Jay Rodriguez thwarts high-flying Hull at Burnley but hosts struggle for goals

Posted Wednesday, August 17, 2022 by PA

Vincent Kompany is still seeking his first home win as Burnley manager after dogged Hull eked out a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.

The Tigers would have gone top of the Sky Bet Championship with a win and seemed to be on course when Ozan Tufan gave them a first-half lead.

But Jay Rodriguez denied them with the equaliser on his first start since returning from injury, in a display that eased Kompany’s worry about the scarcity of goals.

Hull soaked up the steady pressure Burnley sought to apply and tried to hit them on the break, and that tactic paid off in the 25th minute.

Racing back to close down the lively threat of raiding left back Ian Maatsen, centre back Tobias Figueiredo’s hooked clearance was more desperate than creative.

But it landed perfectly on the head of Oscar Estupinan and the striker, who scored both goals in the 2-1 win over Norwich at the weekend, smartly headed it into the path of Tufan.

With the big frame of Aro Muric bearing down on him, he calmly slipped his shot past the on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper to momentarily claim top spot for the Tigers.

The travelling fans’ joy was short-lived as the Clarets levelled in the 34th minute, when the tactical ploy of squeezing left-sided attacker Samuel Bastien narrow to free room for Maatsen out wide finally paid off.

Josh Cullen arrowed a pass for the Chelsea loanee and he made no mistake with the cross, noticing that Rodriguez had reacted more quickly than the defenders.

Estupinan had largely been kept quiet by Burnley’s centre backs but when Tufan played him in just after half-time, he was forced wide and saw his shot hooked away by Taylor Harwood-Bellis as it was heading into the goal.

Burnley stepped up a gear but when Rodriguez’s cushioned header gave Josh Brownhill a chance, his half-volley flashed into the side netting, and when Brownhill returned the favour moments later, Rodriguez could not get enough force on his free shot from eight yards out.

Substitute Nathan Tella also spurned a great chance as a marvellous pass from the impressive Harwood-Bellis sent him scurrying into the box, only for his touch to let him down at the crucial moment.

Hull shut up shop after that, taking off Estupinan and closing down the threat of Maatsen with the more defence-minded Randell Williams, and that was enough to see them extend their unbeaten start to the season to four matches.