- Date:2009-10-24
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Kingston Communications Stadium
- Attendance:23720
- Referee:Attwell, S
Live Commentary
90mins
FULL-TIME: HULL CITY 0 - 0 PORTSMOUTH: The referee blows his whistle and both teams are forced to settle for a point after a poor second half.
90mins
Myhill collects the set-piece from O'Hara with ease though. This game is destined to end 0-0.
90mins
Dawson loses the ball under pressure from O'Hara and Pompey win a corner from the resulting attack.
90mins
Three minutes of added time will be played. Can either side find a winner?
89mins
Marney is replaced by Kamel Ghilas in a late change for Hull.
89mins
The resulting free-kick in a dangerous position is hit over the bar by O'Hara. That was never troubling Myhill.
88mins
Hull keeper Myhill is booked for bringing down a Pompey player at the edge of the penalty area. He was rescued by the fact he wasn't the last man.
87mins
Geovanni finds some space in the Pompey half and decides to try his luck from long range, only for the ball to go flying high and wide over the goal.
86mins
Piquionne has impressed since coming on. However, he handles to ball before he can get a shot away after more good skill.
85mins
There is no doubt that this is going to be a tense final few minutes for Phil Brown and Hull. A goal for them would be so priceless.
84mins
Piquionne shows excellent skill and pace to move past McShane, but he falls over his own feet at the crucial moment and the move breaks down.
83mins
Barmby does well to win the ball for his side and finds Garcia on the left wing, only for the eventual cross to be poor. Both teams have struggled in the final third today.
81mins
Dindane uses his pace to push forward down the right hand side, but his end product is poor and nothing comes from the attempted cross.
80mins
The next ten minutes is very significant for both of these teams. A point doesn't do either of them too many favours.
78mins
Hull are pushing as much as they possibly can to get a goal. This time Geovanni's corner is headed back across the area by Gardner, but Pompey manage to clear their lines.
77mins
The score was 0-0 in the corresponding fixture last season and at the moment, it is on course to be the same again.
76mins
"You don't know what you're doing" is chanted by the Hull fans. They aren't happy with the latest substitution.
75mins
Another change for Hull as Hunt is replaced by Richard Garcia.
74mins
Corner for the home side is whipped in by Geovanni towards Gardner, but it just avades the defender and goes over everybody in the penalty area.
73mins
Dawson does just enough to prevent O'Hara getting a cross into the danger area. The away side are certainly more likely to grab a winner at this stage though.
71mins
Mendy is replaced by Nicky Barmby. Can the veteran make something happen?
70mins
O'Hara strokes the ball through the middle of the pitch towards Finnan and he manages to get a cross into the box before Boateng fouls his man and the move comes to an end.
69mins
Mendy does well to beat his man on the right hand side and his cross is blocked at the near post. The fans want a penalty for hand ball, but nothing is given.
68mins
Hull have only kept three clean sheets in the last 23 Premier League games at home, so Portsmouth will fancy breaking them down eventually.
67mins
It seems more and more likely that one goal will win this game. Who can get it though?
66mins
Hunt goes deep with his free-kick towards the back post, but McShane can't quite get there as another Hull move breaks down.
65mins
The first change of the game sees Frederic Piquionne replace the hard-working Smith.
64mins
Portsmouth are starting to pile on the pressure now. Another corner is knocked into the box and eventually falls to Kevin-Prince Boateng who forces and excellent save from Myhill.
63mins
Corner for the visitors is whipped in by O'Hara onto the head of Kaboul who heads the ball wide. He should have done better there really.
62mins
A mad scramble in the Hull penalty area almost results in a goal, but Dindane can't find the target from close range.
60mins
Hunt and Geovanni combine well before the latter bursts into the penalty area, only for his attempted cross towards Vennegoor of Hesselink is deflected in the arms of James.
59mins
Both managers might be considering changes soon in order to make something happen.
58mins
McShane launches a free-kick towards the Pompey penalty area and Vennegoor of Hesselink manages to bring the ball down well before losing out to Wilson.
56mins
Another brisk attack from the home side leaves Geovanni clear on goal, only for James to touch the ball away from him. Excellent keeping.
55mins
Geovanni whips the resulting free-kick into the area, but James gets there just ahead of Zayatte.
55mins
Second booking in quick succession, this time for Aaron Mokoena who brings down Geovanni.
54mins
Marney is booked for a foul on a O'Hara. No arguments there.
53mins
Ben Haim's clearance is poor, but he manages to get away with it as no Hull player reacts quick enough. This game needs a goal.
