ON the back of a richly-deserved draw at the KC Stadium, Malky Mackay's Watford were left disappointed that they didn't end up with all three points today.

Going strictly on chances, a second half which bore no resemblace to a sterile first 45 minutes saw the Hornets force Hull stopper Matt Duke into the two best saves of the afternoon. It compared favourably to Scott Loach whose toughest moment was beating away an early Robert Koren shot.

City seemed a subdued force going forward. City new signing Jay Simpson was their lone man up front with Slovenian international Robert Koren lying off him in support - meaning they were without a physical outlet to trouble a Hornets defence which kept its shape very well throughout.

We've all been to those away games where the hosts build up a head of steam and you get the feeling of hanging on during a spell of pressure. However that period never arrived today, with Nigel Pearson seemingly not prepared to really throw men forward on home turf. It was a slightly unusual approach from a side with home advantage, but from a Watford viewpoint meant that Hull were largely kept at arm's length.

On what seemed a slow surface - whether the grass had been left longer due to the rugby or a little dry, it wasn't clear - the game often failed to spark into life during a first half which could be summarised by the fact there was just a single shot on target.

That came on 24 minutes when Slovenian international Koren spun 15 yards out and forced Scott Loach into an ungainly looking single-arm block save, suggesting the ball might have taken a deflection en route to goal.

John Eustace saw a header from a corner deflected wide, probably the best of the situations Watford enjoyed before the break.

It was a different story in the second half, and the Hornets were the side who enjoyed the majority of the chances - a couple of clear-cut ones to boot, albeit after Koren had volleyed over the angle of post and bar.

Will Buckley warmed the gloves of Matt Duke, who collected Watford's first on-target effort high to his right after the ex-Rochdale man had been fed by Marvin Sordell.

Then a really good opportunity; from not the first decent Don Cowie delivery, Martin Taylor somehow stole in unnoticed at the far post but headed into the side netting from close-range but at a tightish angle.

Jordon Mutch and Troy Deeney were then introduced and it was the striker who was quickly involved in a couple of chances, one so nearly leading to a goal.

First, on 64 minutes, the ex-Walsall hitman headed wide when centrally-placed after Don Cowie found him from a half-cleared corner.

Barely 90 seconds later, Duke denied Danny Graham low to his right after Deeney had expertly flicked on a long Loach clearance.

Hull's two subs fashioned an opening at the other end 13 minutes from time. Nick Barmby found space wide on the left but Richard Garcia could only divert his accurate cross wide of the far post.

And it was Duke again in top form to preserve parity. Some neat interchange involving Graham and Deeney saw the latter chest off to Mutch who really got hold of a low half-volley. Duke was its equal, however, parrying the initial effort then beating the lurking Deeney to the rebound.

Koren shot tamely at Loach three minutes from time and, in all honesty, it kind of summed up an uncertain and somewhat reserved performance going forward from the home side.

Some disgruntled noises towards the end of the afternoon from the KC faithful suggested the Golden Boys had done their job very effectively. And they had - if Watford had have won, TIgers' fans couldn't have complained..

Tigers: Duke; McShane, Cooper, Zayatte, Dawson; Bostock (Garcia 69), Cairney, Ashbee (c), Kilbane (Cullen 55); Koren; Simpson (Barmby 69).
Subs not used: Oxley (GK), Gardner, Atkinson, Solano.

Hornets: Loach; Hodson, Mariappa, Taylor, Doyley; Cowie, Eustace (c), Buckley (Mutch 58), McGinn (Walker 75); Sordell (Deeney 58), Graham.
Subs not used: Bond (GK), Jenkins, Bennett, Henderson.

Ref: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire) Att: 20,426.

Yellow Cards: Kilbane (38), Buckley (44), Barmby (80).