Paul Heckingbottom frustrated as Hull deny Sheffield United

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom expressed his frustration after seeing his side held to a goalless draw by Hull.

Jack Robinson and Oli McBurnie had the best of the Blades’ many chances but Hull held firm.

Heckingbottom said: “It was a frustrating night, for the obvious reasons. It was just the missed chances. It was simply one of those nights.

“If we create that many against teams at home between now and the end of the season, we should be winning the vast majority of our games.

“You can’t say you deserve the win when you’re missing chances.

“It is a point gained and that’s important. We created chances but we just weren’t good enough to take them.

“We had plenty of opportunities and the moment you take one, the pattern of the game changes. The fact that we didn’t, the pattern of the game is set.

“My expectancy has been to try and set the team up to win every game. This has been no different.

“Maybe the expectancy is rising and if it is, good – it means we’re doing something right.”

Robinson had a good chance to open the scoring, heading wide after getting on the end of an Oli Norwood free-kick.

Morgan Gibbs-White also threatened inside the area, with a deflected effort going over.

McBurnie shot straight at keeper Matt Ingram and put a couple of headers off target, while Iliman Ndiaye and Conor Hourihane also threatened.

For Hull, Marcus Forss dragged a shot wide when well placed in the first half and Ryan Longman curled narrowly wide in the second.

Tigers manager Shota Arveladze said: “I think we defended very well, I have to say.

“We had a chance to give them a small message at half-time and we were better in the second half.

“I think they only had one clear chance in the second half. The first half they played us out.

“They are a very solid team – good team. We knew it was going to be really hard.

“We had three or four chances. One was really close. This is the most difficult part, when you run so much behind the ball.

“Most of our energy was used to defend the point and keep a clean sheet.

“It was a very tough away game and I’m really pleased that we got a point.”