Nigel Adkins plans to create leaner and meaner Hull City

The Tigers signed off in 18th spot, eight points above the relegation zone after ending their campaighn with a 1-1 draw at Griffin Park.

The Bees broke the deadlock after 12 minutes when the Hull defence failed to deal with a cross from the right and the ball found its way to Sergi Canos, whose glancing header crept inside the far post.

But Hull’s reply came almost on the stroke of half-time when Jarrod Bowen steered Jon Toral’s headed pass just inside the upright.

The visitors squandered a gilt-edged chance to take all three points after the break but Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson saw his well-struck penalty saved by goalkeeper Luke Daniels.

“Now we have to look to take it on from here,” said Adkins.

“We have a large squad of players and we have to build and I’d like to think that everyone is positive about how things are at the training ground.

“We will reduce numbers purposefully because everyone wants to play.

“But we have a young hungry nucleus of players and that’s important.”

Adkins defended dropping five first-team regulars from his squad – all of whom are out of contract in the summer – and insisted: “I just picked 11 to try to win a game of football.

“It was an entertaining game between two sides who wanted to play football.”

Brentford: Daniels, Yennaris, Egan, Barbet, Clarke, McEachran (Ogbene 78), Judge, Macleod (Woods 61), Mokotjo, Canos (Watkins 62), Marcondes. Unused substitutes: Bentley, Maupay, Field, Sorensen.

Hull City: Marshall, Tomori, Hector, Mazuch (Aina 8), Kingsley, Batty, Larsson (Stewart 53), Bowen (Evandro 50), Toral, Wilson, Campbell.

Unused substitutes: Dicko, Keane, Henriksen, Burton.

Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight).