HULL City’s owner wants to rename them the Tigers and they must have exhausted at least one of their nine lives with a fortuitous penalty shootout win over Accrington Stanley.

It was 0-0 at full time and 2-2 after a remarkable extra time only for Matt Crooks to miss the telling kick to deny the Reds a superb and richly deserved win.

If the plan was to frustrate Hull in the early stages it worked, with Steve Bruce’s side enjoying plenty of possession but making little headway in the opening 20 minutes.

In fact it took half of the opening period for either side to create a meaningful opportunity; Sone Aluke scuffing a shot wide after a sharp turn on the edge of the box.

Stanley’s Jason Mooney was the first goalkeeper called upon in anger, spilling Aluko’s corner as he looked to collect but to his relief Nikica Jelavic ballooned his shot over the bar.

The Reds had looked lively on the counter attack and were almost rewarded when a break away brought a right wing free kick which Anthony Barry delivered deliciously. Matt Crooks got up highest but nodded the ball agonisingly over the top.

Hull’s best chance of the half soon came though and they were unable to capitalise. Sam Clucas found the target with a powerful drive and Mooney parried well only for the ball to drop to Andrew Robertson. It was Piero Mingoia to the rescue, blocking his shot.

And moments later it was Mingoia the creator as the wideman stole the ball from Robertson and found Josh Windass in the area. With dad Dean watching on his Hull tie, the youngster elected to cross rather than shoot, Gerardo Bruna couldn’t connect and the chance was gone.

After the break Stanley started promisingly again with Windass unable to connect with a Pearson throw but Mingoia striking a shot on target which Jakupovic was forced to save.

Tom Davies nodded over as the Reds continued to threaten before the visitors conjured a spell of pressure. Sub Chuba Akpom brought a save from Mooney, Robertson slashed an effort wide and Clucas chanced his arm from range with the keeper equal to it as they looked to take the lead.

The script had Windass (junior) as the hero and he then went close to living up to the billing on two occasions. First he span and shot forcing a scrambling Jakupovic to push his effort wide before a sizzling free kick was fisted out in orthodox fashion by the keeper.

The 1000 strong visiting support then though they had scored when a penalty box melee saw the ball squeeze beyond Mooney but Dean Winnard had other ideas, scrambling it off the line.

It was as close as either side would get in the 90 minutes.

But it took just 90 seconds for the visitors to change that, with Akpom cutting in from the right and driving a low show beyond Mooney to make it 1-0.

Stanley weren’t for folding though, and found themselves level when Crooks bulleted a header past Jakupovic for his first competitive goal for the club to make it 1-1.

That was the score at the interval though it wouldn’t stay that way for long with sub Greg Luer heading Hull back in front eleven minutes from time.

The Reds deserved something from the game and forced the shootout when Sean McConville’s shot was parried by the keeper and hit fellow sub Terry Gornell, bouncing into the net.

That brought the shootout with Mingoia and Windass scoring when Maguire had missed to put Stanley in front but Kee and McConville then failing to net as the pendulum swung to Hull. There was still a twist though as David Meyler missed a crucial kick, Gornell scored and sudden death arrived.

Curtis Davies scored and all the pressure was on Crooks who ultimately couldn’t hit the target to send the visitors to the second round.

Stanley: Mooney, Wakefield, Davies, Winnard, Pearson, Crooks, Barry, Mingoia, Bruna, Windass, Kee

Hull: Jakupovic, Odebajo, Davies, Maguire, Robertson, El Mohammady, Huddleston, Meyler, Clucas, Aluko, Jelavic