Hull City 1-1 Burnley: Zian Flemming's first goal maintains Clarets' unbeaten run

The Clarets were in danger of losing for the first time in eight games when they went a goal down to Xavier Simons’ deflected first-half effort.

The visitors looked off the pace, especially in the first-half, and were back to struggling to create any real chances of note.

But Flemming rose above his marker to head home a leveller 13 minutes from time after Jaidon Anthony had done superbly to beat his man before lofting up a pinpoint cross.

While Burnley weren’t able to go on and find a winner, the point extends their unbeaten run to eight games and sees them move back up into second, above Leeds United.

Parker pledged before the game he would make changes to keep his side fresh due to the quick turnaround - and he duly stuck to his word.

Despite performing well at Hillsborough, Bashir Humphreys and Josh Laurent dropped out of the side as Lucas Pires and Hannibal came in. Jeremy Sarmiento, meanwhile, was missing from the squad altogether.

Jordan Beyer, Hjalmar Ekdal, Joe Worrall, Hannes Delcroix, Aaron Ramsey, Manuel Benson, Nathan Redmond, Mike Tresor and Lyle Foster all remain sidelined.

As for Hull, they made three changes from Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, which saw the Black Cats displace Parker’s men at the top of the Championship.

The home side committed to going after Burnley in the early stages, pressing high, but the Clarets found a way through thanks to James Trafford’s pinpoint pass. Burnley broke at breakneck speed but Luca Koleosho’s pass was intercepted at the final minute.

A minute later, the winger picked out Zian Flemming on the edge of the Hull box but the forward volleyed well over on the turn.

Hull threatened for the first time through Mohamed Belloumi, whose curling effort looked to be heading just wide, but Trafford made sure anyway with a slight fingertip.

The visitors were almost punished when Koleosho failed to pick out a teammate with a wayward backpass, leading to Regan Slater firing narrowly over the bar.

The Tigers came close again when substitute Abu Kamara delivered a dangerous low cross that Joao Pedro almost turned home inside the six-yard box.

It was all a bit sloppy from the Clarets, with far too many simple passes going astray whenever they got into Hull’s final third.

Burnley’s sloppiness extended to Josh Cullen of all people, one of their most tidiest players, when the midfielder passed the ball straight to Kamara who dragged a shot wide of Trafford’s far post.

Parker’s men ended the half with a couple of half chances, with Jaidon Anthony firing narrowly wide after Hannibal had won the ball high up the pitch before CJ Egan-Riley looped a header onto the roof of the Hull net.

Koleosho then twisted and turned his way into the Hull box before shooting straight at the keeper as he tried to open his body and pick out the far corner.

Just as it appeared the Clarets were beginning to gain a foothold, Hull opened the scoring with a goal out of nothing right on half-time.

It was a soft one to concede too, as Trafford allowed Xavier Simons’ deflected effort to trickle past him. While he was wrongfooted by the deflection, he still ought to have done better.

It meant Burnley’s long run without conceding was over after going 453 minutes - seven-and-a-half hours - without shipping a goal.

Despite the poor first-half, Parker opted not to make any changes at the interval, much to the surprise of many.

It worked to an extent, the Clarets dominating territory at the start of the second-half but yet again lacking an end product.

Koleosho did almost pick out the unmarked Josh Brownhill at the back post, but his cross was just a little overhit.

While Burnley were still dominating the ball, their play was far too predictable. It was no surprise to see Parker switch things up midway through the half with a double change, replacing the ineffective Hannibal with Josh Laurent and Koleosho with debutant Enock Agyei.

The Clarets almost levelled shortly after the changes, Hull clearing the ball away from danger near their own goalline following a spot of head tennis in their six-yard box.

While Burnley weren’t exactly knocking on the Hull door, they did create a half chance for Zian Flemming when his run was picked out but his drive was straight at the Hull keeper.

A minute later, the Dutchman wasn’t to be denied as he headed Burnley level to notch his first goal for the club. While it was a smart finish, the goal owed a lot to Anthony whose run and cross created the opening out of nowhere.

Burnley pushed for a late winner and ought to have got one too, with Anthony somehow failing to force the ball home from all of two yards, but somehow he got it all wrong - meaning the visitors had to settle for a point.

TEAMS

Hull: Pandur, Coyle, Jones, Hughes, Drameh, Simons, Slater (Palmer), Puerta (Omur), Belloumi (Giles), Pedro (Bedia), Millar (Kamara)

Subs not used: Racioppi, McLoughlin, Zambrano, Burstow

Burnley: Trafford, Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Pires (Humphreys), Cullen (Hountondji), Hannibal (Laurent), Brownhill, Koleosho (Agyei), Anthony, Flemming (Rodriguez)

Subs not used: Hladky, Egan, Dodgson, Massengo

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 20,168