Martin Paterson marked his return from injury with a confidence-boosting goal as the Clarets had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hull City on their long-awaited return to reserve action.

Paterson, Chris McCann and Jay Rodriguez all ended near four-month spells on the sidelines with successful comebacks in front of watching first-team boss Brian Laws and his backroom staff.

With Terry Pashley and new player-coach Graham Alexander overseeing things, the Clarets' powerful line-up looked set for the victory which would have edged them nearer the top three of the Barclays Premier Reserve League North.

But even though they were pegged back by a late Brian Hughes goal, Laws got a valuable further look at the resources at his disposal and the depth of his senior squad which will be close to welcoming back the previously injured trio.

All three looked sharp as McCann got through 70 minutes and the strike partnership of Paterson and Rodriguez got a full game under their belts.

And it took Paterson just ten minutes to make his mark as the Northern Ireland international cleverly turned past Daniel Wilkinson on the edge of the penalty area before calmly slotting a shot beyond goalkeeper Mark Oxley.

Rodriguez then had a chance to do likewise but fired into the side netting from Paterson's lay-off.

Chris McCann returned with an impressive run-out

Hull were limited to a solitary first-half chance through Caleb Nolan but the striker, one of only two senior players in the Tigers' line-up, sliced his shot well wide.

With Robbie Blake unleashing his full range of passing Hull were pushed back for long periods and Nik Kudiersky should have doubled Burnley's lead but headed a Blake corner over the top.

However, that was just a taste of things to come as the Clarets peppered the Hull goal after the break.

Oxley superbly saved a McCann header and then after tipping a shot from the same player over the top was glad to see Rodriguez's header cleared off the line from the resulting corner.

Fernando Guerrero and Ashley Hoskin also had efforts blocked on the line and Paterson headed just wide as Burnley pressed for a clinching goal.

But it wouldn't come and Hull, whose only previous goalbound effort had been headed off the line by Hoskin, pinched an equaliser eight minutes from the end.

Ryan Kendall's shot was deflected wide for a corner and when the Clarets failed to clear, Hughes pounced to drill home a low shot.

Burnley: Penny, Eckersley, Easton, Hoskin, Kudiersky (Harvey 66), McCann (Kay 70), Blake (Anderson 74), Gudjonsson, Rodriguuez, Paterson, Guerrero. Subs: Lund, Knowles.

Hull: Oxley, Fox, Hanley, Leonard, Wilkinson, Bradley, Ekra, Hughes, Folan (Satelle ht), Kendall, Devitt. Subs: Ward, Deagle, Holohan, Wright.

Jay Rodriguez completed 90 minutes on his comeback