Hull City welcomed Tottenham Hotspur to the KC Stadium this afternoon hoping to end a five-match losing Premier League run and pick up their first points of 2014.
Shane Long opened the scoring with his first Tigers goal since signing for £7m, calmly lifting the ball over Hugo Lloris after latching onto Nikica Jelavic's flick.
Paulinho, starting his first game for Spurs in a month, smashed in Tottenham's equaliser when his first touch from Danny Rose's miscued shot allowed him to strike powerfully past Steve Harper on the turn.
Tim Sherwood's side soon lost the momentum that the Brazilian's goal gave them, though and it was through Jelavic, who struck the foot of the post, that Hull twice came close to snatching the points.
Below, you can read how the action unfolded, courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute coverage.
A good day to you all. The madness of transfer deadline day is over, and two clubs who did not add to their squads yesterday meet at the KC Stadium today as Hull City entertain Tottenham Hotspur.
This is one of five 3pm top-flight kickoffs being brought to you live by Sports Mole this afternoon as, elsewhere, Cardiff host Norwich, Fulham face Southampton, Everton meet fellow Premier League ever-presents Villa, and the champions Manchester United travel to Stoke.
A couple of key men are back for Spurs today. Full team news coming your way shortly...
HULL: Harper; Rosenior, Figueroa, Davies, McShane, Elmohamady; Huddlestone, Meyler, Brady; Jelavic, Long
SUBS: Jakupovic, Bruce, Koren, Boyd, Quinn, Fryatt, Sagbo
SPURS: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Rose; Lennon, Bentaleb, Paulinho, Eriksen; Adebayor, Soldado
SUBS: Friedel, Kaboul, Naughton, Capoue, Chadli, Sigurdsson, Kane
Jan Vertonghen and Paulinho makes their first Spurs starts since December 4 and December 28 respectively as Tim Sherwood makes three changes from the midweek drubbing by Man City.
Vlad Chiriches, who is omitted from the squad completely, makes way for Vertonghen at centre-back, while Younes Kaboul is on the bench after recovering from his latest injury.
Moussa Dembele picked up a knock in the 5-1 defeat by the Citizens on Wednesday and he misses out this afternoon. Paulinho comes in to play alongside teenager Nabil Bentaleb in midfield.
A goalscorer at White Hart Lane last time out, and a reported failed transfer target for Napoli, Etienne Capoue is only named on the bench despite Paulinho's lack of recent playing time.
Goal-shy striker Roberto Soldado, who scored the winner from the penalty spot in the reverse fixture, is recalled as Lillywhites boss Tim Sherwood reverts to a 4-4-2 formation.
The Spaniard, who has only one Premier League goal from open play this term, had been benched for Tottenham's last two games, but is restored alongside Emmanuel Adebayor today.
Gylfi Sigurdsson drops out of the midfield and joins a bench which also includes Nacer Chadli and youngster Harry Kane. Christian Eriksen is shifted to the left due to the tactical change.
Tigers boss Steve Bruce is largely forced into his three alterations, with goalkeeper Allan McGregor suspended and midfielder Jake Livermore ineligible to face his parent club.
McGregor was sent off for his response to a late challenge by Crystal Palace's Stuart O'Keefe in Hull's 2-0 away defeat on Tuesday, and is replaced in between the posts by Steve Harper.
Like Vertonghen for Spurs, Robbie Brady, Hull's top goalscorer with three goals, makes his first Premier League start since December 4 to soften the blow of losing Livermore this afternoon.
His son, Alex Bruce, is the last of the three man shafted by Hull's manager, with Honduran defender Maynor Figueroa coming in to take up one of the three central positions in the back five.
Liam Rosenior maintains his place at wing back, while Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long, both still looking to open their Tigers accounts since arriving in January, are paired together up front.
You will notice that there is no Lewis Holtby or Jack Hobbs in the respective squads. Holtby moved across London on loan to Fulham yesterday, while Hobbs finally completed his protracted move to Nottingham Forest hours before the transfer window shut at 11.00pm last night.
There were no incomings at White Hart Lane yesterday, though, which may have disappointed some Spurs fans who were anticipating striking reinforcements amid rumours suggesting that former hero-turned-villain Dimitar Berbatov, who ended up at Monaco, was poised to return to North London.
