Hull missed the chance to close the gap on the Championship's top two after a dull goalless draw against managerless Watford.

Sergej Jakirovic's side would have been two points off Coventry and Middlesbrough with a fifth straight victory, but failed to create many chances of substance against the Hornets, whose winless run now extends to five games.

Both goalkeepers made strong saves in a scrappy first half, with Hull's Ivor Pandur acrobatically denying Giorgi Chakvetadze, before Watford's Egil Selvik made a tremendous stop from a Charlie Hughes header.

The visitors were the better side in the second half, with Imran Louza twice coming close to finding a winner, but they could not break through.

This was Watford's first game since Javi Gracia's resignation on Monday, with Charlie Daniels, Dan Gosling and Adrian Mariappa in temporary charge.

They have fallen from fourth to tenth as a result of their lacklustre form, but they competed well with the in-form Tigers and were the better side in the second half.

Edo Kayembe and Kwadwo Baah also missed chances towards the end of the game for The Hornets.

Hull, meanwhile, struggled to find any fluency, and did not look like a side who have lost just once since early December.

They face Bristol City on Saturday hoping to keep the pressure on Coventry and Middlesbrough in the automatic promotion places.

Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside:

"I think that we must be very, very satisfied with this point. It was a very difficult game for us. Watford were better on the ball.

"Without the ball they were very powerful. We struggled there, we tried to be compact.

"I am maybe more satisfied with the second half, but struggled with decisions (of players) in open play and on the counter-attack. Some decisions I cannot understand.

"I congratulate my boys because they gave their all. It's not easy, but sometimes we were not calm around the box, and we need more confidence."

Watford interim manager Charlie Daniels told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"I'm really pleased with the performance, and with the players. We had a short period of time with them, and for them to put on that performance is really pleasing.

"They're good players, and if they play within a structure, and as well as we know they can do, and give them freedom to play, they can do what they're good at.

"The only thing missing was the goal - that's what we've said in the changing room.

"I've really enjoyed [being in charge of the team]. This is what I want to do and where I feel my career is going.

"It's really good for me to get this opportunity and I'm very grateful. I'm going to enjoy every moment of it."