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City led before having to come from behind to earn a good point
Tim Iroegbunam and Mohamed Belloumi celebrate against Everton
Tim Iroegbunam and Mohamed Belloumi celebrate against Everton(Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Hull City claimed another valuable point on their return to the Premier League, after being held to a 2-2 draw by unbeaten Everton,
The Tigers led through Joe Gelhardt, only for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry to fire the visitors in front, before Mo Belloumi came off the bench to thump in the equaliser, as City maintained their unbeaten start at the MKM Stadium.
Everton thought they'd got their noses in the first half, but Brennan Johnson's goal after Ryan Giles' clearance cannoned off him and into the net was ruled out for offside. Joe Gelhardt then twice went close, with Nobel Mendy heading over, and at the opposite end, Thierno Barry passed up a similar chance.
The deadlock was broken early in the second half when Sorba Thomas played in Gelhardt to chip a lovely finish over Jordan Pickford. That lead didn't last long, with Dewsbury-Hall headed in the equaliser, before Barry finally got his goal after a sloppy Tigers free-kick saw him thump in the second with 68 minutes on the clock.
Off the bench, Elliot Stroud's persistence saw him feed Belloumi, who crashed in the equaliser
Sergej Jakirovic made two changes from the side beaten at Newcastle United three weeks ago, and it saw a third full Tigers debut for Joe Gelhardt.
The 24-year-old came into the starting line-up at the expense of Mo Belloumi, who was fatigued after a heavy workload with Algeria during the international break, having made his debut and scored for his country. The other change saw Nobel Mendy return in place of Australian starlet Lucas Herrington.
Mendy, who was on international duty with Senegal, missed the trip to Tyneside with the concussion he suffered the weekend before at Chelsea.
Tim Iroegbunam was passed fit to be in the squad against his former club, while there were returns for Morita and Brooke Norton-Cuffy, with all three named amongst the City substitutes at the MKM Stadium. There was no Mohamed Ali-Cho, who joined Charlie Hughes, Darko Gyabi and Christos Mouzakitis in being absent.
A loose ball in the middle of the Everton half presented Gelhardt with an opening but he lost his way and gave the ball away cheaply, when the chance was there to be positive and attack the box. At the other end, James Garner's pinpoint free-kick was turned over by Tzolakis, taking no chances, after Regan Slater was penalised.
City gradually grew into a quiet first half, forcing a couple of corners before Crooks and McBurnie were both booked. Gelhardt's tame effort was the game's first effort on target 21 minutes in.
Crooks' header back across goal looked to be laying it on a plate until Tarkowski arched his head to beat away a couple of yards out. The big moment of the game came 34 minutes in when Tzolakis spilt the ball, with it eventually falling to Giles, who cleared off Johnson and into the back of the net. After a VAR review, referee Michael Salisbury, who had infuriated the home fans earlier, ruled it out for offside on Johnson.
Gelhardt went close just before the break from McBurnie's lay-off, and from the corner, Mendy from point-blank range headed over with the goal gaping. Barry should have put the visitors in front in added time at the end of the first period after Grealish stood the cross up, but he diverted it over.
Three minutes into the second period, brilliant play from McBurnie saw him find Thomas, who, after an error from Maitland-Niles, picked out Gelhardt, who cleverly slotted him in, and his clip over Pickford was exquisite. Barry then headed straight at Tzolakis.
After seeing his colleague miss three good chances, Dewsbury-Hall wasn't going to pass up his chance moments later, heading past Tzolakis after Maitland-Niles' cross wasn't dealt with. Barry missed again shortly after, getting his legs in a tangle and somehow missing Grealish's ball, which was on a plate for him a yard out.
With City toiling, Sergej Jakirovic made a triple change just after the hour with Elliot Stroud, Tim Iroegbunam and Mo Belloumi replacing Giles, Crooks and Gelhardt. Tyrique George was then on for Brennan Johnson.
From a Sorba Thomas free-kick, a flurry of errors saw Barry make no mistake and capitalise, thumping past Tzolakis with just over 20 minutes to go. The game turned on its head with 20 minutes to go when Thomas' lazy free-kick inside his own half left his side in all sorts of trouble, and after a fortunate bounce, Barry powered in past Tzolakis.
City responded and were level 74 minutes in. Superb work from Elliot Stroud got him into the box, and he fed Belloumi, who beat Garner before firing in off the underside of the bar, and Pickford's wrist to earn his side a valuable point.
Tigers remain unbeaten in front of their own supporters
City: Tzolakis, Giles (Stroud 64), Mendy, Egan, Ajayi, Coyle (c), Slater (Morita 74), Crooks (Iroegbunam 64), Thomas (Vaz 86), Gelhardt (Belloumi 64), McBurnie. Subs: Phillips, Belloumi, Herrington, McNair, Vaz, Morita, Norton-Cuffy, Stroud, Iroegbunam
Everton: Pickford, Maitland-Niles (O'Brien 77), Tarkowski (c), Keane, Branthwaite, Garner, Armstrong (Hackney 75), Dewsbury-Hall, Johnson (George 66), Grealish (Dibling 86), Barry (Alcaraz 86). Subs: Travers, O'Brien, George, Dibling, Nørgaard, Alcaraz, Hackney, Röhl, Graham
Crooks booked 13 minutes in for a late challenge after losing the ball inside his own half, closely followed by McBurnie
Brennan Johnson's goal was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR check
Gelhardt was inches wide just before half-time with a curling effort, and then forced a fine save from England's Jordan Pickford in a goalless first period
City's former loanee makes no mistake with a lovely chipped finish at the start of the second period before Everton go in front, Belloumi gets City back on terms off the bench in a thrilling second half
Referee: Michael Salisbury
Attendance: 24,458
City are next in action away at Fulham next Saturday in the Premier League
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