Neither side quite had the ingenuity to unlock their opponents' defence as Hull and Burnley fought out a stalemate at the KC Stadium.

Hull chief Peter Taylor kept attacking trio Stuart Elliott, Billy Paynter and Craig Fagan on the bench and that lack of quality was apparent as the game failed to ignite.

Stuart Green was the first to go close in the match for the Tigers.

From Leon Cort's long free-kick the ball broke to Green on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder forced Brian Jensen into action with a fierce right-footed drive.

Burnley responded immediately with a speedy counter-attack led by veteran Graham Branch, but when he found Andy Gray the on-loan Sunderland man volleyed narrowly wide after five minutes.

Another surging run from Branch saw the Clarets threaten again soon after as the elusive forward cut inside from the left wing before flashing a swerving shot past the post.

Steve Cotterill's side were in the ascendancy and on-loan Wigan midfielder Alan Mahon was next to go close with a long-range effort in the 12th minute, but Myhill was able to watch his shot just clear the crossbar.

Encouraged by the enthusiastic home crowd, Hull came into the game a little more after that and enjoyed a period of sustained pressure, with Ryan France coming close to breaking the deadlock in the 20th minute.

Green flicked on Andy Dawson's near-post cross and Jensen was forced to parry France's 12-yard volley before smothering the loose ball.

Jon Parkin stung Jensen's palms from the edge of the area just after the half-hour mark and Kevin Ellison fired over the crossbar in the last meaningful goalmouth action before the break.

Burnley started the second half as they had begun the match and dominated the opening exchanges.

Their pressure looked like being rewarded when Mahon picked the ball up on the edge of the box but, with space ahead of him, he chose to shoot and his effort sailed over the crossbar.

Chris McCann volleyed disappointingly wide soon after following good work by James O'Connor before Kyle Lafferty spurned the best chance of the game just after the hour.

The ball fell to the Northern Ireland youngster six yards out but he fired straight at Myhill, although credit should be given to the goalkeeper for bravely spreading himself in front of the shot.

Hull almost caught the Clarets on the break when Ellison warmed Jensen's palms for the second time from the edge of the box after 73 minutes.

Taylor introduced attacking trio Elliott, Paynter and Fagan for the final 10 minutes in an attempt to steal all three points.

And Paynter may have done just that had Jensen not been alert enough to snatch the ball from his head following Elliott's cross in the dying minutes.

Teams

Hull Myhill, Thelwell, Cort, Delaney, Dawson,France (Paynter 81), Green, Andrews, Ellison (Elliott 81),Parkin, Duffy (Fagan 81).

Subs Not Used: Duke, Wiseman.

Burnley Jensen, Bardsley (McGreal 39), Sinclair, Duff, Harley,Mahon, James O'Connor, McCann, Branch, Lafferty (Spicer 83),Gray.

Subs Not Used: Hyde, Elliott, Garreth O'Connor.

Booked: Branch, McCann, Sinclair, James O'Connor.

Att: 19,926

Ref: D Drysdale (Lincolnshire).