Around 10 minutes until kickoff here on Humberside...
ONE TO WATCH: Tom Huddlestone was a terrace favourite at Spurs for many years before injuries and competition for places saw his Lillywhites career ended in the summer. Hull came in for him, spending £5m to secure his signature, and have benefitted from the midfielder's passing range and set-piece delivery. He could come back to haunt his former club this afternoon.
PREDICTION: Spurs have the league's best away record, but Hull have been good at home, at the back in particular. I expect them to frustrate Spurs today and halt their five-match losing run in the process. Goals have been hard to come by for the Tigers, though, so I am going to plump for a 1-1 draw.
Hull get us underway at the KC Stadium...
Quite a cagey start in Lancashire as Vertonghen eases his way back into action with a good header on the backpedal to prevent Long from running in behind. Danny Rose, who is available today after his red card against Manchester City was rescinded on appeal, clears the danger.
A good couple of minutes for Hull, who regain possession thanks to their high pressing of the Spurs defence. Brady rolls the ball into Long's feet and wriggles free of Walker to collect a return pass, before miscuing his cross wide of the near post. Good combination play, though.
Spurs finding it difficult to get hold of the ball thus far, with Hull enjoying most of the possession. The visitors can be such a big threat on the break, though and with the pace of Lennon and Eriksen on the flanks, and two men up front, that threat is even greater today.
CLOSE! Tottenham switch off as Huddlestone delivers a free kick early to the near post, and Jelavic guides the ball towards goal only for it to land on the roof of the net.
SAVE! Lovely, quick, passing move from Spurs as Paulinho, Eriksen and Soldado combine before the latter picks out Adebayor, whose cushioned volley forces Harper into a smart diving stop.
GOAL! HULL 1-0 SPURS (SHANE LONG)
Hull end a near seven-hour goal Premier League goal drought, and it is Shane Long who has bagged his first goal for the Tigers! It is oh so easy as a long ball is controlled on the chest by Jelavic and flicked over the top of a gaping Spurs defence. Hull's £7m signing runs onto the pass, does well to outpace Walker and then calmly lifts the ball over Lloris before running away in jubilant celebration!
Credit must go to Long, whose pace and composure made that goal possible, but Tim Sherwood must be furious with how his defence were opened up so easily. Dawson exposed them by gravitating towards the ball and then the run of Long was not followed by anybody in a Spurs shirt.
Lennon picks up the ball on the edge of the box and may have had a shooting chance. But he instead decides to continue running with the ball, taking it onto his weaker left foot and he is eventually crowded out by Hull bodies as his cross is blocked behind.
APPEAL! Rose, who was on the wrong side of a penalty decision in midweek, feels that he should have had a spot kick after getting to the left byline and being knocked to the floor by the leg of Figueroa. The Hull man was trying to get out of the way in fairness, and the ball had already ran out of play when the contact was made. Good decision by the man in the middle today, referee Anthony Taylor.
It isn't quite happening for Spurs in the final third at the moment. Adebayor tries a lofted return pass to Eriksen which is cut out by a Hull head, and seconds later, Bentaleb's pass towards the Togolese striker is intercepted by Davies. The hosts are standing firm, under minimal pressure it must be said.
Again Lennon hesitates when a shooting opportunity comes to him at the edge of the box. He dwells on the ball, before tamely side-footing into a wall of recovering Tigers defenders.
Dawson's wayward pass is too far in front of Walker and Jelavic chases after it. This time the Spurs man is quick enough to get to the ball first, but he leaves the Croatian holding his knee after a sliding tackle. Nothing in that, it may have been the landing which was discomforting.
It must be early-season deja vu for Soldado, who has had little to feed off thus far. He comes deep to collect the ball, after good work from Bentaleb down the right channel, and looks for Adebayor with a cross to the back post, which is turned behind for a corner by Rosenior.
Another awkward landing means that the Tigers physio is required to come and attend to Elmohamady. The versatile Egyptian is fine to continue after being seen to by the magic sponge.
Spurs launch a break as Vertonghen brings the ball out from the back, charging into the Hull half before dinking over the top for Soldado. Figueroa easily gets there first but then makes a meal of things trying something clever and concedes a corner. Soldado thinks it could have been more - a penalty.
