Ray Ford hit the equaliser for Hull City Juniors as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Rotherham United at Winterton.
With this game coming less than 48 hours after the FA Youth Cup defeat to Crystal Palace Billy Russell made five changes to his starting line up. Ollie West, Jonathan Margetts and Tyler Collishaw all stepped up from the Under 16s squad and Aaron Watts, a trialist from Wigan, lined up alongside skipper Sonny Bradley in the centre of defence. Joel Shortland also came into the side.
Danny Emerton was off target with an early chance for the Tigers and Margetts had a close range effort blocked.
Millers keeper Peter Crook tipped another Emerton shot over and then also turned away a right foot strike from Gavan Holohan.
The visitors created a good chance to open the scoring but Conor Hiley shot over the bar and the same player was then denied by West at his near post.
Margetts was then barged over in the box as he chased a through ball but the referee ruled that no infringement had taken place.
Crucial blocks from Mark Hemsley to deny Margetts and Watts to keep out Alec Denton's strike kept the game scoreless at the break.
Half Time: Hull City Juniors 0 Rotherham United Juniors 0
The second period started with a break down the right from Joe Fox and Margetts chested down his cross only to see Crook keep out his right foot strike with his feet.
West then produced a good save to tip over a left foot drive from the lively Denton, with Craig Gladwin and Harrison Blakey both missing the target for the Millers.
The Tigers almost took the lead in bizarre circumstances when a poor clearance from Crook was blasted back at him by one of his own defenders and the Millers keeper had to dive low to his right to turn the ball away.
City then had a lucky escape when Gladwin fired a shot against the post and Hiley was unable to get the rebound on target.
Bradley headed over from a Conor Townsend free kick and then couldn't find the target from a corner.
Rotherham took the lead in the 71st minute with a move down the left and the ball was pulled back for Grant Darley to fire a left foot shot past West.
Ford almost levelled immediately but his shot across goal was inches wide of the post before Hiley produced a carbon copy for the visitors.
The equaliser came in the 75th minute when Townsend crossed from the left and Fox headed against the bar, with Ford on hand to rifle in the rebound.
The Tigers then bombarded the Rotherham goal in search of a winner with Crook keeping out Emerton's deflected shot and tipping away Lee Wright's long range effort.
West had to remain alert in the City goal to prevent Bradley from heading into his own net before Emerton was again denied by Crook.
City could have snatched all three points in the final minute when Emerton raced away down the right but from his pull back Holohan shot wide.
Hull City: Ollie West, Lee Wright, Conor Townsend, Joe Fox, Sonny Bradley, Aaron Watts (Danny Wilkinson 69), Danny Emerton, Gavan Holohan, Jonathan Margetts (Ray Ford 58), Joel Shortland, Tyler Collishaw (Joe Cooper 58).
Sub Not Used: Bill Ward.
Rotherham United: Peter Crook, Jordan Hatton, Ben Snee (Luke Beastall 85), Mark Hemsley, Lewis Owen, Harrison Blakey, Craig Gladwin (Grant Darley 58), Emmot Parr-Gallagher, Conor Hiley, Harry Lord (Alec Denton 12), Mitch Austin.
Subs Not Used: Danny Hancock, Liam Royles.
[Pictured: Ray Ford]
