Carl Asaba's seventeenth minute equaliser ensured a keenly contested game at the Britannia Stadium ended all square.

The visitors had taken the lead courtesy of striker Danny Allsopp's seventh minute opener but it was a lead that only lasted ten minutes when Asaba drew the teams level.

Another strong City side was fielded for the game with Steve Guppy returning from an Achilles injury and Gareth Owen playing his first game since returning from a loan-spell at Torquay United.

But it was the visitors who started the brighter of the two teams and opened the scoring as early as the seventh minute.

Aaron Wilbraham and Allsopp exchanged passes before Wilbraham sent Allsopp racing through on goal and the striker coolly slotted the ball under City 'keeper Steve Simonsen.

Ten minutes later though, the sides were level when Carl Asaba surged to the near post to connect with Jay Denny's whipped cross and the striker tucked the ball into the net.

Lewis Neal and Chris Greenacre both looked dangerous for the Potters and both had efforts saved by 'keeper Curtis Aspden after the flurry of early goals.

After the interval the home-side looked the more likely to score again when Greenacre's header across the six-yard box bounced to Neal but he blazed over.

On the hour mark Russell Fry's corner was met strongly by Roland Edge but he saw his header strike the cross-bar before the ball was scrambled to safety.

Simonsen prevented Allsopp from netting his second of the afternoon shortly after while Karl Henry had a well struck half-volley from twenty-yards out saved.

Good hold-up play from Greenacre on the edge of the penalty area allowed Asaba a shooting opportunity but again 'keeper Aspden kept the home-side at bay.

In the final minute Jay Denny thought he had found scored with an angled drive but the midfielder's effort rippled the side-netting.

City: Simonsen, Smith, Dickinson, Owen, Keogh, Denny, Asaba, Neal (Paterson 59), Henry, Greenacre, Guppy (Palmer 90). Subs: Musgrove.

Hull: Aspden, Wiseman, Edge, Tomlinson, Byron, Hinds, Anderson (Allanson 78), Fry, Wilbraham, Allsopp, Benson. Subs: Matthews, Hotte, McGarry, Briggs.