From the resultant set piece, Dawson wins the flick on at the near post and his glancing header loops up towards Soldado at the back post, but the former Valencia man goes for power over placement and lashes a horribly wild volley on his left foot high into the stands.
Hull have a free kick in a promising position, after Long battles through the challenge of Vertonghen before Dawson brings him down. He appeared to get some of the ball there, the Spurs skipper, but referee Taylor awards the foul despite frustrated Tottenham protests.
SHOT! Jelavic takes it, and comes close to following Long in opening his Hull account! He dips the free-kick beautifully over the wall only to see it drift a foot or so wide of the right-hand post.
Paulinho turns the ball around the corner for Soldado, who could have shot first time but is squeezed out of room by Hull bodies, and his effort from a tight angle is diverted behind off McShane.
Long is released down the left wing. Dawson holds him up but cannot prevent him whipping in a cross on his right foot, which Vertonghen stands tall to clear under pressure from Brady.
As we enter the TWO minutes of stoppage time, we see the first real sign of Christian Eriksen. He cleverly flicks the ball away from Huddlestone and holds off the challenge of Meyler as he breaks with pace towards the Hull area. He eventually choose to shoot, only to slice his strike a few yards off target to the left of Harper's goal. Better from Spurs, who need to involve the Dane more heavily after the break.
HALF-TIME: HULL 1-0 SPURS
Hull leave the field for the interval with a lead that few will argue is undeserved. Shane Long's first goal since becoming a £7m Tigers signing separates the sides after 45 minutes.
The Republic of Ireland international took just 12 minutes this afternoon to end Hull's four game goal drought, running onto a Nikica Jelavic flick to punish poor defending from Spurs with a calm finish over Hugo Lloris. And the visitors have showed few signs of a response...
A solo effort from Christian Eriksen was about as close as Tim Sherwood's side came to an equaliser during a half in which they had nearly two thirds of the possession. A disinterested Emmanuel Adebayor and a short-of-confidence Roberto Soldado have had very limited service.
STATS: Tottenham's 63% of the ball has yielded only one shot on target - an Adebayor volley well saved by Steve Harper. Long's goal, though, is the only time a Hull effort has been bound for the net so it is a case of the Tigers taking their only chance, and Spurs failing to create many at all!
BENCH WATCH: Spurs are without Toronto-bound Jermain Defoe this afternoon, but young striker Harry Kane and attacking midfielders Nacer Chadli and Gylfi Sigurdsson, who has three Premier League goals this season, are options on the bench. Steve Bruce has Robert Koren or Stephen Quinn to call upon if he wants to reinforce his midfield with an extra body.
Spurs resume play on Humberside. Can they turn this around?
No real signs of a Spurs response as yet. So far it has been Hull pushing them back with some high pressing and committed tackling. Long is called offside on one occasion, and a minute or so later, Jelavic outmuscles Walker but sees his shot from a tight angle turned behind.
Eriksen is looking like the man who could engineer a Tottenham comeback here. Again he has enough pace to get to the ball in front of the Hull midfielders and after he finds the feet of Soldado, he is brought down by Meyler when attempting to chase down the return pass.
SHOT! Eriksen is taking the initiative himself here. Hull back off him and he takes on the invitation to shoot from 30 yards, but again is slightly off balance when he unleashes the strike, which drifts wide of Harper's left upright. The Dane can make things happen, Spurs need to give him the ball more often.
CHANCE! You get the impression that Tottenham are upping the gears now. Vertonghen passes into Adebayor's feet, and after a few fortunate bounces here and there, the ball falls to Soladado at the far post and his tame side-footed volley into the ground is tipped behind by Harper.
Tottenham are beginning to pin Hull back but the hosts are looking compact in their two lines of four, and their pressure on the ball continue to be relentless. There will be opportunities for them to counter through Long if they can find him on the break.
GOAL! HULL 1-1 SPURS (PAULINHO)
Spurs are level, and it is a stunning finish from the returning Paulinho! Eriksen takes a free kick short, and Rose drags an attempted piledriver into the feet of the Brazilian, whose first touch is brilliant and allows him to hit a shot on the turn which leaves Harper with absolutely no chance. Game on!
