Hull City 0 Liverpool 0: Hull misery compounded as £800,000 slips away

The relegated Tigers would have banked a much-needed windfall of 800,000 by holding on to 18th place in the final Premier League table.

Instead, they were denied by the slimmest of margins as Burnley staged a stirring second-half fightback to beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 and nudge one goal in front of Hull.

Ahead of a summer in which every penny is going to count for the debt-ridden Tigers, missing out on such a sizeable sum ensured what has largely been a desperate season ended on another low.

Despite that, Hull chief Iain Dowie insisted there were plenty of plusses to glean from this final-day goalless draw with Liverpool.

He said: "I thought we showed good signs for the future. We restricted them quite well and maybe, on another day, Mark Cullen could have been sitting on a hat-trick.

"He seems to be a lad who has the knack of being in the right place at the right time.

"There were some tired legs at the end but George Boateng and Anthony Gardner epitomised what this club is about.

"I can't be anything but proud of the display we put in, and a third clean sheet (in Dowie's nine games in charge) is another positive.

"It isn't often you can't celebrate a 0-0 draw against Liverpool but, unfortunately, we slipped a place and that is the story of our season."

Dowie, who will hold talks with chairman Adam Pearson over his future later this week, can be forgiven for trying to accentuate the positives of a battling draw against a Liverpool side that had caned Hull 6-1 in September.

But, in truth, this was a damp squib of a match between two teams who lacked either the quality or the desire to push on for the win.

There were fleeting glimpses of guile with England's Steven Gerrard almost snatching all three points at the climax with a typically forceful run and shot that struck a post.

For Hull, teenage home debutants also combined to great effect in the first half when Will Atkinson created a sublime chance that Cullen headed inches wide.

But the rest of the game was a largely forgettable affair, played out to a backdrop of missed passes and half-hearted challenges that smacked more of a testimonial than a Premier League encounter.

The first half had been a particularly dour affair with chances proving hard to come by for both sides.

From those that were created, Liverpool went closest to breaking the deadlock in stoppage time when Alberto Aquilani fired against the crossbar and Daniel Agger was unable to convert the rebound.

Nabil El Zahr also brought a decent save from Matt Duke, and George Boateng was alert enough to clear Dirk Kuyt's header from underneath his own crossbar after Hull had failed to clear Gerrard's corner.

At the other end, Hull's best opening came courtesy of their two teenagers as Cullen headed wide from Atkinson's beautifully flighted right-wing cross.

The second half saw Hull, whose relegation means no Yorkshire clubs will play in the top flight next season for the first time since the wilderness years between Leeds's demotion in 1982 and the promotion of Sheffield Wednesday in 1984, ask more questions of the Liverpool defence.

Cullen again went close to converting Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's flick-on after the Dutchman had been picked out by Bernard Mendy.

Pepe Reina also had to beat away a swerving shot by Mendy before Geovanni clipped the wall with a free-kick, while Liverpool's most promising moment came with Gerrard's late effort.

Dowie added: "The fans turned up in record numbers and cheered every pass and tackle.

"Everyone knows it will take a big job to turn this club around and I have enjoyed my time here.

"The response from the players has been good but, unfortunately, we have come up short."

Hull City: Duke; Mendy, Mouyokolo, Gardner, Dawson; Atkinson, Boateng, Cairney, Kilbane (Geovanni 76); Venegoor of Hesselink (Fagan 84), Cullen. Unused substitutes: Myhill, McShane, Barmby, Cooper, Olofinjana.

Liverpool: Reina; Mascherano, Carragher, Kyrgiako, Agger; Lucas, Aquilani (Pacheco 74); El Zhar (N'Gog 63), Gerrard, Babel (Robinson 88); Kuyt. Unused substitutes: Cavalieri, Degen, Skrtel, Ayala.

Referee: A Marriner (West Midlands).

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Hull City's fans

Not for the first time this season, the KC Stadium faithful raised the roof in an effort to lift their players to prove once again that they deserve so much better than the summer of financial uncertainty that lays in store for the Yorkshire club.

Villain: Rafael Benitez

How anyone can spend the amount of money Benitez has and have a squad so painfully weak in terms of winning the title is a mystery only the Spaniard can answer. Time to go, Rafa. Fact.

Key moment: 45th minute

After Alberto Aquilani's shot had crashed against the woodwork, the ball fell invitingly for Daniel Agger inside the Hull penalty area. However, despite goalkeeper Matt Duke being on the floor and the goal being at Agger's mercy, he still contrived to miss and the last game of the season ultimately failed to produce a goal at the KC Stadium.

Ref watch

Andre Marriner: The West Midlands official tried to allow the game to flow and got most of his decisions spot on. Good display.

Verdict

A game which suggested that both sets of players already had their minds on the beach was a poor spectacle. Hull, as they invariably have done throughout the last 18 months, battled hard but could not break down the opposition.

Quote of the day

This is the best trip we've ever been on.

– Hull City fans give their verdict on a two-year stint in the Premier League.

Next game

In the Championship, opposition obviously yet to be confirmed. Hull City fans will know though that their line-up is likely to be much changed with the highest wage earners being shipped out.