwall thought they grabbed the lead on 63 minutes, as a brilliant ball into the box from the left-hand side from Malone found the head of Bradshaw, who was able to head home past Baxter.
However, Bradshaw’s and Millwall’s celebrations were short-lived following the linesman placing his flag up for offside.
Millwall continued to pile on the pressure, as a cross from the right from substitute Andreas Voglsammer found Cooper at the back post, with his tame header forcing Baxter into a comfortable save.
As the game got older, Millwall kept pushing as Flemming tried his luck on the volley from outside the box, but he could only drag his effort wide and out for a goal-kick.
Millwall did not look contemptuous with a point, as the ball found Malone on the edge of the box on the left-hand side following some good football. His powerful strike towards goal was excellently saved by Chelsea loanee Baxter.
As the clocked ticked towards 90 minutes, Millwall got desperate, and it showed when Flemming tried his luck from 25 yards which went out for a goal kick.
The point means Millwall drop a place to 10th in the Championship table, whilst Hull remain 22nd and a point away from the relegation zone.
Match Information
Millwall: 1. Long, 2. McNamara (Evans 86'), 5. Cooper, 8. Mitchell (Shackleton 86'), 9. Bradshaw, 10. Flemming, 11. Malone, 14. Burey (Bennett 65'), 15. Cresswell, 23. Saville (Voglsammer 65'). 39. Honeyman (Styles 65')
Booked:
Hull City:13. Baxter, 33. Christie, 6. Figueiredo, 5. Jones, 4. Greaves, 15. Woods (Coyle 73’), 24. Seri, 16. Longman (Smith 80’), 20. Pelkas (Docherty 80’), 27. Slater (McLoughlin) 80’, 19. Estupinan
Booked: Pelkas (27’), Smith (90'), Coyle (90+5')
Red card: Estupiñán (37’)
Match Referee: John Busby