Source: Team_Talk
Sam sees Rovers shut out Tigers
Hull had the best opportunities of a tight but poor-quality Premier League encounter at the KC Stadium and felt Jozy Altidore was denied a clear penalty in the second half.[LNB]Blackburn had their opportunities, particularly after the introduction of the lively Nikola Kalinic, but had to settle for a point.[LNB]The result kept Rovers above Hull in the lower reaches of the table and both sides may see it as a wasted opportunity.[LNB]The match was billed as a battle between Brown and Rovers manager Allardyce, his former boss at Bolton.[LNB]Brown was visible throughout on the touchline but Allardyce, recovering from a recent heart operation, remained in the stands until the closing moments.[LNB]Brown, boosted by the presence of defenders Anthony Gardner and Andy Dawson after fitness tests, appeared to opt for caution with no out-and-out striker in his side.[LNB]Forward Craig Fagan started as the lone striker but Brazilian playmaker Geovanni was recalled in support in the absence of injured talisman Jimmy Bullard.[LNB]Blackburn, again without the influential David Dunn, settled quickly and Junior Hoilett won a free-kick in dangerous territory after cutting in from the left but Benni McCarthy shot over.[LNB]Defender Chris Samba then fired over and a Hoilett cross was volleyed in by McCarthy only for the South African to be denied by an offside flag.[LNB]Hull spurned a glorious opportunity in the 10th minute after Franco di Santo was robbed in midfield by George Boateng.[LNB]The Dutchman played in Fagan with a perfect throughball but the forward, one on one with Paul Robinson, shot too close to the goalkeeper.[LNB]Hull were annoyed when referee Chris Foy played on after Paul McShane was injured in a collision with Kamil Zayatte in the Tigers area but Vince Grella missed the target.[LNB]Geovanni, after a quiet opening, got the chance to run at the Blackburn defence just before the half-hour but his 30-yard shot did not trouble Robinson.[LNB]The former Barcelona man got another opportunity from a free-kick after Boateng was felled by Steven Nzoni but his initial effort hit the wall and Robinson saved his follow-up attempt.[LNB]Another chance opened up for Hull after Samba failed to clear a Geovanni ball.[LNB]Dean Marney took up the attack and found Stephen Hunt in space on the left but the Irishman shot tamely at Robinson.[LNB]McShane appealed for a penalty after going down in a challenge with Gael Givet but Foy was not interested.[LNB]Di Santo had the first shot of the second half but Boaz Myhill, recalled after missing the previous six games, was not troubled.[LNB]Boateng tried his luck with a long-range effort at the other end but Robinson saved comfortably low down.[LNB]Richard Garcia created a shooting opportunity as he dragged the ball back from a Gardner nod-down but, again, Robinson was not extended.[LNB]Blackburn went to route one to try to break the deadlock but substitute Nikola Kalinic shot into the side-netting after the ball bounced kindly in the area.[LNB]Kalinic caused further problems and outmuscled Gardner to get in another shot but his balance was upset and - with no foul given - shot weakly at Myhill.[LNB]The danger was not over but Hull somehow managed to scramble clear.[LNB]The ball fell to Kalinic again soon after when McShane headed an attempted clearance in his direction but this time the Croatian stabbed wide.[LNB]Hull were incredulous when they had a penalty appeal of their own turned down with 16 minutes remaining.[LNB]Substitute Altidore, introduced to give Hull a presence up front eight minutes earlier, appeared to have been tripped in a clumsy Samba challenge but Foy penalised the American for diving.[LNB]Hull responded by introducing the fresh vigour of Seyi Olofinjana and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink of the bench.[LNB]Vennegoor of Hesselink had chances immediately but was punished for a foul before shooting at Robinson and then headed wide.[LNB]Kalinic continued to threaten the Hull defence but Gardner got the better of him with five minutes remaining and cleared.[LNB]Both sides continued to push for a winner in the closing moments but, as in the rest of the game, neither goalkeeper was troubled.[LNB][LNB]
