A world-class performance from keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen forced Hull to share the points with Bolton at The Reebok Stadium.
Phil Brown labeled this encounter a must-win game before kick-off, but his side’s lacklustre defensive performance in the 1-1 draw, added to Jaaskelainen’s heroics prevented Hull from claiming three priceless points.
Nevertheless, Tigers moved a point out of the relegation zone a game before the end of the season thanks to this point and Newcastle’s home defeat to Fulham. For their part, The Wanderers are safe after resisting and claiming a positive point.
Things started terribly for Tigers, who saw Gretar Steinsson fire home the opening goal of the game from long range before the half hour.
In the first half’s last minute, Michel Turner cleared Gary Cahill’s header off the line to keep his side in the game, and this effort proved priceless when Craig Fagan made the most of Danny Shittu’s terrible defending to level the scoring shortly after the break.
The Wanderers played for the first time in their new shirt that will be used next season – a black and white uniform that resembles Portuguese side Boavista’s.
Manucho produced the first chance of the game, but the Manchester United loanee lost composure and missed his header. Shortly afterwards, a spectacular clash of heads between the striker and Shittu forced both players to receive treatment for three, long minutes.
Tigers were desperate to break the deadlock, with Manucho rising inside the box and meeting a curling cross, but the Angolan’s header proved powerless and was comfortably blocked by Jaaskelainen.
Brown’s side pushed and showed huge determination at The Reebok, but, at the other end, Bolton had the breakthrough thanks to Steinsson, who made the most of the visitors’ shaky defending and hit a low effort from 20 yards into Boaz Myhill’s right-bottom corner.
Hull’s defence should have cleared the ball following Matthew Taylor’s attempt and then Myhill could have done better to deny Steinsson’s effort in the 26th minute of the game.
Conceding the opener was a blow for the Premier League strugglers, who were under massive pressure and made two appeals for handballs that the referee ignored. In first-half injury time, Nick Barmby nodded a header well over the top, while Hull were struggling to threaten Jaaskelainen.
In the last play of the half, Bolton were inches away from killing the game off when Cahill rose inside the box and smashed a header at goal, but Turner kept his team’s hopes alive by clearing the ball off the line.
The home side produced the first chance of the second half through Fabrice Muamba, but the midfielder, who was left unmarked eight yards out missed, sending the ball well, well high when he should really have scored Bolton’s second goal of the game.
Hull responded straight away thanks to a fast break that saw Shittu offer a real gift to Fagan, with the centre back’s schoolboy defending allowing the striker to coolly finish with his precise left foot two minutes into the second half.
Shortly afterwards, Kevin Davies should have been dismissed after a horrendous tackle on Andy Dawson that left the defender in pain and with only one boot on. The courageous player then returned to the pitch with a dislocated finger.
Then Taylor showed his ability when he controlled the ball in the air with his back to goal and unleashed an ambitious volley just over the bar.
Cahill, who was recently hailed by his manager Gary Megson as one of the league’s best defenders, diverted a dangerous cross for a corner thanks to a wonderful diving header, with Manucho ready to smash the ball home.
Chances continued to come at both ends of the pitch, and Megson’s XI missed a massive chance to take a second lead, as Fagan cleared the ball off the line after Shittu’s header from a corner was clumsily deflected towards his own goal by Manucho.
Hull hit back straight away thanks to league veteran Nick Barmby, whose long-range volley bounced over the pitch and hit Jaaskelainen’s woodwork. A minute later Dean Marney replaced Barmby and almost scored with his first touch of the game, with Jaaskelainen saving Geovanni’s volley by deflecting it into the path of the newcomer, who fired the ball just wide from a narrow angle.
Marney brought fresh blood to the Hull side that was pushing to salvage a priceless victory from their trip to The Reebok Stadium.
Nine minutes before the end of the game, Bolton living legend Jaaskelainen offered the home fans the save of his career – Daniel Cousin met a corner and fired a powerful header at goal, but the keeper denied the striker with an unbelievable reflex reaction, diverting the ball on to the bar and deflecting it wide with a second touch. Brilliant.
The Finn was not done, as he saved his camp for the second time in a minute, diving at the ball at full-stretch and punching clear Fagan’s header.
STAR MAN: Jussi Jaaskelainen (9.5/10) Un-be-lie-va-ble display from the shot-stopper on Saturday afternoon. Phil Brown will have nightmares about the man for sure. Click here for our player ratings and match stats.