Great tackle by Rosenior to thwart what was a superb Tottenham break. Eriksen's chip over to the right flank is helped on by Soldado to the overlapping Walker, and, when he cuts back to Adebayor, the Togo frontman is poised to get a shot away before the Hull defender stretches out a leg to intervene.
WOODWORK! Long makes a run into the right channel and catches Spurs out by lifting a blind cross towards the back stick. The visitors are caught out and Jelavic meets the lofted pass with a side-footed volley which is kept out by a combination of Lloris and the foot of the post!
Huddlestone slices a left-footed shot wide, while minutes earlier at the other end, Adebayor had danced around Figueroa before seeing a square pass towards Soldado intercepted by McShane.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Double change made by Bruce, who swaps Robbie Brady and Ahmed Elmohamady for George Boyd and Robert Koren. They certainly aren't negative alterations.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Double change made by Bruce, who swaps Robbie Brady and Ahmed Elmohamady for George Boyd and Robert Koren. They certainly aren't negative alterations.
CHANCE! Koren pinches the ball from Bentaleb on the halfway line and slips in Jelavic inside Dawson. Lloris rushes out as he loves to do but the Croatian beats him to it, poking a shot underneath him which Dawson runs back to hook clear before it crosses the line.
Adebayor turns Lennon's pass into a layoff for Eriksen, who could have shot first time on his right foot, but eventually twists back onto his left and sees his strike blocked, with the ball looping into the hands of Harper. Tim Sherwood must be contemplating changes at this stage.
CLOSE! A mini goalmouth scramble during which Adebayor and Lennon shots are thwarted leads to a clearance falling at the feet of Bentaleb, who strikes across the ball low and the ball was bending towards goal but did not have enough movement on it to sneak inside the post.
McShane clatters into Soldado from behind, gifting Spurs a free kick in a position from which Eriksen could threaten. Instead, though, it is Vertonghen who strikes it, running onto a layoff from his former Ajax teammate to fire a slicing shot several yards wide of Harper's post.
Lloris's habit of coming of his line, which he usually does so effectively, nearly costs Spurs hear as he charges out to claim the ball when Vertonghen was in a perfectly good position to clear it himself. Fortunately, between the two of them, they get it away under pressure from Jelavic.
Hull think they may have retaken the lead as Jelavic taps in at the far post after the ball had been squared for him, but referee Taylor correctly calls up play for an earlier foul by Long on Rose.
Jelavic heads Eriksen's pacey free kick away at the near post. Still no substitutions from Sherwood, which is mystifying considering that he must feel that this is a game his side should be winning.
SAVE! Jelavic is involved at the other end this time. He is released down the left channel and he strikes well across goal, but Lloris gets down well to stop and then gather at the second attempt.
SUBSTITUTION: Bruce takes off Jelavic, who could have just won the game for Hull on a couple of occasions, and brings on Yannick Sagbo, dropped in favour of the Croatian this afternoon.
SUBSTITUTION: Adebayor is forced off with an injury, and Harry Kane comes on. When play resumes, Huddlestone drills a clever free kick across the six-yard box and, somehow, nobody makes contact with it. Any touch could have seen that fly past Lloris and into the net.
THREE minutes of stoppage time. Brilliant tackle by McShane to take the ball away from Soldado's feet after a low cross from Rose had given the disappointing Spaniard half a sight of goal.
FULL-TIME: HULL 1-1 SPURS
Hull end their five-match winless run with a battling point against a disappointing Spurs side this afternoon. Shane Long's first Tigers goal has helped them pick up their first point of 2014.
The Republic of Ireland international dashed onto a Nikica Jelavic flick-on to clip the ball calmly over Hugo Lloris, but a superb second-half finish from Paulinho earned Tottenham a draw.
The barrage that many may have expected to come from the visitors after their equaliser did not materialise and, in fact, it was Hull's Jelavic who had the two best chances to snatch either side a winning goal as he hit the post and forced a good late save out of Lloris.
The result lifts Hull one place in the table to 13th, but they are only two points above the relegation zone, with three points separating 19th and 12th. Tottenham slip to sixth courtesy of top-four rivals Everton's come-from-behind victory over Aston Villa at Goodison Park.
That's it from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole this afternoon. Until next time...
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
