Mark Kennedy in action. Photo: Neil Everitt.

Crystal Palace trio Peter Taylor, Leon Cort and Stuart Green were denied a winning return to the KC Stadium, as a late goal from Hull City saw this Championship clash end all square.

It looked as though the Eagles were set for a third straight victory, thanks to a second half goal from Cort against his former team and despite looking relatively comfortable throughout the game, City's late pressure paid off as they threw everything at Palace in a bid to rescue something from the match.

Palace started with a new-look team which saw Shefki Kuqi return to the forward line alongside Clinton Morrison, whilst James Scowcroft took up a deeper position on the right hand side, regularly interchanging with Jobi McAnuff.

The best of the early chances fell to City forward Michael Bridges, who was gifted possession thanks to a poor kick out from Gabor Kiraly. The striker ran through but tried to be too clever and his shot was well blocked by Cort.

Tigers striker Jon Parkin then did well to collect the ball and shoot on the turn after 22 minutes, but his left footer went wide of the post, before Mark Yeates saw his curling effort from 20 yards deflected just wide, as the home team looked to exert their authority on the game.

Palace began to string the passes together though and following a sustained period of possession around the half hour mark, Scowcroft saw his volley drift wide following a cross in by Matt Lawrence from the right. The Eagles then forced a corner, when Kuqi's header was diverted wide from a swirling Ben Watson centre.

Kiraly was called into action at the other end though, when Bridges' curled shot looked to be heading for the top corner until the Hungarian international plucked it out of the air in the 35th minute.

Palace made a change at half time, with Morrison replaced by Stuart Green whose position on the right allowed Scowcroft to partner Kuqi up front. The Eagles made a bright start to the second half too and McAnuff saw a shot fly over the bar after cutting inside from the left.

The deadlock was broken in the 58th minute though, when Mark Kennedy's free kick was half cleared as far as Cort. He controlled the ball well, before drilling a low shot at goal from the edge of the area. It was a sweetly struck effort and gave Boaz Myhill no chance as it nestled neatly in the bottom corner.

Hull responded immediately and Bridges saw a well struck shot go just wide of the post from around 30 yards, with Kiraly back-pedalling.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, Craig Fagan then tried his luck with a shot from the edge of the area but Kiraly saw it coming and made a comfortable save low down to his left.

City came as close as they had done previously in the 82nd minute when Fagan drilled a low cross into the six yard box and Dean Marney was inches from getting a toe to it. The ball was worked back into the area and bounced perfectly for Danny Mills, but the defender shot high and wide from seven yards out.

Parkin then saw a volley flash across the face of goal with little over two minutes remaining, as Hull threw everything forward in a bid to rescue something from the game.

The pressure finally paid off in the final minute, as a corner was flown over from the right by and  Yeates and defender Michael Turner bundled home in a crowded box, despite the best efforts of Gary Borrowdale on the line.

With four minutes of added time and the home crowd behind them, City pushed forward in the dying moments but Palace held firm and had to settle for just a point on what was a big day for the Eagles chief.

Hull City: Myhill, Dawson, Ashbee, Turner, Parkin, Bridges (Forster, 70) Yeates, Thelwell (France, 70), Marney, Mills, Fagan. Subs not used: Coles, Duke, Welsh.

Palace: Kiraly, Lawrence, Ward, Cort, McAnuff, Scowcroft, Morrison (Green, 45) Watson, Kennedy, Borrowdale, Kuqi (Freedman, 77) Subs not used: Hudson, Speroni, Hughes.

Bookings: Clinton Morrison (45 minutes), Craig Fagan (74 minutes).