The Tigers were good value for a point away from home in the Midlands after a 0-0 draw
Hull City claimed an away-day point at promotion favourites Coventry City to kick off Sergej Jakirovic’s Championship era with a battling 0-0 display on opening day.
City largely kept last season’s beaten play-off semi-finalists at arm’s length and though they came under spells of pressure, restricted Frank Lampard’s side to few clear-cut chances and were value for their point.
Possibly with better decision-making in the final third, the Tigers could have tested ex-goalkeeper Carl Rushworth in between the sticks for the hosts, who did hit the bar in the second half with an effort from distance.
Against a very good, fluid side with few changes from last season, City will be pleased to have got themselves off the mark with a clean sheet and a point on the board after a summer of yet more change on and off the field.
Jakirovic opted to hand debuts to John Lundstram, Semi Ajayi and Joel Ndala in his first Championship starting XI, while there were places on the bench for fellow summer arrivals Oliver McBurnie, Joe Gelhardt and Akin Famewo, along with youngsters Pharrell Brown, Nathan Tinsdale and Cathal McCarthy.
Backed by a racaous home support, the hosts went close inside two minutes when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto beat Ndala and found his way towards the edge of the box and angled a drive just wide of the sprawling Pandur diving away to his right.
Inside 10 minutes, City carved out a great chance with a one-touch move involving Lundstram, Kamara and Crooks, who released Slater through the middle, and came Carl Rushworth to smother his shot before the flag went up in any case.
At the other end, Joseph dropping deep gave it away which allowed Rudoni to be slipped in but Hughes was there with a perfectly-timed block to send the shot looping well wide.
The home side were coming on strong with City struggling to keep the ball for any great period, though they were coming up against something a brick wall in Ajayi and Hughes. At the other end, the Tigers couldn’t get Joseph into it, and because of that, the ball just kept coming back at them.
City steadied things in the period before the break, and in fact, had two fine chances. The first came from a lovely Lundstram ball over the top for Crooks in space just inside the area, but the ball seemed to plug in the turf to halt his momentum, and by the time he played in Joseph, the cavalry had returned to snuff out the danger.
Moments later, lovely driving play from Ndala saw him slide in Slater left side of the box; his finish was poor and lacked conviction across goal. At the other end, Sakamoto was afforded too much space to come inside and drag a shot wide of the near post.
At the start of the second half, Kamara found himself in down the right and facing goal, shooting low at Rushworth the ex-Tigers stopper who blocked and claimed at the second attempt.
City had a lucky escape 10 minutes into the second period when Milan van Ewijk angled an effort off the corner of post and bar from the edge of the box, before the rebound was headed away to safety.
van Ewijk was then the first booking of the afternoon after announcing his displeasure to referee Madley at the decision to give Ndala a throw in. Suffice it say, the locals were not impressed with that.
After a spell of treatment for Crooks, and the CIty fans chanting about the EFL, Dasilva was booked for a rash lunge on Kamara which further annoyed the tetchy home supporters. They cheered seconds later when Slater was cautioned for a foul, and that break in play allowed Frank Lampard to make his first change 66 minutes in with ex-City target Haji Wright on for Mason-Clark.
As expected, with 20 minutes to go McBurnie came on to a huge reception from the away fans replacing Joseph and Kasey Palmer, warmly greeted by his former home fans, replaced Slater.
Palmer shot wide from 20 yards out after Giles galloped forward and saw his cross blocked and moments later, Palmer again flashed a cross wide just evading McBurnie.
On came Joe Gelhardt for his second debut with just over 10 minutes to go, replacing Abu Kamara on the right side. Lampard then made a doube change with Ben Sheaf and Miguel Angel Brau both introduced for Torp and Thomas-Asante.
Nathan Tinsdale was a late replacement for Ndala, before Crooks collided with Rushworth which sparked a bit of pushing and shoving involving McBurnie and a gaggle of Sky Blues complainants.
City saw eight minutes of added time through with little drama, and they’ll have headed back up the M1 content with a point in their pocket.
Coventry City: Rushworth; van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Grimes, Torp; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Thomas-Asante. Subs: Wilson (GK), Kelser-Hayden, Bidwell, Ben Sheaf, Jamie Allen, Ellis Simms, Haji Wright, Raphael Borges Rodrigues, Miguel Angel Brau.
Hull City: Pandur, Giles, Hughes (c), Ajayi, Lundstram, Slater, Ndala, Crooks, Kamara, Joseph. Subs: Phillips, McBurnie, Egan, Gelhardt, Famewo, Brown, Palmer, Tinsdale, McCarthy
Referee: Bobby Madley
Attendance: 29,052 (1,715 from Hull City)
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