51mins
Dawson tries to make something happen by launching the ball forward from the back, but it doesn't work out for him as it goes out of play.
50mins
Another corner for Hull is taken by Hunt towards the near post and fails to find the head of an attacking player.
48mins
Aruna Dindane opens up the Hull defence with some decent skill, but his cross doesn't quite find its way to O'Hara in the middle.
47mins
Early corner for the home side is whipped in by Geovanni and eventually falls to Marney who blasts the ball over the bar.
46mins
Portsmouth are unbeaten in 7 league games against Hull. It will be interesting to see if this remains today.
45mins
The second half is underway - can either side break the deadlock in the next 45 minutes?
45mins
HALF-TIME: HULL 0 - 0 PORTSMOUTH - A relatively even first half comes to a close with the points still there for the taking for both sides.
44mins
Gardner may have to come off at the break. Brown is looking at him and it is clear that the former Spurs man is extremely tired. He has had a lack of games and it is showing.
43mins
Geovanni shows plenty of energy to burst forward for Hull and he finds Marney eventually who can only watch as his shot is deflected wide.
42mins
Gardner's touch lets him down and he almost leaves Myhill short with the back pass. The Hull keeper just gets there ahead of Smith.
41mins
With a few minutes to go until the break, both managers would love a goal for their side to make the team talk easier.
39mins
O'Hara leads a counter-attack for Portsmouth ending with Smith bringing the ball down superbly before being robbed of the ball by Paul McShane. He took way too long to get a shot away.
38mins
Zayatte plays an awful ball across the pitch and it is greeted by a rather negative reaction from the home fans. The game has gone a little flat now.
36mins
Geovanni tries to work his magic and work his way into the penalty area, but he loses his touch at the crucial moment and Portsmouth clear.
35mins
Olofinjana whips a dangerous ball into the box, but it is a yard to far forward for Vennegoor of Hesselink to get a shot in.
34mins
Hunt has been struggling for Hull so far. This time he shows no strength as he loses the ball to Wilson.
32mins
Marc Wilson does well to beat Mendy for pace in the Portsmouth penalty area and clear any danger. Good defending.
31mins
Paul Hart's problem is in the final third. Portsmouth are playing decent football, but can't finish when it counts. In fact, no striker has scored for them in the league this season.
30mins
Kevin-Prince Boateng turns well and shoots just wide after collecting the ball from O'Hara.
29mins
Andy Dawson crucially gets to the ball ahead of Smith after Seyi Olofinjana lost possession under no pressure whatsoever.
28mins
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink holds the ball up well and almost plays the perfect one-two with Geovanni, but the latter's pass goes through to James.
27mins
O'Hara and Smith exchange passes as Portsmouth push forward. The move comes to an end though when Finnan's cross fails to beat Gardner at the near post.
25mins
Tal Ben Haim manages to get himself forward and get a cross into the box which Aaron Mokoena blasts over the bar.
24mins
O'Hara takes a free-kick for Portsmouth from a relatively dangerous position, but it is too close to Myhill who collects well.
23mins
Hunt tries to make something happen with a long pass forward, only for the ball to roll into the path of James who collects.
22mins
There was hope for Phil Brown that Jimmy Bullard would be involved today, but the former Wigan man failed a late fitness test.
21mins
A neat passing move from the home side results in Dean Marney shooting just wide after Geovanni's clever pass.
20mins
Today is the start of a very important spell for Hull. They face Burnley, Stoke and West Ham in their next three games.
19mins
Geovanni wastes the chance to get a decent ball into the box as his free-kick doesn't beat the first man.
17mins
O'Hara has been very influential for the visitors so far, this time his clever pass is slightly too heavy for Smith to get on the end of though.
16mins
A free-kick in a dangerous position for Hull eventually falls to the feet of Geovanni who forces a decent punch away by James. Better from the home side.
15mins
Not for the first time today, Kaboul looks to knock a long ball forward into the path of Smith. Gardener does enough to prevent any danger though.
14mins
Portsmouth are bottom of the table, but you wouldn't have thought so with the way they are passing the ball around so far. They just need an end product.
13mins
Portsmouth have a chance to create a chance as O'Hara knocks in a corner, Smith is fouling his man though and the move breaks down. Frustrating for the visitors.
11mins
Free-kick for Hull is whipped in by Hunt towards the near post and almost catches David James out, but the England keeper manages to hold onto the ball.
10mins
The Portsmouth fans are in decent voice in the early stages, despite having to complete a 548 mile round trip today.
9mins
Steve Finnan tries to push forward for Pompey, but his Ireland team-mate Stephen Hunt slides in well and prevents anything coming from the attack.
