Soccer

Ibrahim Cissoko gets the point for Wayne Rooney and Plymouth

Hull had taken the lead at Home Park.

Ibrahim Cissoko earned Plymouth a point
Ibrahim Cissoko earned Plymouth a point (Nigel French/PA)

Head coach Wayne Rooney claimed his first Sky Bet Championship point as Plymouth boss as the Devon side drew 1-1 with Hull at Home Park.

Visiting skipper Lewis Coyle scored a superb 63rd-minute leveller after Ibrahim Cissoko fired Argyle ahead in the 52nd minute in front of 16,306 at Home Park.

Argyle’s on-loan Dutch Under-21 international Cissoko was first to react as a Morgan Whittaker’s shot was blocked in the six-yard box, brilliantly smashing the ball home past a pack of players, including Tigers keeper Ivor Pandur.

Argyle’s lead was short-lived as Hull skipper Coyle finished off a crisp attacking move with a brilliant finish in off the post from Miller’s pass across the edge of the box.

Plymouth made a bright start to their first home Championship match with midfield ace Whittaker forcing a save from Pandur after eight minutes.

That sparked a wave of home attacks with Cissoko – on loan from French club Toulouse – letting fly from 20 yards and although his shot was blocked fellow midfielder Adam Forshaw was first to respond and forced another save from Pandur.

Hull countered with Marvin Mehlem forcing Argyle keeper Conor Hazard to turn the ball away with his outstretched leg from close range on 11 minutes.

Argyle continued to press with skipper Joe Edwards – who scored last season’s last matchwinner which ensured Plymouth maintained their Championship status – firing wide from 20 yards in the 13th minute.

City’s Abdulkadir Omur’s 34th-minute strike from just inside the box looked destined for goal, with Hazard wrong-footed, but for a brilliant diving block by greens central defender Brendan Galloway.

Hull ended the half in the ascendancy although Omur’s 43rd minute free-kick from 25 yards flew wide.

Ryan Hardie came close to scoring for Argyle at the start of the second half with a brilliant low angled drive from the right which beat diving Pandur but flew inches past the far post in the 50th minute.

Again Hull responded well with impressive livewire Liam Millar flashing a shot just over the bar on 51 minutes.

Substitute Freddie Issaka, introduced in the 64th minute, forced a superb save from Pandur after cutting inside the box from the left and aiming for the far corner with 20 minutes remaining.

A minute later the goalkeeper was again called into action as Whittaker let fly with a thumping, dipping shot from 25 yards.

Try as they might Argyle – with Rooney using all five substitutes – could not find a way past a resolute Tigers defence.

Whittaker had another shot blocked while Hull finished the game on the attack, having two close range shots blocked in succession by a combination of Galloway and substitute Jordan Houghton, back from injury.