Hull City were beaten 1-0 by Bolton Wanderers at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers were the better side but had no luck in front of goal as they came up against an inspired figure in the form of Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
City boss Phil Brown, facing the club he served with such distinction as a player and coach, recalled Ian Ashbee to his starting line-up following his one-game suspension.
Bryan Hughes made way in the only change from the defeat at Manchester United.
There was no place in the squad for former Bolton midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos.
Bolton welcomed Johan Elmander back into their starting line-up, but the visitors were without their captain Kevin Nolan, who missed the game through suspension.
Kick-Off was preceeded by a moment's silence for Remembrance Day, although sadly it was disrupted by a minority of away fans.
City attacked the South Stand during the first half with Geovanni the first show an attacking instinct, beating Gretar Steinsson down the left before seeing his cross headed away.
Other than that, it was a fairly tame start with the battle for Brown's affection the focus point for both sets of fans.
Geovanni was the first to test Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal, but the keeper saved comfortably from the Brazilian.
Bolton then exerted a bit of pressure, winning two corners in quick succession, although City dealt with them without major cause for concern.
City almost went in front on 19 minutes when Marlon King's audacious flick from Geovanni's left-wing cross looped over Jaaskelainen, only to come back off the crossbar.
At the other end, Elmander fired wide from 20 yards.
City's first corner came in the 25th minute.
Andy Dawson's deep delivery found Ashbee, but his header back across goal was cleared by Andrew O'Brien.
As Bolton looked to break out, Ricardo Gardner was fouled by Dawson and the City left back was shown a yellow card by Alan Wiley.
The home side looked the better team going forward and Daniel Cousin went close with a glancing header from George Boateng's cross.
City were awarded a free kick 30 yards from goal on 35 minutes when Boateng was foulded by Fabrice Muamba.
Geovanni stepped up, but his effort was deflected well wide by the Bolton wall before Dawson's corner was headed clear.
Referee Wiley was forced to have a few words with Brown after the City boss disputed a free kick given against his side a little too strongly.
A misjudgement from Boaz Myhill almost led to Bolton taking the lead five minutes before the break.
Gardner beat the keeper to a ball he should never have come for on the right edge of the six-yard box, but luckily there was nobody up with Gardner to take advantage of his pull-back.
Muamba was booked for a late tackle on Ashbee a minute later.
Half Time: Tigers 0-0 Bolton
Bolton took the lead on 50 minutes when City failed to clear a set-piece properly.
The ball dropped to Matt Taylor on the edge of the box and he volleyed home past Myhill at his near post.
City's first change came four minutes later as Bernard Mendy replaced Cousin.
That also meant a switch to 4-4-2 with Geovanni joining King up front and Mendy operating on the right wing with Dean Marney on the left.
Dawson forced Jaaskelainen into a save from a free kick, although in truth it was a tame effort from the left back.
When Marney was fouled on the edge of the Bolton box, City had another chance from a set-piece.
This time Geovanni took it and produced a great one-handed save from Jaaskelainen.
City's second change came on 65 minutes and it was an enforced one as Dawson limped off to be replaced by Sam Ricketts.
Bolton were now looking to slow things down and Gardner was booked for delaying the taking of a City free kick.
From that free kick, City should have been level as Marney picked out Geovanni whose header from six yards brought a wonderful save out of Jaaskelainen before Bolton scrambled Michael Turner's ball back into the centre to safety.
City's final change came with 17 minutes remaining as Caleb Folan replaced Boateng.
That meant another reshuffle as Geovanni dropped back onto the left, Marney moved inside and Folan partnered King up top.
Bolton his City on the counter attack on 84 minutes, but after beating Kamil Zayatte, substitute Ebi Smolarek blasted over from 18 yards.
At the other end, Geovanni burst into the box, but his shot was pushed away by Jaaskelainen.
The Bolton keeper was in inspired form, reacting brilliantly to save King's deflected shot before beating Geovanni to the loose ball.
Four minutes of time were added and City were throwing everything forward.
Ashbee was unlucky to see his screamer fly just over the bar from the edge of the area.
That was City's last chance as they went down to their third defeat in a row.
Tigers (4-3-1-2) Boaz Myhill; Paul McShane, Michael Turner, Kamil Zayatte, Andy Dawson (Ricketts 65); Dean Marney, Ian Ashbee [captain], George Boateng (Folan 73); Geovanni, Daniel Cousin (Mendy 54), Marlon King.
Subs: Matt Duke, Sam Ricketts, Bernard Mendy, Peter Halmosi, Richard Garcia, Nick Barmby, Caleb Folan.
Bookings: Dawson 25
Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2) Jussi Jaaskelainen; Gretar Steinsson, Andy O'Brien, Gary Cahill, Jlloyd Samuel; Matthew Taylor, Fabrice Muamba, Gavin McCann, Ricardo Gardner; Johan Elmander (Smolarek 77), Kevin Davies [captain].
Subs: Ali Al Habsi, Ebi Smolarek, Heidar Helguson, Danny Shittu, Chris Basham, Topi Obadeyi, Rob Sissons.
Bookings: Muamba 41, Gardner 69
