Blackburn Rovers 1 Hull City 1

It was meant to be Roque Santa Cruz’s day to remember at Ewood Park.

All eyes were on the big man, who was showered with a hero’s reception after committing his future to the club on Friday.

But the script was ripped up by Phil Brown’s brave Tigers, as Santa Cruz was kept quiet by an unwavering East Yorkshire defence.

The South American, on this occasion, was eclipsed by partner Roberts.

In an extension of his emphatic display at Everton, Roberts looked the most likely to hurt Hull.

For a second successive Saturday, the former Wigan forward turned the opposition inside out with his tireless running and erudite footwork.

This time, however, he added a much-merited goal to his name.

What is it about Caribbean sportsmen right now?

Jamaican and Cuban sprinters are the talk of the world, breaking all manner of records at the Olympic Games.

And now, Blackburn’s very own Grenadan is setting his own record straight on the football pitch.

Quite simply, he’s fast becoming one of Paul Ince’s first names on the team-sheet.

But as much as Ince sang Roberts’ praises afterwards, the Rovers boss was left to reflect on a somewhat disappointing result.

He received a rapturous reception from the home fans as he took charge of his first competitive game at Ewood Park.

However, despite the spirits being lifted by an excellent 3-2 win at Everton, that dream first win at home failed to materialise.

For that, Hull must take a huge amount of credit, their tigerish display more than deserving of a point.

Stifling Santa Cruz was one thing. But Hull showed decent enterprise too in midfield, with willing runners across the park.

It may be too early but, already at this stage, of the three top-flight new-boys, they could be the likeliest to avoid an immediate relegation.

They are certainly full of confidence. While it perhaps proved an ideal time to face a beleaguered Everton last week, now wasn’t the best moment to come up against the Tigers.

Buoyed by promotion - and their opening day win over Fulham - there was a freshness to Hull’s game.

And while they had a full week to prepare, Ince could bemoan that 10 of his stars were away on midweek international duty - with several playing a full 90 minutes.

“Players have been away on international duty and the performance wasn’t the best,” said the Rovers boss.

“I’ve been away with England a million times and it is hard to get going again.

“I had an hour with my players on Friday and I think it showed in the second-half. I think that played into Hull’s hands.

"To concede straight after their goal was really disappointing and, defensively, we weren’t at the races.

“Paul Robinson couldn’t do anything about it and the header could have gone anywhere, but it went in off the post.

“Overall, they deserved a point and could have won it at the end.

“But if someone said to me, Everton away and Hull at home, we’d have taken four points. We just got it the wrong way around!”

Ince, clearly impressed by what he saw on Merseyside, kept faith with the 11 starters that put Everton to the sword.

It meant another welcome chance for Aaron Mokoena, who is relishing the opportunity of staking a regular place in the Rovers engine-room.

Alongside the South African, David Dunn, in his 200th league start for Rovers, was Blackburn’s one genuine creative spark in a largely dull first-half contest.

The less said about the opening 25 minutes, the better, as both sides served up a tepid affair.

Clear-cut chances were at a premium, but Rovers came closest first.

Morten Gamst Pedersen wasn’t a million miles away when, picking up Andre Ooijer’s knock-down, he screwed a left-foot fizzer away from the top corner.

Hull, backed by a lively 5,000 following, hit back with a bright counter.

>From Geovanni’s pass, Dean Marney stormed into the penalty box, but he needed better assistance from Craig Fagan, who should have put a finishing touch to the move.

Marlon King, latching onto a weak header from Stephen Warnock, was then denied by Ryan Nelsen’s fine block.

But the game took a different complexion in the 38th minute when Roberts caught the Tigers defence cold.

Steven Reid, again operating the right flank, was given enough time to pick out the striker with a well-weighted pass.

Roberts, beating the off-side trap to perfection, did the rest, prodding the ball hard past goalkeeper Boaz Myhill and into the net.

The Hull defence was finally breached but, within 90 seconds, the celebrating Rovers fans were stunned into silence by the visitors’ equaliser.

Fagan’s high cross from the right looked too deep at one stage, but perfectly found Richard Garcia lurking at the back post.

The Aussie midfielder - retreating behind Ooijer - was presented with almost too much time to think about placing his header.

But place it he did - his controlled looping header clearing a stranded Paul Robinson and in off the upright.

Despite the two-goal blast, it failed to truly ignite the match and, from Rovers’ perspective, they required more midfield craft to serve Roberts and Santa Cruz.

Blackburn lost Dunn at the interval with an Achilles injury and, consequently, lost much of their drive and cutting edge.

There were fewer chances in the second-half, although Roberts continued to run hard at an unyielding Hull rearguard.

Latching onto a ball over the top, the striker turned Michael Turner inside out on the edge of the Tigers box.

But Anthony Gardner - Hull’s stand-out performer - came across with a timely block.

Rovers were waiting for a moment of magic from Santa Cruz, who had been snuffed out for over an hour by Gardner and Turner.

Finally, the Paraguayan got his chances. First, he had a penalty appeal for handball turned down when a powerful shot struck Turner’s arm.

The stage then looked set when Santa Cruz sold Turner a spectacular dummy, freeing himself for a shot on goal.

But his rasping effort flew just over the crossbar.

In the final stages, Hull pressed hard to steal all the points.

Reid, turning in a fine box-to-box display, produced a perfectly-timed tackle to deny Bernard Mendy, as the sub tried to burst into the box.

And Robinson was called on to make two late stops, saving Caleb Folan’s vicious volley and a low shot from Sam Ricketts.