Watford 0-0 Hull City: Hornets and Tigers play out goalless draw

Watford and Hull City battled to a goalless draw at Vicarage Road

Watford and Hull City played out a dour goalless draw, as the home side missed the chance to move up to third in the Championship.

The Hornets had the best chance of an uneventful first half as Matt Ingram made a good low save from Joao Pedro's crisp strike.

The Tigers just about shaded the second half, as Tyler Smith and Cyrus Christie forced saves from Daniel Bachmann and former Watford midfielder Ozan Tufan skied an effort over the bar when well placed.

Substitute Rey Manaj could have won it for Watford in the final moments but he could not make a decent connection with Hassane Kamara's low driven cross and the game ended goalless.

The point moved Liam Rosenior's men up a place from 21st to 20th, while the Hornets moved from sixth to fifth after a second successive goalless draw.

A lengthy injury hold-up in the opening minutes - after Watford midfielder Hamza Choudhury and Dimitrios Pelkas of Hull City were both injured in a block tackle - did not help the game, which was played in freezing conditions, pick up any early momentum.

Hull City's commitment to playing out from the back under new boss Rosenior nearly proved their undoing when a loose pass from Jean Michael Seri played them into trouble before Ingram got down well to keep out Joao Pedro's shot.

Ingram also made a decent save after the break from Yaser Asprilla's shot but it was the Tigers who will feel they should have opened the scoring, but Tufan got it all wrong when the impressive Christie cut the ball back to him in the area.

Watford looked disjointed throughout and their poor day was summed up when Manaj missed the chance to give them all three points and then had to be subbed off in the closing moments after seemingly tweaking his hamstring in what was his first appearance since August.

Hull host Sunderland on Saturday, while Slaven Bilic's side visit lowly Huddersfield on the same day.

Watford boss Slaven Bilic:

"The first half wasn't good enough but in the second half we created more than enough chances to score but the finishing touch was lacking.

"I remember three or four minimum of these massive chances that we missed. We are disappointed with the result, big time, and frustrated, but I'm very pleased with the way the guys played."

On Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr not being available for the game:

"Of course we are missing Sarr. If he was here yesterday he would play of course. He didn't come, he wasn't at training yesterday so he was out and I was totally concentrating on the game.

"Is he expected back soon? Yes, of course. Sarr is a great player."

Hull head coach Liam Rosenior told BBC Radio Humberside:

"I'm really pleased. Watford are a very very good team, have been on a good run and have outstanding attacking players at this level.

"We blocked shots, defended set-plays really well and created chances of our own.

"I'm delighted with the attitude, discipline and energy of the players and was delighted with the reaction after the game because they were disappointed not to win. That's the kind of attitude I want at this club."