A chance for Villa. Lewis Grabban cuts out Ola Aina's loose pass and is tripped, giving the visitors a free-kick 25 yards out.

Mile Jedinak takes, and curls it straight into the arms of Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Earlier, Robert Snodgrass felt the force of a challenge by Max Clark. A bit of added spice in this one now.

Hull breeze forward again and it needs a super challenge from Alan Hutton to stop Abel Hernandez getting a shot away in the penalty box.

Hull look a completely different side at the start of the second half. More urgency and more threat from Nigel Adkins' team.

Villa haven't got going after the break yet.

Goodness me - how has Jack Grealish escaped there? The Villa man throws his arms in the air to block a Seb Larsson free-kick.

Surely a penalty? Not given by the referee.

In the aftermath, Sam Johnstone makes the save of the match to deny Hull defender Angus MacDonald.

A bright start to the second half for the home side, who put a couple of crosses into the Villa box.

Villa keeper Sam Johnstone's touched the ball more in the first minute of the second period than he probably did in the whole of the first.

A slight exaggeration, but you get the picture.

Let's get going again, shall we? Villa start the second half.

Birmingham City boss Garry Monk will be one happy man tonight. His side beat Ipswich Town 1-0 to win their second game on the bounce - and lift themselves out of the Championship relegation places.

"I am pleased with the players' attitude but the most important thing is winning three points," Monk told BBC WM 95.6.

"When I came in I said to the players that we were going to face different types of games. Against Hull a couple of weeks ago, we were on the front foot creating numerous chances and scoring goals whereas today we had to manage the game well defensively.

"The attitude of the players is going to help us get where we need to get to."

Image source, Rex Features

If you weren't with us earlier on, Birmingham claimed a valuable three points as they battle to stay in the Championship.

Here's the report of their win over Ipswich...

Remember before kick-off when I said we were almost guaranteed goals in this one?

Well, I'm sorry.

Villa have come closest to an opener - Albert Adomah and John Terry both put efforts over the bar, while Michael Dawson made a great last-ditch tackle to deny winger Adomah.

Hull had the ball in the net, but Abel Hernandez was flagged offside.

We've had the one additional minute and the half-time whistle blows.

Goalless at the break.

Image source, Rex Features

Villa have had by far the greater attacking threat in the first half but they've got very little to show for it.

The only saves Allan McGregor has had to make were from fairly tame long-range efforts.

Villa, who started 10 points behind second-placed Cardiff, will take any sort of goal if it means they can close the gap to the Welsh club.

Hull get the chance to counter-attack from another Villa corner but comes to nothing. Abel Hernandez took a poor touch and then the ball bobbled as he tried to play the final pass.

Opportunity missed.

Robert Snodgrass' deliveries from set-pieces are causing real problems for the Hull defence.

They're dealing with them for now, but only just.

Hull striker Abel Hernandez looks an increasingly isolated figure up front for the Tigers.

With Villa bossing possession, the home side are happy to just clear their lines when they get the chance, but it leaves Hernandez to feed off scraps up top.

A tremendous challenge by Michael Dawson prevents Albert Adomah from sliding Villa in front. He timed the tackle perfectly.

Robert Snodgrass is the recipient of the first yellow card of the match.

The Villa winger catches Jackson Irvine with a lunging challenge and is cautioned by the referee.

The home fans are quite pleased, and are quick to remind Snodgrass that they don't like him very much after he left the Tigers for West Ham last season.

Villa full-back Alan Hutton incurs the wrath of Hull's Jackson Irvine, and with good reason.

Hutton goes over with no contact from the Australian, but the referee buys it and gives a free-kick in Villa's favour.

The attack eventually ends with visiting captain John Terry heading over the bar from a corner.

It's been a competitive first 27 minutes at the KCOM Stadium, with Aston Villa shading it and creating the better openings but without really testing Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor too much.

Image source, Rex Features

Hull's Harry Wilson goes closer at the other end.

The Wales international sorts out his feet quickly to get a shot away from the edge of the box, but it's a couple of yards wide.

Aston Villa force their first corner of the game and it drops at the feet of Albert Adomah, whose first-time shot from the edge of the box ends up halfway up the stand.