WITH frustration etched on their faces, Hull City's development side were left to reflect on a battling 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough when a point was almost within touching distance.
Tasting their first loss of the 2014-15 campaign, Tony Pennock's side fell to an early second-half goal by Boro's Robbie Tinkler in a momentary lapse of concentration during their Final Third Development League Cup tie.
Hitting the woodwork twice through Jonny Margetts, the Tigers could have run away with it, but at a blustery Rockliffe Park, the home of Boro's elite training facilities, the ball failed to land kindly for the visitors.
Ryan Fallowfield's nasty-looking calf injury late on also overshadowed a brave but ultimately fruitless fightback from City.
From the off, Boro's 4-5-1 formation paid off as they won the early race down the flanks, but failed to create any clear-cut chances.
With Pennock pacing up and down the sidelines, City got back into it and held their own when in possession.
As Fallowfield and Max Clark's partnership began to blossom, the former won a free-kick in dangerous territory and a quickly-taken effort saw Clark test Boro keeper Connor Ripley.
New £2.5m defender Harry Maguire, who was again included in the reserve set-up, was called upon in the early stages after stopping Priestley Griffiths' deadly cross, before Boro's Mark Kitching wasted another opportunity to leave City keeper Rory Watson untested.
Middlesbrough's best chance of the opening half came to striker Jordan Jones, who somehow failed to hit the target from the back post.
Karim Rossi used his tall frame and turn of pace to try and outdo the Boro back-line, but found himself tied up more than once.
City's best chance fell to Margetts as his strong effort hit the bar with Ripley soundly beaten.
Just before the break, Rossi had a sure-fire opener cleared off the line by Kieran Weledji, whilst returning forward Johan Ter Horst's free header flew just wide.
Calls for a strong start to the second half rang from the Tigers bench, but unfortunately, the exact opposite arrived as City paid the ultimate price.
Once again winning the battle out wide, Bradley Halliday's tantalising cross was met cleanly by Tinkler who headed home from six yards.
Watson was called upon to make a great stop from Jones' strike to keep the Tigers in it, whilst Maguire conned Boro's wall on a free-kick, laying the ball off for Margetts, but his shot sailed over the bar.
Countering up the field at any opportunity, Rossi saw his header go just off target after Clark's sweet cross.
Fallowfield's worrying injury followed, and the referee infuriated the away dugout by not showing Harrison Chapman a yellow card for a clumsy challenge, which saw the City playmaker leave the pitch.
Jones could have put the game to bed when through one on one, but Watson proved a strong figure in goal once again.
As the final whistle approached, Margetts hit the post and saw his header fall to a Boro defender when coming back off the upright, summing up City's day.
Although there were promising signs for the Tigers, they had nothing to show for their efforts and rued their lack of a clinical edge.
Hull City: Rory Watson, Ben Clappison, Sam Topliss, Matt Dixon (c), Will Aimson, Harry Maguire, Ryan Fallowfield, Max Clark, Jonny Margetts, Karim Rossi, Johan Ter Horst. SUBS: Joe Cracknell, John Mahon (Ryan Fallowfield 64), Will Annan (Ben Clappison 78), Jarrod Bowen (Johan Ter Horst 78). Middlesbrough: Connor Ripley, Robbie Tinkler, Dael Fry, Kieran Weledji, Andre Bennett (c), Priestley Griffiths, Scott McCarthy, Mark Kitching, Tom McAloon, Callum Cooke, Jordan Jones. SUBS: Bradley Halliday, Luke Coddington, Jonathan Burn, Harrison Chapman, Junior Mondal.
