Hull City Under-21s began their Premier League Cup campaign off with a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to category one side Leicester City.
A fantastic finish from Jake Evans in the first half separated the two teams at the Dransfield Stadium in a game of few chances.
Conor Sellars made four changes to his starting XI to the one that defeated QPR 3-1 last time out at the MKM Stadium in the Professional Development League just four days ago. An unnamed trialist started upfront, replacing Pharrell Brown, while Paul Iggulden, Lucas Dawson and Brandon Harriman-Annous all came in, replacing Jake Leake, George Dickinson and Zane Myers respectively.
Tinsdale went close within the opening minutes as the ball fell kindly for him to strike a volley, but his effort was brilliantly blocked by Kevon Gray. At the other end, a long pass split the City defence as Kian Pennant beat the offside trap. Beating Owen Foster with his volleyed attempt, the shot cannoned off the crossbar and bounced away from danger.
Evans forced a simple save from Foster, who gathered the curling shot at the second attempt, while Tyrell Sellars-Fleming poked his finish narrowly wide past the left-hand post, following a good and fast passage of play down the left flank.
Foxes’ goalkeeper Stevie Bausor punched away Noah Wadsworth’s in-swinging corner delivery before Leicester opened the scoring on 38 minutes. A team move saw Evans cut inside from the right wing and rifle an unstoppable left-footed finish into the top corner.
Sellars-Fleming looked for an equaliser minutes later, but his shot cannoned off the feet of a sliding Henry Cartwright as the Foxes took the lead at half-time.
In the second half, Harriman-Annous saw his early attempt deflect wide off a recovering Leicester defender, before Evans tried his luck from range for the visitors, firing high over the bar. Dawson’s strike was then charged down while Evans’ free-kick from range flashed wide of the target.
Heading into the final 20 minutes, Bausor flapped at a deflected shot that hung in the air, with the ball falling kindly to Wadsworth, but he blasted his strike at the back post over the bar. Visiting substitute Josh King dragged his shot wide of the goal before Jeremy Monga saw his effort blocked well by Iggulden.
In the latter stages, after Bobby Amartey headed away Brown’s cross initial cross, Sincere Hall fired over the rebound before Harriman-Annous could only guide his shot in stoppage-time straight at Bausor.
Hull City U21: Foster; Wadsworth, Leckie (C), Iggulden, Devine; Tinsdale, Dawson (Dickinson 64’); Vaughan (Brown 81’), Trialist (Hall 81’), Harriman-Annous, Sellars-Fleming (Myers 64’).
Sub Not Used: Yam.
Leicester City U21: Bausor; Wormleighton (C), Gray, Amartey, Aluko; Cartwright, Page, Onanaye; Evans, Pennant (King 71’), Monga (Dyke 83’).
Subs Not Used: French, Otchere, Khela.
