Sheffield United 0-0 Hull City: Blades frustrated by determined Tigers
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Morgan Gibbs-White (right) saw a first-half shot deflected narrowly over as Hull frustrated the Blades at Bramall Lane
Sheffield United missed a host of chances as they were held to a second goalless draw in four days, by a resolute Hull City.
Jack Robinson headed wide from an early free-kick and Morgan Gibbs-White saw a shot deflected over as the Blades were frustrated in the first half.
Oli McBurnie was guilty of spurning several openings and Hull goalkeeper Matt Ingram saved well from Iliman N'Diaye on the break.
The Tigers almost snatched the points late on but Ryan Longman's shot flashed narrowly wide.
The point was enough for the Blades to move above West Brom into eighth and they are now unbeaten in six matches, while Hull's solid performance ended a run of three consecutive defeats.
Paul Heckingbottom's side made the early running, with Oliver Norwood firing a shot over the crossbar after 10 minutes before sending in a free-kick which Robinson headed off-target.
Hull were on the back foot but a searing Keane Lewis-Potter run almost created an opening for Marcus Forss, before McBurnie headed wide from another Norwood delivery at the other end.
Gibbs-White saw his close-range shot deflected over just before the half-hour mark and Ingram ensured the half ended goalless with a good save from McBurnie just before the break.
It was a similar story in the second half as the Scottish striker headed off-target when well-placed, before Ingram saved well from N'Diaye after a swift break.
Conor Hourihane flashed a free-kick narrowly wide before Heckingbottom sent on top scorer Billy Sharp with 22 minutes remaining, but even he was unable to find the key to unlock the Tigers backline.
Longman's 83rd-minute shot had Wes Foderingham scrambling across his line and the United goalkeeper was relieved to see it miss the target.
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"We're disappointed but we can't beat ourselves up over that. We know why we've not won - we didn't take one of the many, many chances.
"On another day if a team tries to sit behind the ball like that and make it difficult for us and we play like that we win the game, but today wasn't one of those days simply because we didn't take our chances.
"That was the story of the game - all those little moments where you'd take a scruffy goal but the ball doesn't drop and the pattern of the game gets even more set, which is them sitting in and playing on the counter. They defended the box well. It's another point."
Hull head coach Shota Arveladze told BBC Radio Humberside:
"I think we defended very well, better in the second half because we had a chance to give a message at half-time.
"The players did well and in the second half I think they (United) only had one chance. The rest was all blocks and corners and not really clear.
"We knew it was going to be very hard, we should stay in the game and would get small chances, if only we could finish them.
"I'm delighted we got this point as it's a very hard away game. I'm really pleased."