The former Bolton playmaker joined the ambitious East Yorkshire side after a season playing in the Middle East with Qatar SC but entered the fray as a 55th-minute substitute.

By then his new team-mates had already succumbed to Rory Delap's 43rd-minute goal, which was against the run of play, but in keeping with a low-quality affair.

But with time running out, Livermore capitalised on good work from new £1million signing Caleb Folan to ensure Okocha's much-publicised comeback did not end in disappointment.

Okocha, who has joined Hull on a one-year deal, is in the autumn of his career but proved he has lost none of his old lustre when given the chance by Phil Brown - with one spellbinding run and shot greeted with cheers usually reserved for a goal.

The 34-year-old was invariably bypassed by his team-mates, however, with Hull opting for a direct approach that was easily snubbed out by Stoke's excellent centre-backs, Ryan Shawcross and Jody Craddock.

Brown's men should also have made an early breakthrough, however, when Richard Garcia beat Clint Hill too easily on the right but shot tamely at Steve Simonsen.

Simonsen then showed good awareness to parry Dean Windass' cute snap-shot over the crossbar two minutes later.

Stoke are a tough nut to crack under Tony Pulis, though, and soon offered greater stability under the leadership of wily veteran Dominic Matteo.

Hull maintained greater possession of the football but lacked the width to get in behind a Stoke team who took the lead two minutes before the break.

Ricardo Fuller's good strike which was parried by Boaz Myhill and the loose ball skewed to Delap, who did well to squeeze the ball high into the net from a tight angle.

Okocha's introduction, before which Garcia spurned another good chance shortly after the restart, brought about a discernible improvement from Brown's players.

But after an initial flurry of activity, Stoke's powers of organisation and intelligent use of space ensured the former Nigeria international deployed a largely watching brief.

With only three minutes remaining, however, Hull restored parity when Sam Ricketts' cross was flicked on by Folan and on to the onrushing Livermore, who could not miss.