Bristol Rovers 1 Hull City 1

Last updated : 13 August 2002 By Footymad Previewer

Hull fought back for their second draw of the new season after seeing their captain Greg Strong sent off for violent conduct 13 minutes from time.

Out of possession he kicked out at Paul Tait catching the striker on the calf.

The Bristol Rovers player went down and after consulting his assistant, referee Andy D'Urso went straight for a red card.

With only ten men Hull managed to salvage a point through sub Simon Johnson in the 85th minute.

Rovers held the lead for almost an hour thanks to Giuliano Grazioli but came under increasing pressure in the second half.

Their new manager Ray Graydon has brought discipline and neat movement to a side that included eight of his summer signings.

Early on, Hull were saved by John Anderson's off the line clearance after Rob Quinn had sent in a first time low shot from a Trevor Challis cross.

Another Challis cross saw Tait bounce a header off the top of the bar but it was a throughball from Rovers centre-back Danny Boxall which brought Grazioli his goal on the half hour.

Hull's back line were slow moving up to a through ball from Boxall leaving the ex-Swindon striker on side to finish with a clear shot under keeper Matt Glennon.

Stuart Elliott, Hull's £230,000 buy from Motherwell, had been subdued by Boxall, but he soon put his imprint on the game.

Elliott forced Scott Howie in the Rovers goal to scramble a save from a long-range shot and then right on half time won the game's first corner after his pace had shaken off several challenges through a fine slanting run.

Although he was yellow carded soon after the break for a tackle from behind on Anwar Uddin, the Hull winger was now a real threat to the Bristol defence.

The late equaliser came from Stuart Green's channelled ball down the left which Elliott seized and carried on to the by-line before turning it back across goal for Johnson to tap in.

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