Adkins encourages Hull to keep moving forward

Manager Nigel Adkins urged his struggling players to “keep going” after Hull drew 1-1 at home to Preston.

Louis Moult’s injury-time equaliser cancelled out Jarrod Bowen’s penalty to frustrate the hosts, who moved off the bottom of the Sky Bet Championship but have not won since September 15.

Hull can feel hard done by, though, as they hit the woodwork three times during a match in which they were guilty of wasting a clutch of other good opportunities.

Adkins said: “I think we played well and created a lot of chances. It was a good, good performance.

“We put ourselves in a position to win it and it was just a case of seeing the game out.

“We’ve created a lot of chances, which is important, and it was another good performance.

“It’s just fine margins – we’ve hit the woodwork three times and their goalkeeper has made a lot of good saves.

“The players are working hard. We’ve got a point and we’ve got to keep going.”

Hull looked to have earned three important points when Bowen scored from the penalty spot after 85 minutes.

Bowen converted emphatically when Chris Martin was adjudged to have been fouled by Preston centre-back Jordan Storey.

Preston manager Alex Neil would have had few complaints had his side left East Yorkshire empty-handed.

But the visitors responded purposefully once Bowen had given Hull the lead and nearly equalised when Moult – a second-half replacement for Lukas Nmecha – was expertly thwarted by David Marshall after 71 minutes.

The 26-year-old forward still had the final word, though, when he converted Darnell Fisher’s skidding cross, after having manfully fended off the attentions of Hull defender Eric Lichaj.

Preston are outside the relegation zone on goal difference, but Neil was happy with a point.

He said: “I thought we started the game quite brightly, but from 15 minutes onwards I thought Hull were better.

“We didn’t keep the ball in the top end of the pitch well enough.

“We rode our luck a little bit. We made a few changes and I thought we were on top when they scored.

“It was quite a strange game. They had the most of the territory and the best of the clear-cut opportunities, but we also had chances.

“To be fair to Hull, they were really brave, but I think we defended relatively well.

“I still wasn’t that pleased with how we’ve played, but, based on the game, we’ll take a point and move on to the next one.

“It’s a nice stat to go unbeaten three games at this level.”

On the penalty, Neil said: “I thought it was a bit soft – I don’t think Chris Martin was getting the ball – but I’ve no complaints and no qualms about it.”