Hull City were denied a hard-earned victory in their Premier League home opener as Ryan Shawcross's late goal saw Stoke City grab a 1-1 draw at the KC Stadium.
Playing with 10-men for 75 minutes following James Chester's sending off, the Tigers looked set to maintain their 100 per cent record thanks to Nikica Jelavic's first-half goal, only to concede late on following an expected Stoke onslaught.
A point in the circumstances following a taxing week represented a reasonable effort for the Tigers, who now prepare to fight not for league points but their Europa League future on Thursday night at home to Lokeren.
With Steve Bruce making wholesale changes once again, the Tigers lined-up similar to their opening day win at Queens Park Rangers. Paul McShane came into defence for Alex Bruce, with Stephen Quinn starting for long-term injury casualty Robert Snodgrass.
With a more familiar shape to the one which lined-up at Lokeren, the Tigers dominated the early stages, attacking down the flanks with real purpose with Stoke chasing shadows. Eager to press the advantage further, instead they found the tables turned on them when on 13 minutes James Chester was sent off for his rash tackle on last man Glenn Whelan, having been sold short with a pass-back by Jake Livermore.
With City still adapting with an enforced formation shift, Stoke came to life. Steven N'Zonzi should have done better with his header inside the six-yard box before Erik Pieters blazed a follow-up shot over the crossbar.
The Tigers weathered the storm from the visitors, though and the Potters were made to pay for a failure to make the most of their brief period of dominance as the hosts snatched the lead late in the first half.
A driving run from Tom Huddlestone ended with a sweetly struck effort which Asmir Begovic failed to hold, with Jelavic gratefully waiting at the far post to turn the ball in.
Stoke responded with a good start to the second half forcing McGregor to deny Ryan Shawcross's well-struck effort from a corner, before the keeper was alert to deny Mame Diouf. Charlie Adam then forced McGregor into another fine save before Diouf saw another good opportunity drift wide.
The Tigers were now clinging on by their claws and finally succumbed when Shawcross bumbled in a scrappy goal with just seven minutes remaining.
While a late Ahmed Elmohamady chance could have snatched a dramatic winner for City, the Tigers will have been happy to hear the final whistle after a point earned the hard way.
