Hull City 1 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Joy amid the boos as Blues' shock transformation offers timely hope

Trevor Baker demonstrated remarkable restraint to remain diplomatically quiet, thereby avoiding bringing attention to himself having cleverly infiltrated the Hull fans.

Admittedly, there was no disguising his allegiance considering he brazenly wore his Pompey shirt while occupying a seat among the Tigers faithful in the West Stand which dominates their ground.

Still, the Petersfield Blue, who boldly opted to sit alongside two Hull-supporting friends rather than the 2,106 travelling supporters, had a first-hand view of an archetypal game of two halves which left Hull fuming.

Having been forced to squirm through a first half in which Pompey were outplayed, dominated and trailed 1-0, he then found himself in the midst of home unrest and vocal dissatisfaction as the match remarkably turned on its head.

At Saturday’s interval, few present would have anticipated the subsequent 1-1 draw, driven by a second-half showing branded by John Mousinho as the best of the season by a ‘long, long way’.

And while jeers greeted the final whistle, how Baker, the black sheep of the Hull flock, must have wished he could break his silence to chime in with fellow Pompey fans’ post-match rendition of ‘We are staying up’.

The song was tongue-in-cheek, of course. The Blues remain bottom and possess the worst defensive record in the Championship.

Nonetheless, it was a heartening point secured off the back of a strong second-half showing. What’s more, it could well have yielded victory had Callum Lang’s stoppage-time strike not hit the bar.

The Blues demonstrated enough fight and guile after the break to suggest it may be a touch premature to condemn them to relegation back to League One by the opening days of November.

Mousinho afterwards spoke of the result potentially forming the catalyst for Matt Ritchie to kickstart his second Fratton Park spell and likewise other players who stepped up admirably on this occasion.

In truth, though, the encouraging manner of their second half display could well provide the spark to reignite an entire club whose season is in danger of spluttering out long before the traditional festive fixture lull.

While it was match number 13 in all competitions this term that the Blues haven’t won, there were still moments offering encouragement to even the most pessimistic Pompey fan.

Admittedly, this was effectively a 45-minute performance at the required Championship level, clearly still below the standards and consistency needed.

Yet The MKM Stadium encounter offered a tantalising sign that this squad may actually be capable of a redemptive journey, despite its obvious lack of experience and glaring ability weaknesses.

Mousinho employed a 4-4-2, representing a third system switch in three matches, with three changes as Nicolas Schmid, Ritchie and Kusini Yengi replaced Jordan Archer, Christian Saydee and Mark O’Mahony.

With Ritchie on the right wing and Yengi paired with top-scorer Callum Lang in attack, the attacking four were encouraged to press Hull’s back at every opportunity.

Under Tim Walter, the Tigers favour building from the back, creating a pedestrian tempo, clearly much to the growing irritation of the home support. For the first half, Pompey couldn’t get near them - for the second, the press worked magnificently, boxing in a Hull side which refused to play any other way.

Indeed, the hosts went in at the break boasting 78 per cent possession and leading through Joao Pedro’s 11th minute goal after converting Mohamed Belloumi’s right-wing cross.

Hull dominated the ball, dictated play and the Blues couldn't get anywhere near them other than a Lang shot finger-tipped around the far post by keeper Ivor Pandur. It was their most threatening moment of the half.

Then, 19 seconds after the restart, it was 1-1 when Josh Murphy’s shot deflected off Lewie Coyle’s desperate attempted block. Certainly the leveller surprised everyone present, but what then unfolded was even more of a shock as the Blues proceeded to flip the match and establish themselves as the aggressors.

Led by Lang and Ritchie, a press now implemented higher up the pitch allowed the Blues to repeatedly reclaim possession of the ball, while Hull’s defenders lacked the wit to adapt, presumably under strict instructions.

A strong penalty shout on Yengi was turned down and then, deep into stoppage-time, Murphy, who had a mixed game, galloped down the right and when Pandur pushed out his low drive, Lang’s follow-up was deflected onto the bar by the keeper.

Agony for Pompey, yet it remained an uplifting and morale-boosting performance, as reflected by the Hull faithful’s unmistakable anger and widespread boos at the final whistle. Well, all but Trevor Baker.