Hull City U21 and Brentford U21 played out a 1-1 draw in the Premier League Cup group stage on Tuesday evening. The result leaves both sides with a point from their opening fixture. It was a straightforward evening where each side took their chance.
E. J. Devine gave Hull the lead in the twenty-first minute. The home side had been building pressure and the breakthrough came when it mattered. By then the game was settling into a rhythm, and the goal shifted the balance.
Brentford responded quickly. I. Holland equalised just fourteen minutes later, in the thirty-fifth. To be fair, the visitors had looked sharper in the opening exchanges and the response came naturally. Hull had to sit back and absorb the pressure.
The match reflected the recent form of both squads. Hull had dropped points in their last outing against Swansea, losing 2-0, while Brentford had ended a barren spell with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Sunderland. Things came to a head here, but not in either direction.
One point each after the opening round. The group stage is still wide open, and neither side can afford to look too far ahead. Hull will want to close the game out better next time, while Brentford need to maintain the momentum they showed in August.