Hull City 1 Coventry City 1: Ivor Pandur-powered point nudges Tigers one closer to Championship safety

But just as the home supporters were bracing themselves for a lacklustre evening of the same old struggles in East Yorkshire, the night took an unexpected twist.

Kept in the game by a brilliant performance from goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, vastly improved from the English football newbie who started the season, Hull smashed and grabbed a 1-1 draw through substitute Abu Kamara.

The Tigers encouraged their fans to wear shirts from the club's past against Coventry City, but the players served up a throwback to the previous home game, not a week-and-half earlier. And not a good one.

As against Luton Town, Hull conceded an own goal less than a minute after the restart, Charlie Hughes deflect a weak Matt Grimes wide of Pandur's net past the only person who had stopped the Sky Blues giving their visitors a good first-half hiding.

But in the end it was Hull who had cause to be grateful for a point that did not move them up the table nudged the gap to the Championship relegation zone to three points.

Frank Lampard's side are pushing for the Championship play-offs, just like Liam Rosenior's Hull were doing 12 months ago before falling short, sacking the coach and dismantling a squad which leant heavily on the high-quality but short-term players he had borrowed.

Where Hull were stumbling then, Coventry look far more convincing now, so they will be annoyed they did move in the table either, also enjoying a three-point cushion the their dotted line.

Incredibly Hughes' own goal was the fifth time this season and fourth time in 2025 Hull had conceded in minute 46 or 47 of a match. But it said a lot for their character that they did not buckle.

For 45 minutes Hull were woeful defensively, rescued by their goalkeeper, utterly lacking a cutting edge, then generous to a fault when they finally carved out two chances. No wonder there was a smattering of half-time boos.

Coventry were good, but they were able to run through the Tigers midfield far too easily.

Pandur patted away Hadji Wright's header from a fourth-minute corner, and Ellis Sims forced a save from a tight angle.

When Tatsuhiro Sakamoto got in behind makeshift left-back Sean McLoughlin, Pandur needed to make another good save, low to his left from Wright. A minute later he denied the forward again.

McLoughlin did well to cut out a ball bound for Sakamoto when Simms got into a crossing position.

Although Lincoln and particularly former Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer looked promising at times with the ball at their feet, it never came to anything, and they were the first two players substituted to increase Hull's goal threat. Given it was Nordin Amrabat who pciked out Kamara for the equaliser, it can be chalked down as a good decision.

When Lincoln played a lovely ball to release Joe Gelhardt, his chest control pushed him wide and he was unable to work the goalkeeper. Likewise, a neat Palmer turn allowed him to release Lewie Coyle but when Gelhardt went outside, he was tackled.

When Coyle put over an excellent cross in the 34th minute, no one in back and amber was expecting it. Similarly, Gelhardt had no one to aim for when he skipped past Jay Dasilva too easily and the ball he lofted to Lincoln on the far touchline was dealt with.

But in the 38th minute Hull finally had their chance – a really good one.

Steven Alzate did well to win the ball in midfield and when Regan Slater pulled it back, Palmer beat Bradley Collins, only for Matt Grimes to get back brilliantly.

But it served the ball up to Palmer with time to pick his spot and he allowed Liam Kitching to block again on the goalline. The scrambled clearance bounced off another Coventry player and behind for a corner.

So it did not feel all that out of character for Hull to start the second half with an own goal, Hughes diverting an innocuous shot.

Minutes later Hull, were given a big let-off, Pandur touching Simms' shot over after Grimes had won the ball in midfield to release him. The corner was nodded back to Wright in splendid isolation at the near post but he puts his header wide.

When Ben Sheaf volleyed wide under considerable Alzate pressure, it felt like a second Coventry goal was just a matter of time.

Jack Rudoni, who has become Coventry's assist king since leaving Huddersfield Town, flashed a cross over without a touch.

If course Hull pushed for a goal of their own, but when Amrabat laid the ball back to Kamara, his fellow substitute's shot was blocked.

Coyle's header over the bar from Slater's delivery was literally a head-in-hands moment.

So it would not be unfair to say Kamara's 82nd-minute equaliser, helped in by a Dasilva touch came as a bit of a surprise but for the first time all night, it gave the home fans hope.

Gelhardt broke away a few minutes later, only for the ball to take stuck under his feet as the expectant volume rose.

it took Pandur again to preserve a point Hull had not really deserved, turning a Mial van Ewik shot around the post in stoppage time.

But Hull have had enough hard-luck stories this season to accept a point that owed such a lot to their goalkeeper. At this stage of the campaign, every one is crucial.

Hull City: Pandur; L Coyle (Drameh 87), Egan (Jones 77), Hughes, McLoughlin; Slater, Alzate (Crooks 87); Gelhardt, Palmer (Kamara 58), Lincoln (Amrabat 58); Pedro.

Unused substitutes: Puerta, Joseph, Lo-Tutala, Burstow.

Coventry City: Collins; van Ewijk, Latibeaudiere, Kitching, Dasilva; Sheaf, Grimes; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Wright (Patterson 89); Simms (Bassette 83).

Unused substitutes: Binks, Allen, Wilson, Borges Rodrigues, Bidwell, Moore, Bell.

Referee: A Kitchen (Durham).