JORDAN Rhodes was Rovers’ last-gasp hero as he marked his 150th appearance for the club with an injury-time equaliser which earned his team an excellent and deserved point at the KC Stadium.

High-flying Hull looked to be heading to their sixth win out of seven at home this season after Abel Hernandez gave them the lead in the 73rd minute in controversial fashion.

Lancashire Telegraph:

But top-scorer Rhodes, who 13 months ago was the subject of a rejected club record bid from the Tigers, headed in his fifth goal in his last four games, and his 79th for Rovers, to ensure honours ended even.

Rovers were forced to make one change to the side which started their 3-0 success at home to Charlton Athletic with Tom Lawrence replacing Fode Koita who was ruled out with a knock sustained in training yesterday.

Lawrence had impressed off the bench against the Addicks, setting up Rhodes’ second goal straight after coming on as a substitute, before smashing in his first for the club to seal Gary Bowyer’s side’s first victory of the campaign.

And the Leicester City loanee was straight into the thick of the action here, bringing about a first-minute booking for Curtis Davies.

That would not be the last driving run Lawrence would make during an opening period in which positive Rovers, who lost Danny Guthrie to an injury early on, had more of the ball.

Their opponents had the better of the chances, though, the best of which came in the 18th minute after Hernandez, who had looped a header wide moments earlier, robbed Grant Hanley.

Hanley was presented with a horrible pass back from Markus Olsson and Hernandez nicked the ball off the Rovers captain and brought a sharp near-post save out of Jason Steele.

Steele later pushed a 20-yard Ahmed Elmohamady effort around the post for a corner, from which Davies sent an overhead kick past the upright, before Rovers went close for the first time.

After another purposeful surge from Lawrence, the ball broke to Ben Marshall, and his cross to the near-post found Rhodes, whose flashed header was palmed away by Allan McGregor.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Hull responding strongly and in the final six minutes of the half Sam Clucas, Mo Diame and Tom Huddlestone all tried their luck from distance, Steele touching the latter shot behind for a corner.

Rovers followed suit straight from the kick-off after the restart, Marshall dipping an ambitious drive over the bar.

McGregor was not troubled. Steele was, though, in the 52nd minute, getting down low to his left to gather a sweetly struck Huddlestone volley.

With still little to separate the teams Tigers boss Steve Bruce brought on Shaun Maloney and then Jake Livermore for his first league appearance since testing positive for cocaine in May.

Livermore, who avoided an FA ban because of the circumstances of his offence, which followed the death of his newborn son, received a rapturous reception.

And the home fans were on their feet again shortly after when Chuba Akpom ran at Markus Olsson and fired the ball over the bar.

Rovers’ best bet looked like coming from a set-piece and Hanley was not far away with a looping header from a Craig Conway free kick.

And they felt they should have been given another free kick in the 73rd minute, on the edge of the Hull box, after Rhodes tumbled under a challenge from Davies.

Inexplicably referee Andy Haines waived away his appeals and Rhodes’ and Rovers’ fury only increased when Bruce’s side broke away to score, Elmohamady crossing to the back post for Hernandez to tap in.

The Tigers suddenly had the bit between their teeth and Maloney nodded a Moses Odubajo cross just wide.

But Rovers levelled in the first of six minutes of added time, Conway’s corner to the near post expertly headed in by the on-fire Rhodes.

Lancashire Telegraph:

And they went close to winning it, too, after another corner broke to Guthrie’s replacement Hope Akpan, whose fierce volley was brilliantly saved by the legs of McGregor.

Hull also had a golden opportunity to settle the hard-fought contest, with virtually the last kick of the match, Davies heading wide when unmarked 10 yards from goal.

Hull: McGregor, Odubajo, Davies, Dawson, Robertson (Livermore 66), Elmohamady, Diame (Maloney 61), Huddlestone, Clucas, Akpom, Hernandez (Meyler 89). Subs not used: Jakupovic, Maguire, Hayden, Aluko.

Booked: Davies, Dawson.

Goal: Hernandez 73.

Rovers: Steele, Henley, Hanley, Duffy, Olsson, Conway, Evans, Guthrie (Akpan 8), Marshall (Spurr 83), Lawrence (Delfouneso 79), Rhodes. Subs not used: Raya, Williamson, O’Sullivan, Lenihan.

Booked: Hanley, Steele, Evans.

Goal: Rhodes 90.

Referee: Andy Haines.

Attendance: 16,486 (879 away).