There was so little worth watching on the pitch at the KC Stadium on Saturday as Hull City and Portsmouth toiled that some photographers found the visitors’ side of the directors’ box more interesting.

A Sunday newspaper claimed that two of the men seated there — Levi Kushnir, an Israeli businessman, and Balram Chainrai, a Hong Kong-based British businessman — were running the rule over the Barclays Premier League’s bottom club before making a short-term loan of £15 million to help Ali al-Faraj, the owner, to stabilise the finances. But although it is understood that Chainrai may be interested in investing, Kushnir told The Times yesterday that he was solely a guest of Mark Jacob, the Portsmouth director, of whom he is a client. “I have no involvement whatsoever,” he said. “I go to football once a decade.”

The match itself would have put most people off the game for a lot longer than that. Arduous winters are likely for both clubs and especially Hull.

Before kick-off Jozy Altidore, the United States forward, was dropped from the squad and sent home after turning up late at the ground. Choosing to reveal this on the social-networking site, Twitter, was not the brightest move and he will be fined two weeks’ wages. ”He’s put the ‘twit’ in Twitter,” said Phil Brown, the Hull manager. “I would have put an ‘a’ in it!”

To make matters worse, Jimmy Bullard, their record signing, failed to make the squad because of a sore shin. He was badly missed as Hull barely threatened David James’s goal. Portsmouth held the upper hand throughout and looked the more likely winners, which, with respect, is testament to how poor Hull were.

Boaz Myhill, the Hull goalkeeper, produced fine saves to frustrate Kevin-Prince Boateng, Younès Kaboul and Aruna Dindane as Paul Hart’s team tried in vain to secure what would have been their second win of the season.

Hull City (4-4-2): B Myhill 6 — P McShane 6, A Gardner 6, K Zayatte 6, A Dawson 6 — B Mendy 5 (sub: N Barmby, 71min), D Marney 5 (sub: K Ghilas, 89), S Olofinjana 4, S Hunt 5 (sub: R Garcia, 74) — Geovanni 7, J Vennegoor of Hesslink 4. Substitutes not used: M Duke, K Kilbane, S Mouyokolo, W Atkinson. Booked: Myhill, Marney.

Portsmouth (4-4-2): D James 6 — S Finnan 6, Y Kaboul 7, M Wilson 7, T Ben-Haim 6 — H Yebda 7, J O’Hara 8, K-P Boateng 7, A Mokoena 6 — T Smith 5 (sub: F Piquionne, 65 6), A Dindane 7. Substitutes not used: J Ashdown, H Mullins, Kanu, N Belhadj, A Vanden Borre, D Webber. Booked: Mokoena.

Referee: S Attwell Attendance: 23,720