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Saints had a golden opportunity to win the game in added time, when they were awarded a penalty kick, but Dušan Tadić saw his effort saved by Hull keeper Eldin Jakupović.
Claude Puel’s side had come into the game looking to bounce back from two successive defeats, against Manchester City and Chelsea, and although they earned a point, they could not find the result they were looking for.
Puel made one change from the side that lost 4-2 at Chelsea in midweek, as Nathan Redmond came back into the side, with James Ward-Prowse dropping to the bench.
It was Hull who were on the front foot at the start, however, with Kamil Grosicki’s first-time snapshot into the side netting from the edge of the area providing an early warning of the threat the Tigers were carrying.
He went even closer in the sixth minute, bending a glorious free-kick from 25 yards up and over the wall, only to see it hit the outside of the post and go wide.
Premier League survival might have been very much on the minds of the visitors, but with a two-point cushion over the relegation zone, and their nearest rivals Swansea not playing until they visit Manchester United on Sunday, there was no tension in the play of Marco Silva’s side.
They threatened again after 11 minutes, as Oumar Niasse – available after having a red card overturned on appeal during the week – broke in behind, only for Jack Stephens’ sliding block to get enough of the ball that it diverted his shot across goal wide.
Saints began to get the Tigers a little more under control after that, although they were struggling to generate much in the way of opportunities against their resilient defence at the other end.
Late in the half, they did work the ball well to Manolo Gabbiadini on the edge of the box, but his left-footed strike was well blocked.
Within moments of the second half restarting, Sofiane Boufal nearly had the Saints fans on their feet as he superbly rounded Andrea Ranocchia on the edge of the area, only for Harry Maguire to make a stunning tackle as he prepared to shoot.
Puel made a double change just before the hour mark, as he looked to spark something, sending on Josh Sims and Shane Long in place of Boufal and Gabbiadini.
Saints went close with ten minutes left, as Boufal picked out Redmond’s run to the byline. His low cross to the near post found Tadić, but Maguire again made a superb sliding intervention to turn the ball behind.
Moments later, Tadić was denied by a superb Jakupović save, as the keeper punched a corner to him in the middle of the area, before throwing his body in front of the Serbian’s volley.
At the other end, Hull had a good opportunity, when Markus Henriksen nodded a long ball down to Oumar Niasse on the edge of the box, but he fired well over.
With the clock about to hit 90 minutes, referee Mike Dean awarded Saints a glorious chance to win the match, as Alfred N’Diaye was ruled to have fouled Maya Yoshida in the area.
Tadicć stepped up, but his low effort towards the corner was tipped round the post by Jakupović, as the sides shared the points.
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