Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Hull City. Sky Bet Championship.
MolineuxAttendance20,062.
Sunday 16 August 2015 18:14, UK
Allan McGregor's howler left Hull to settle for a 1-1 draw against Wolves at Molineux in Sunday's Championship clash.
The goalkeeper inexplicably let Nouha Dicko's cross through his hands just before the hour to present James Henry with a simple header that sealed a point for the hosts.
That gaffe cancelled out Nikica Jelavic's first-half penalty as wasteful Wolves were left to rue several missed chances.
Benik Afobe's shot after just 20 seconds was hacked off the line and Dicko missed a golden chance while Chuba Akpom hit the post for Hull.
The Tigers, though, were forced to defend for long spells with both sides remaining unbeaten in the league this season.
Boss Kenny Jackett picked Emiliano Martinez in goal in the only change from their opening day win at Blackburn while Hull replaced Ryan Taylor with Moses Odubajo.
And Wolves could have opened the scoring inside 30 seconds when Afobe latched on to a Sam Clucas' short backpass to poke beyond McGregor - only for Curtis Davies to clear the ball off the line.
Seconds later Dicko fired over, with Hull's ragged start allowing Wolves to dictate the pace at will as the Tigers struggled to contain Afobe and Dicko.
The hosts were comfortable but, slowly, the Tigers fought back from their haphazard opening and grabbed the lead with a 22nd-minute penalty.
Akpom's shot deflected for a corner and, from Tom Huddlestone's delivery, Kortney Hause pushed Davies in the back for Jelavic to slam in from the spot.
Angered, Wolves rallied and McGregor turned Conor Coady's shot wide before Dave Edwards was inches away from Dicko's knockdown.
Hull, though, had gained a grasp on the game and almost took it by the scruff of the neck four minutes before the break when Akpom blitzed down the left and was denied by fellow Arsenal loanee Martinez at close range.
Jelavic also fired wide in stoppage time but Wolves returned for the restart firing and Henry shot over before Afobe's drive was blocked.
But they were given lifeline after 58 minutes thanks to McGregor's gaffe.
There seemed little danger when Dicko swung in an innocuous cross but the keeper somehow spilled the ball for Henry to head into an empty net.
To make matters worse the Scotland international's error came in front of his watching national boss Gordon Strachan.
Tails up, Wolves began to dominate again with the dangerous Afobe denied by Andy Robertson and Hull forced to defend deeply.
And they survived a major let-off with 20 minutes left when an unmarked Dicko wastefully nodded Afobe's cross wide from just five yards.
But Hull could have snatched the winner a minute later when, after fine work from Jelavic, Akpom struck the post from 10 yards.
And the visitors finished strongly, even if they could not force a winner, as Martinez continued his duel with Gunners team-mate Akpom, saving twice late on.
"It probably was a fair result, we put in a good performance and I'm pleased with a lot of aspects.
"The last 10 minutes, when the energy went out of the game, Hull's quality on the ball really showed. They are a good side and a good yardstick."
The one thing in football management you can't legislate for is human error. He (McGregor) probably hasn't done that since he was 10.
"It's now how he deals with it, which is the key. I cannot disguise the fact it was one of those howlers which has cost us the match."
