READING had to settle for a point after Mallik Wilks scored an 82nd minute deflected equaliser to cancel out Jordan Obita’s opener.
Obita opened the scoring in a game of few clear cut chances in the 56th minute before Wilks scored a fortunate equaliser to share the points at the Madejski Stadium.
If past meetings are anything to go by, the odds were stacked against Reading having won just one of their last 11 league games against Hull, with the Royals coming into the game without a win in their last five.
However, Hull also came into the game in miserable form having been thrashed 5-1 last weekend by Brentford having had the double blow of losing their two top scorers Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki late in the transfer window.
But it was Hull who started the stronger of the two sides and they could have taken the lead just three minutes into the match. Marcus Maddison found took on Tyler Blackett before his shot was tipped onto the post from the glove of Rafael before Jackson Irvine’s close range rebound was blocked behind for a corner.
Irvine had another sighting of goal early on when he broke the offside trap before curling his shot just wide of the far post.
The Royals grew slowly into the half as Ovie Ejaria showed his silky footwork before pulling the ball back on the edge of the box for John Swift who opted not to shoot and passed up an opportunity.
It took 23 minutes for Reading to have their first attempt at goal when Sam Baldock cushioned the ball down for Jordan Obita who lashed a shot from 25 yards at goal but it flew past George Long’s post.
Yakou Meite then found space in behind the Tigers defence but couldn’t muster a powerful enough effort to trouble Long from a tricky angle.
Chris Gunter was then forced off with an injury as Brazilian Felipe Araruna was introduced to the Madejski crowd for his Reading debut. He made a bright first impression as he clipped a ball forward or Baldock who took a flawless first touch in the box before sending his shot into the side netting.
Hull’s chances had begun to dry up before Maddison hit a tame free kick straight at Rafael from a dangerous position.
Ejaria broke his way into the box on the stroke of half time, and with some quite brilliant footwork he tricked his way past two defenders before his curling effort from wide left in the box was parried away by Long to keep the game goalless going into the break.
After a first half that lacked cutting edge, Reading made amendments early in the second half as Obita made the breakthrough with a goal in the 56th minute.
Reading worked the ball around patiently on the left wing before Swift slipped Obita into the box and he found the back of the net as he fired the ball between the legs of Long.
Goalscorer Obita was replaced on the hour mark as Bowen brought on Omar Richards who scored in Reading’s successful FA Cup trip to Cardiff City last week.
Reading’s final substitution saw Sone Aluko replace Baldock in the 67th minute.
Ejaria worked his magic once again in the box but his shot went just wide of the far post.
Hull then found an equaliser against the run of play with just eight minutes left as Mallik Wilks’ shot took a cruel deflection and looped over Rafael and into the net.
The Royals tried to find a winner as Swift’s free kick was pushed away from goal by Long in the 89th minute as the game ended in a draw.
The Royals host current league leaders West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday evening.
Reading: Rafael, Gunter, Morrison, Moore, Blackett, Pele, Obita, Swift, Ejaria, Meite, Baldock
Subs: Walker, Rinomhota, Felipe Araruna, Aluko, Adam, Richards, Puscas.
Hull City: Long, Lichaj, Batty, Eaves, Maddison, McKenzie, Oughlin, Honeyman, Elder, Irvine, Lopes.
Subs: Ingram, Kingsley, Magennis, Lewis-Potter, Wilks, Bonds, Smith
Goals: Obita 56′, Wilks 82′
