WHEN arriving at the Daknamstadion for his first look at the ground, Hull City manager Steve Bruce spoke of his many highs and lows in European football.
Having already guided the Tigers to the brink of the league stages, Bruce has a European managerial high to reflect on, and now he has a low to accompany it.
Because while City's European adventure may be new territory, the Tigers were back on familiar ground as another error threatened to derail their Europa League hopes, thanks to a 1-0 defeat at KSC Lokeren.
Just like Tom Huddlestone's penalty miss almost cost his side at Trencin, a calamitous moment between debutante Harry Maguire and goalkeeper Allan McGregor saw Lokeren steal a victory which hadn't looked like coming and wasn't deserved.
Bruce's men created the better chances, dominated possession and even if they were a little wasteful at times, they were rarely troubled at the back until Hans Vanaken picked McGregor's pocket to score the simplest of goals. Simple maybe, decisive possibly.
Now, the Tigers must head back to the KC Stadium next Thursday with it all to do.
It wasn't a vintage performance by the Tigers, who are still finding their way in the early stages of a long campaign. But a precious away goal should have come, with Yannick Sagbo spurning a gilt-edged chance in only the sixth minute, before a late onslaught on the Lokeren defence should have brought reward.
Against a side happy to soak up the pressure and play inside their own half, City were the more dominant and adventurous, but snatched chances were as good as it got for a team that themselves never looked in danger of going behind.
Lokeren may not be a household name in England but boast far greater European pedigree than the Tigers. Quarter-finalists in the UEFA Cup in 1981, the year Bobby Robson guided Ipswich Town to the trophy, the Belgian Cup winners were treading familiar ground having played at this stage of the competition two years ago before bowing out.
Drawing on that experience, it was a calm and patient approach which brought rich rewards and an advantage to take to the KC.
True to his word, Bruce rang the changes from the side that beat QPR 1-0 at the weekend. With a home opener against Stoke City just three days away, nine of the side that played at Loftus Road came out of the starting XI.
It meant a debut for former Sheffield United defender Maguire in an all-new defensive back line alongside Paul McShane at the heart of it, with James Chester protecting the pair, and Liam Rosenior and Maynor Figueroa as the wide men at the back.
The formation, fluent and difficult to read in the early stages, allowed the Tigers to press as Lokeren struggled to pick up their opponents. It made for a bright opening from the visitors, who should have been ahead as early as the sixth minute when Sagbo spurned a golden opportunity. The striker's weak effort from five yards was easily collected by a relieved Davino Verhulst in the Lokeren goal, when the keeper knew he should have been picking the ball out of the back of the net.
Tame efforts from distance by Robbie Brady and Sone Aluko followed, with Nill De Pauw responding with a dipping shot of his own which went just over the crossbar.
But for all the huff and puff of both sides, misplaced passes and a cagey approach meant chances remained at a premium. Content to go into half-time goalless, neither side were willing to chance their arm in the early stages of this two-legged affair.
The industry in the middle of the field by David Meyler, aided by Chester's commanding presence and reading of the game made sure City enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the first 45 minutes.
But with Sagbo ploughing on alone leading the line, the link-up play with the Ivorian was absent as his attempted flicks and knock-downs were easily swept up by a Lokeren back four who were in danger of getting a nose bleed if they crossed the halfway line.
Intent on making the most of any set-plays and opportunities to hit City on the counter, Lokeren's patient approach almost brought reward at the start of the second half as De Pauw's effort was parried away for a corner by Allan McGregor.
Mijat Maric's header from the resulting corner was another timely reminder of the danger posed by the Belgians.
Still, the Tigers looked composed and untroubled. Which made what followed even more difficult to fathom. Maguire's back pass to McGregor put the goalkeeper under unnecessary pressure and when McGregor was caught in possession by Vanaken, the forward was gifted a simple goal.
Seemingly awoken from their slumber, the hosts had a new zest about their play and rather than defend the lead, they chased a second.
Sergio Junior Dutra's close-range header soon after forced a world class save by McGregor as he went some way to redeeming himself.
City needed a fresh approach. In stepped Tom Ince and Nikica Jelavic with the impact immediate. A succession of corners followed for the Tigers as first Jelavic and then Ince forced good saves and while a goal was still proving elusive, the Tigers finally looked like they had some bite to their attack.
The duo, assisted by Aluko who had now found an extra gear, ran at the Lokeren defence with effective pace, creating an opportunity for Meyler which required a diving save to tip wide before Chester saw another header go wide.
Within ten minutes, City had created enough chances to not just level but take the lead, but that goal-scoring knack eluded them. A factor that will have to be addressed if their European odyssey is to continue beyond next week.
