Watch free live football streams, live TV

Brighton boss Gus Poyet conceded his side were second best against Hull but refused to rule out a late charge for the npower Championship play-offs.

The hosts dominated for large spells but could not land the killer blow despite creating a number of chances, providing a much-needed tonic for the Seagulls following their 6-1 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

Adam El-Abd cleared one off the line from Cameron Stewart, who also struck the bar, and substitute Aaron Mclean missed a glaring opportunity for the Tigers, who stay narrowly ahead of Brighton in the npower Championship standings.

"I analyse the game and I'm always honest," said Poyet. "For half-an-hour we looked alright and then Cameron Stewart hit the crossbar and they put us under pressure and created more chances, they finished the first half better than us.

"Second half we tried to be more organised and not give too much space but at the same time we tried to win the game.

"This pitch is not the best in the division which made us change the way we played. We need to take the point, it's a good point for us."

The Uruguayan was particularly pleased to keep a clean sheet after the heavy defeat at Anfield.

He added: "That was the key as well, not conceding. They have players who can do something special but our goalkeeper did very well and the crossbar helped us."

The result extended Brighton's unbeaten run to eight league matches and they sit just three points outside the top six, with Poyet suggesting they could yet claim a place in the play-offs.

"We showed we are a decent team and we can compete, we adapted well to the pitch. We can be close, and if we are good enough we'll see," he said.

Hull made it six clean sheets in a row in the league and despite lacking a cutting edge in front of goal, boss Nick Barmby was full of praise for his players' endeavour.

"I'm proud of the lads," he said. "They played really well, some of our play was first class, but it was just one of those nights where it wasn't going to go in.

"Their attitude and application was first class, on another day you score a few goals and win the game."

The Tigers' failure to turn opportunities into goals did not unduly worry the former England midfielder, who believes his side are still firmly in the promotion hunt.

"If you're not creating them (chances) you've got a problem but we're creating them and I back the players," he added.

"We remain unbeaten which is the main thing, we've just got to keep it going, there will be twists and turns and we've just got to keep chasing that pack down."

Barmby is confident his side's defensive stability will hold them in good stead for the remainder of the season, which he anticipates will be a testing time for all those sides involved at the top end of the table.

"If you keep a clean sheet more often than not you'll win a game," he said. "People can't carry on winning between now and the end of the season, they're going to lose at some stage and that's where it's down to use to capitalise."