You know that old maxim about the game only starting in the second half?

This one actually petered out the longer it went on.

Just when you thought Hull would ramp up home advantage, they sat back, and Tigers fans were on their feet and moving towards the exits some minutes before the final whistle.

Tjaronn Chery squandered a terrific chance to win it. But the Rs Dutch playmaker is out of sorts right now.

In the same way he missed a relatively easy header against Blackburn on Wednesday, Chery scooped over from three yards when it was harder to miss than convert.

Queens Park Rangers' Tjaronn Chery shoots

Charlie Austin is, well, Charlie Austin. He scores goals, and that’s that. His sixth Championship strike of the season put Rs in the lead.

Austin’s header crept in at the post after 26 minutes, even as Hull defenders tried to claim it hadn’t crossed the line, the assistant was just where Rs expected him to be, and awarded the goal.

It wasn’t to last.

Control: Nedum Onuoha (L)

Michael Dawson rose in the box all but unmarked to head home and level 12 minutes later to frustrate head coach Chris Ramsey.

But as much as Austin increasingly is becoming Rs’ talisman, nobody should underestimate the part played for Nedum Onuoha.

The captain marshalled and calmed a defence that was under pressure throughout, and if anyone deserved the accolade of the travelling faithful, it was the man at the heart of defence.