Oli McBurnie’s first goal in the Premier League for 931 days helped Hull City earn a 1-1 draw at home to Brentford, as they remained unbeaten at the MKM Stadium.
Over two years had elapsed since McBurnie last scored in the top flight, and he finally broke that duck after 24 minutes, coolly slotting in from the penalty spot after a foul on Tim Iroegbunam.
The Bees were level just after the hour when Dango Ouattara tapped in at the back post after the ball fell kindly into his path, following some sloppy Tigers defending inside their own six-yard box.
Both sides pushed for a late winner, with Joe Gelhardt firing wide from close range with the Tigers moving onto 10 points after what was a battling display.
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Head coach Sergej Jakirovic made a triple change to his starting line-up from last weekend’s poor loss at Fulham, which saw the Tigers beaten 1-0. Back into the starting XI came Ryan Giles, Elliot Stroud, and there was a first start for Tim Iroegbunam alongside Regan Slater, who clocked up his 300th career appearance.
Out went Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Matt Crooks and Sorba Thomas, with the trio dropping to the bench where there was a return for Mohamed-Ali Cho following a two-game absence.
The hosts started brightly, with Iroegbunam fouled outside the box, but Belloumi could only drive over the bar from 25 yards or so. Aaron Hickey’s tame effort was easily claimed by Tzolakis, after Dango Ouattara escaped Lucas Herrington’s attentions.
City were playing well, and had the chance to get in front when Iroegbunam sneaked in front of Hickey from Caoimhin Kelleher’s pass out, and was brought down. McBurnie rolled in his first of the season to give the hosts a lead their play warranted, one they held with a couple of nervy moments into the interval.
Bees boss Keith Andrews made a double change on the hour with Jaidon Anthony and Mikkel Damsgaard coming on for Hickey and Schade, and within seconds they were level when Ouattara tapped in at the back post after the hosts failed to clear. Moments before that equaliser, Belloumi should have had a penalty, with his requests waved away.
Jakirovic then sent on Norton-Cuffy and Cho for Coyle and Giles, closely followed by Morita for Iroegbunam. Brentford continued to enjoy the better of it before Andrews brought on Callum Wilson and El Hadji Malick Diouf for Lewis-Potter and Ouattara.
Robinio Vaz and Joe Gelhardt were late introductions for McBurnie and Belloumi, and Gelhardt could have won, but fired wide from Cho’s ball across.
City: Tzolakis, Giles (Cho 64), Herrington, Egan, Ajayi, Coyle (c) (Norton-Cuffy 64), Iroegbunam, Slater, Stroud, Belloumi (Gelhardt 86), McBurnie (Vaz 86). Subs: Phillips (GK), Thomas, Crooks, Norton-Cuffy, Morita, Vaz, Cho, McNair, Gelhardt.
Brentford: Kelleher, Kayode, Van Den Berg, Ajer, Lewis-Potter (Diouf 78), Hickey (Damsgaard 60), Sangare, Jensen, Ouattara (Wilson 78), Schade (Anthony 60), Thiago. Subs: Valdimarsson (GK), Wilson, Anthony, Collins, Damsgaard, Diouf, Nunes, Schester, Fredrick.
Man of the Match: Semi Ajayi
Referee: Rob Jones
Attendance: 24,259
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