Brentford v Hull City: Hull keen to avoid being yet another Cup casualty

The Tigers make their bow in this season's competition tonight at Brentford after being handed a bye in the first round.

City are long overdue some success in knockout football with the run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 2009 standing out in an otherwise disappointing string of early exits.

Shakespeare said: "The focus has to be the league but the priority has to be the next game.

"We have to make sure that we are not a casualty. You see clubs going out with a whimper at times but we don't aim to do that.

"Brentford are a big, strong and physical side and we aim to give them a good go.

"We are looking at a good cup run and we have to go down there with the right frame of mind and pick a strong side.

"We have done our homework on them and we know that they will be right up for the game. We don't want to become another casualty."

Last six games: Brentford LDLWLD, Hull City LDDWLD.

Referee: I Williamson (Berkshire).

Last time: Brentford 2 Hull City 1; May 7, 2005; League One.