Hull freezes over as Brown gets the frosty treatment

WINTER may still be weeks away but, for these two clubs, the chilly grip of a relegation squabble has already taken hold.

This was a result that suited neither team and yet the overriding emotion at the final whistle, for both managers, was one of relief.

Victory would have been an unexpected bonus but defeat? That would have spelled disaster. In the end, a draw was perhaps the inevitable outcome.

Hull, as the home team, departed nursing more frustration, volubly expressed in a crescendo of booing at the final whistle and, before that, several abusive chants aimed towards the manager, Phil Brown, who has gone from hero to villain in record time.

The reason for the change of heart on the terraces is Hull having just three league wins in 2009, a record that would surely have resulted in Brown’s departure at any other top flight club.

But the manager appears to have the confidence of his chairman, Paul Duffen, and his players are urging patience, too.

Andy Dawson, the defender, while sympathising with the dissenters, has urged them to channel their support positively.

“I think the atmosphere around the stadium is maybe getting to everyone,” he said. “We know we have got to play better and create more chances.

“We know we have to improve – the players have to give 110 per cent, and everyone’s got to get behind us. That’s the only way we’re going to do it.

“There were a few boos, and you can feel the frustration sometimes. Obviously we are not playing the flowing football people like to see. But we are trying and we need everybody behind us to get out of the situation we are in.”

Both teams lacked inspiration, but it was bottom side Pompey who had the better of the few chances.

In a short spell just after the hour, Aruna Dindane – anxious to make amends after a glaring double miss against Tottenham last week – was denied by Boaz Myhill and had a shot blocked by team-mate Younes Kaboul. Hassan Yebda also forced Myhill to save at the end of a good move.

Hull have just eight points from their 10 games, but Dawson can still see ‘positives’.

He said: “We’ve just played a Premier League side – three years ago we were bottom of the Championship.

“I watched their game last week – they could have beaten Spurs quite comfortably.

“We’ve kept a clean sheet and got another point on board, even though we didn’t play fantastically well. With the situation and atmosphere around, everyone’s maybe expecting us to get three points.

“But all we can do is try to improve, and the clean sheet is massive – we haven’t had enough of them. We’ve got to build on that now, going to Burnley next week.”

Pompey, who are four points worse off, continue to display a spirit not typical of a team bottom of the table.

Yet their luck does not appear to be turning significantly, and off-field turmoil continues to overshadow the efforts of manager Paul Hart.

Nevertheless, goalkeeper David James felt the visitors – who were watched by newly-installed director of football Avram Grant – could return south the happier of the two teams.

“We had chances,” said the England international. “I thought we defended well, and conditions were testing. It was very wet.

“It was not necessarily the best advert for Premier League football. But we got a point and considering they are one of our rivals down the bottom, it was important not to lose.”

REFEREE: Stuart Atwell (Gloucestershire) 6: Few complaints from either manager.

MATCH RATING: * As scrappy and forgettable as you would expect from two struggling teams.