Draw frustrates Barmby

Rovers ended a run of six successive away defeats, but were fortunate to escape the KC Stadium with a point after the Tigers were kept at bay by inspired goalkeeper David Button, who made of a string of saves to deny Corry Evans, Cameron Stewart and Robert Koren.

Barmby thought his promotion-chasing side had done enough to win the game after squandering a string of opportunities.

"We created enough chances to have won the game. It was a frustrating night but I am pleased with the way we played," he said. "We kept going when Doncaster got a lot of men behind the ball.

"You get those nights in football some times. I am pleased with the clean sheet and their goalie has pulled off some good saves.

"But if we play like that we will win more games than we lose.

"For me the worrying thing would be if we were not creating chances but we are."

The Tigers have been largely inactive in the transfer window, but Barmby is not getting flustered by the lack of additions to his squad.

"I am pleased with them. I have said that all along," he added.

"I back my players and front line, yes they are going through a barren spell, but I believe in them."

Saunders hope

Doncaster boss Saunders revealed after the draw that he is hoping to keep striker El-Hadji Diouf at the club.

Rovers were anything but threatening in attack and - after the sale of Billy Sharp to Southampton - Saunders was presented with a stark reminder that he needs to retain Diouf's quality in attack.

"I am meeting with him and the chairman tomorrow and we are trying to thrash out a deal," Saunders said of his striker, whose three-month contract is about to expire.

"He wants to stay with us and we have got to try and come up with something to keep him.

"We are scrapping and we can keep on doing that but we need quality and Dioufy is that bit of quality we can turn to.

"It makes it a bit easier with Billy leaving with not paying his wages and receiving a transfer fee for him."

Saunders, whose side remain marooned in the bottom three, hailed the battling spirit shown in the game.

"It's a good result for us considering the week we have had and that's three clean sheets in four games," he added.

"The boys are scrapping and fighting and coming to Hull where we have lost eight on the trot was tough.

"I thought we were brilliant and we battled and David Button has made some good saves.

"I just felt we haven't had the rub of the green away from home and they had chances and we rode our luck but I can't praise my players enough."