8mins
Jamie O'Hara knocks in a free-kick from the left hand side which Boaz Myhill punches away for Hull to eventually clear the danger.
7mins
Portsmouth's problem this season has been scoring goals, no doubt about that. They have only scored five times in the league this season.
6mins
Bernard Mendy shows good skill to make his way past Younes Kaboul and even though nothing comes from the attack, it is the best move of the game so far.
5mins
The away side are causing plenty of problems already. This time Zayatte has to desperately hook the ball away to prevent Smith getting in on goal.
3mins
Deiberson Geovanni attempts to make something happen from a free-kick, but his shot goes comfortably over the top.
2mins
This time last season, Hull were flying high in the Premier League, sitting joint 2nd in the table. Now, they are in the bottom three and their manager Phil Brown is under huge pressure.
1mins
A very early chance for Portsmouth as Tommy Smith robs the ball off Anthony Gardner before firing just wide.
1mins
They are underway at the KC Stadium in a match involving two bottom three teams that are desperate to get themselves three points
Match Preview
Although the Premier League season is only a couple of months old, the meeting of Hull City and Portsmouth at the KC Stadium is already being billed as a relegation six-pointer.
Pompey currently prop up the table, while the Tigers are third bottom after falling to a 2-0 defeat Fulham on Monday evening.
City have won twice in their opening nine league games of the campaign, with both successes coming on home turf - against Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic.
That poor run of form has seen questions being asked about manager Phil Brown, with City having narrowly avoided relegation last season after a dramatic slump in form in the second half of the campaign.
Brown was honest in his assessment of his side's problems after the loss at Craven Cottage, saying: "I thought we defended well in the first half, but the goal was a lapse of concentration.
"In the second half we huffed and puffed and played better football, but there was no real threat. We didn't get any good possession to the strikers."
The only bright spot for Brown came with the return from a long-term knee injury of record signing Jimmy Bullard.
Things are even less rosy for Portsmouth at the moment, with Paul Hart's side having taken just three points from nine games.
The solitary victory came with a 1-0 win at Wolves, while last time out they were narrowly beaten 2-1 at home by Spurs.
Those performances have given manager Hart hope for the future, as he told The News: "The Premier League is very hard, no matter who you play, but my job now is to make sure we get up again and try to get performances of that calibre.
"If we were getting trounced, pummelled and battered all over the place or out-done tactically or strategically then I'd hold up my hand. You wouldn't hold out that much hope, but we're not."
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Match Report
Both sides were forced to settle for a point at the KC Stadium as Hull City and Portsmouth played out a scrappy goalless draw, leaving both sides languishing in the relegation zone.
Pompey had the best chance of the game in the second half through Aruna Dindane, but the Ivorian striker failed to take advantage of poor Hull defending.
Portsmouth had a chance inside the first minute as Tommy Smith pounced on a missed header from defender Anthony Gardner, but after running in clear on goal the ex-Watford man dragged his effort wide from 12 yards.
Geovanni came close from a free-kick moments later, but his right-foot effort from 20 yards curled over the visitors' crossbar.
Hull came close from another free-kick on the ten minute mark, as Stephen Hunt whipped in a left-footed cross from the right which seemed to evade any touch as it skimmed across six-yard box and into the welcome arms of keeper David James.
Dean Marney then tried his luck for the home side, but his right-footed shot from 20 yards flew just over the Portsmouth cross-bar.
Smith was presented a chance towards the end of the first half as Dindane found him with space inside the box, but the Pompey striker failed to connect with his shot, allowing the Hull defence to clear.
Portsmouth had a great chance on the hour mark as a free-kick on the right from Jamie O'Hara saw the ball land at the feet of Dindane, but the Lens loanee could only fire his close-range effort straight at keeper Boaz Myhill who did well to palm the strike away.
Paul Hart's men came close again moments later, as Kevin-Prince Boateng whipped in a cross from the right which saw the ball take an awkward bounce in front of keeper Myhill, but the Hull number one managed to dive to his left and turn the ball away for a corner.
O'Hara came close from a free-kick with minutes left after Myhill had spilled the ball and brought down Dindane just outside the box, but the ex-Tottenham midfielder saw his curling left-footed effort flash just wide of the post.
Hull City Team
Portsmouth Team
Hull City | Portsmouth |
Corners
| 6 | 6 |
Fouls
| 16 | 23 |
Goal attempts
| 7 | 8 |
Shots off target
| 5 | 6 |
Offsides
| 2 | 1 |



90mins
Myhill is down injured at the moment and there seems to be a discussion about whether he can continue.