Match ends, Watford 0, Hull City 0.
Hull City's Championship play-off hopes were dented as they played out a goalless draw with Watford.
Daniel Bachmann saved Ozan Tufan's penalty early on in what turned into an evenly-contested affair at Vicarage Road after Hull's positive start.
But neither side could bulge the net as Watford's winless league run on home soil was stretched to 12 games.
Liam Rosenior's side sit six points adrift of the top six with three matches left to play.
The Tigers were awarded a penalty with just nine minutes on the clock after Wesley Hoedt brought down FĂĄbio Carvalho, although Bachmann dived low to his left keep out Tufan's spot-kick.
That rescue act lifted the hosts who saw Yaser Asprilla and Emmanuel Dennis spurn chances before Bachmann once again denied Tufan, this time from a clever backheel.
In the final stages of the first half, Edo Kayembe saw his deflected effort go wide as the score remained level at the break.
With games running out in the regular season, Hull knew they realistically needed to find a winner in the second half in their pursuit of West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City.
But they needed a last-ditch challenge from Matty Jacob to thwart Dennis just as the Watford man prepared to pull the trigger following a fine run from Asprilla.
Ryan Andrews then failed to hit the target as both sides lacked quality in the final third with the contest remaining finely poised.
Substitutes Mileta Rajovic and Matheus Martins were both unable to beat Ryan Allsop late on while Bachmann had to be alert to deny Carvalho and Jacob Greaves as the points were shared in Hertfordshire.
Watford boss Tom Cleverley:
"I thought it was spirited, we looked motivated. (But) I thought we were flat for an hour and we need to make it happen rather than wait for it to happen.
"I thought the introduction of the substitutes gave us a little bit of freshness and a real purpose in some of our good play.
"In the end I thought a draw was probably a fair result. They had less chances but probably bigger ones."
Hull City boss Liam Rosenior:
"The lads are devastated. I can't fault their effort, their endeavour or fight for the shirt.
"Their goalkeeper (Daniel Bachmann) was the man-of-the-match, he had one of those special days where everything he seemed to do was magnificent.
"We've just got to keep maintaining this level of performance and keep believing because Norwich have dropped points and we're still in with a shout so we need to just focus on what we can do."
Line-ups
Watford
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Bachmann
- 5PorteousBooked at 50mins
- 3SierraltaBooked at 72mins
- 4HoedtBooked at 40mins
- 45AndrewsBooked at 52minsSubstituted forNgakiaat 65'minutes
- 11Koné
- 39Kayembe
- 6LewisSubstituted forSemaat 73'minutes
- 19BayoSubstituted forMartinsat 82'minutes
- 18Asprilla
- 25DennisSubstituted forRajovicat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ngakia
- 7Ince
- 8Livermore
- 9Rajovic
- 12Sema
- 15Pollock
- 26Hamer
- 37Martins
- 42Morris
Hull
Formation 4-4-2
- 17Allsop
- 27SlaterSubstituted forGilesat 82'minutes
- 5Jones
- 4GreavesBooked at 42mins
- 29JacobBooked at 62mins
- 50ĂmĂŒrSubstituted forSharpat 81'minutes
- 15MortonBooked at 70mins
- 24SeriSubstituted forTraoréat 82'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 23Philogene
- 7TufanSubstituted forDelapat 62'minutes
- 45Carvalho
Substitutes
- 1Ingram
- 2Coyle
- 3Giles
- 6McLoughlin
- 8Docherty
- 10Traoré
- 12Sharp
- 20Delap
- 33Christie
- Referee:
- Ben Toner
- Attendance:
- 18,753
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away6
- Corners
- Home1
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home19
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Watford 0, Hull City 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jacob Greaves (Hull City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Adama Traoré with a cross.
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Liam Delap (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Wesley Hoedt (Watford).
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Attempt blocked. Mileta Rajovic (Watford) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by YĂĄser Asprilla.
Post update
Attempt missed. YĂĄser Asprilla (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Mileta Rajovic with a headed pass.
Booking
Adama Traoré (Hull City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Adama Traoré (Hull City).
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Daniel Bachmann (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Jacob Greaves (Hull City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Tyler Morton.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Daniel Bachmann (Watford).
Post update
Offside, Watford. YĂĄser Asprilla is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Billy Sharp (Hull City) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Attempt saved. Matty Jacob (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt missed. Matheus Martins (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by YĂĄser Asprilla.
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Attempt missed. Matheus Martins (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ken Sema with a cross.
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Corner, Hull City. Conceded by Daniel Bachmann.
Post update
Attempt saved. FĂĄbio Carvalho (Hull City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Comments
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Our finishing was poor though too .
Fussy ref
Weâve some fickle fans, you know, singing his name now after the earlier season stuff.
Heâs not & never will be great with his feet, or crosses, accept that and be thankful heâs otherwise top notch.
First half, Hull player has fistful of our playerâs shirt as heâs clean through. Right in front of the linesman - SO weak. Certain yellow, at least. Nothing given.
Second half, Sierralta grabs their playerâs shirt, has him pretty much by the neck, pulls him down when heâs clean through. Same side, same lino, same gutless response. Not even a foul!
Two hard-trying teams but in truth, neither that good and neither deserved a win
FULL-TIME
Watford 0-0 Hull
Article Reactions
3 likes35 dislikes5
BBC appears to think Watford game is all over at half time!!
Oh well, try for playoffs again next year đ
But hope for next season for sure.
UTT