On a balmy late summer’s evening in East Yorkshire, both these sides were looking to make a point and, after a goalless affair which never truly ignited, that is exactly what they got.
There was to be no third consecutive Premier League victory for hosts Hull City – although they did register a third straight clean sheet – while Aston Villa stopped the rot after two defeats.
It was probably the right result, but Sergej Jakirovic’s men fought gamely throughout and could have easily pilfered the points late on.
Algeria winger Mohamed Belloumi struck the crossbar with a stunning left-foot shot during the second half before two late chances came Hull’s way which amounted to nothing.
Tigers boss Jakirovic, who signed a two-year contract extension on Friday, reflected: “We could have won, but they also had a few chances in the second half.
“We won’t be ungrateful for seven points after three games and another clean sheet. It’s a great result for us and we showed we can compete at this level.”
Villa have yet to score a goal this season and that has to be a concern for boss Unai Emery as he patiently writes a new chapter following a summer of major upheaval at Villa Park.
Aston Villa’s failure to score a league goal in three games will be a concern to boss Unai Emery
CONTRASTING STARTS
Hull were looking to become only the second newly-promoted team in Premier League history to register three successive wins at the start of a season.
Bolton Wanderers achieved that feat in 2001-02 and went on to beat the drop before gradually emerging as a respected top-flight force in the coming years under Sam Allardyce.
Having embarrassed Manchester United here with a 2-0 opening-day win and a 1-0 victory at Coventry last weekend, could the Tigers record a hat-trick of victories?
They answer was negative, but they showed the kind of resilience and collective desire that should see them continue picking up points – and no little quality either.
For Villa, this was a time to stand their ground after a 4-0 stuffing at Brighton and 1-0 home reverse at the hands of Arsenal.
They did that, but failure to score and beat a side who finished sixth in the Championship last term was worrying.
Aston Villa earned their first point of the season with the goalless draw at the MKM Stadium
Sergej Jakirovic’s side maintained their impressive start following promotion to the top flight
VILLA LOOK IMPOTENT
It took them 193 minutes, but Villa finally registered a shot on target this season.
They did not mange that in those dismal defeats against Brighton and Arsenal respectively but, in the 13th minute against Hull – George Hemmings broke their duck.
The 19-year-old latched onto a neat pass from the influential Ross Barkley and hit a low, left-foot shot which Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis saved comfortably.
But they were also wasteful in front of goal as captain John McGinn and Emiliano Buendia both blazed over the crossbar in the second half.
Nicolas Jackson cut a largely peripheral figure up front as Villa continue to acclimatise to life without Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers after the England pair were among a raft of key players sold this summer.
Emery admitted: “The result is not enough, but I think we deserved more.
“We weren’t clinical but of course to win matches, you need goals.
“We created chances today to score and we must improve. “
George Hemmings registered Aston Villa’s long-awaited first shot on target this season
Summer signing Nicolas Jackson cut a largely peripheral figure up front for Aston Villa
TIGERS IMPRESS AGAIN
Jakirovic reckons Hull were linked with around 150 players during a summer in which they came dangerously close to breaking financial fair play rules.
In the end, 18 new faces arrived – six on deadline day and five after 10pm – with over £150million spent.
It all felt a bit chaotic but the spine of last season’s promotion-winning side were in the starting line-up to face Villa.
Hull went close to snatching an 89th- minute winner when substitute Mohamed-Ali Cho fired goalwards from close range, drawing a decent save from Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
Oli McBurnie then went close from Ryan Giles’ left-wing cross but failed to connect properly, leaving Jakirovic with his head in his hands.
Still, it was all in a good cause. Whisper it softly, but Hull are beginning to look at home in the Premier League.