Report | Hull City 2 Swansea City 1

Swansea City’s rousing second-half fightback came up short as they fell to defeat to Hull City at the MKM Stadium.

The Swans had trailed 2-0 at the break, with Oli McBurnie scoring from the penalty spot and Regan Slater producing an unstoppable drive to double the Tigers lead.

The visitors could, and perhaps should, have been level at the break with Zan Vipotnik unable to turn in a pair of excellent Josh Tymon crosses from close range, with Ben Cabango heading over from a corner.

They were thoroughly dominant during the second period, with Liam Cullen’s header pulling a goal back.

The Wales international had already forced an excellent save out of the Hull keeper, as did substitutes Marko Stamenic and Melker Widell in the closing stages of the contest, but Vitor Matos’ side suffered frustration as they left East Yorkshire with nothing to show for their efforts.

The Swans had made two changes as Jay Fulton and Cullen came in for Stamenic and Widell respectively. New signing Gustavo Nunes was named among the substitutes, while Ronald started on his 100th appearance for the club.

The opening exchanges were largely cagey, aside from one incisive Hull attack that ended with Liam Millar sending a low cross behind the arriving black and amber shirts.

At the other end Swansea were nearly in on goal when a long pass ran through towards Ronald, but Amir Hadziahmetovic did really well to cover and block the Brazilian's shot.

Ben Cabango then nodded narrowly over from the resulting Tymon corner but the Swans fell behind when the skipper handled a flighted free-kick into the area, and McBurnie stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick.

Lawrence Vigouroux then had to be alert to prevent to race out of his goal and prevent Kyle Joseph extending Hull’s lead after a through ball had cut Swansea apart, before the visitors missed a gilt-edged chance to equalise.

Jisung Eom linked superbly with Tymon, and his low ball from the left was typically pinpoint, but Vipotnik could not finish with the goal at his mercy.

It was the same story a few minutes later when another lovely Tymon cross saw Vipotnik get the better of his marker – who also had a handful of his shirt – but prod agonisingly wide.

And Swansea were made to pay when the ball fell for Slater on the edge of the area, and he smashed an unstoppable drive into the far corner of the net.

Hull looked to put the game to bed before the interval, Vigouroux managing to block a Joe Gelhardt effort from a slide-rule pass into the area, and then tipping over a curling strike from Millar with the visitors glad to hear the half-time whistle.

Ethan Galbraith, who had been an injury doubt, was withdrawn at half-time as Josh Key took his place.

The Swans made an excellent start to the second half, pushing their hosts back and probing for an opening.

Key had a cross parried away by Ivan Pandur after lovely build-up play, and Ronald twice delivered into the area only to see them cleared.

It felt like Swansea needed to strike while they were so firmly on top, and Cullen came so close when his glanced header looked destined for the bottom corner, but Ivan Pandur made a terrific save low to his right.

But the Wales international was on the scoresheet moments later when Tymon mixed up his set-piece delivery and Cullen cleverly steered a near-post header into the far corner of the net.

A rare Hull attack saw John Lundstram glance a header just wide from a Yu Hirakawa cross, but Swansea were soon making all the running again with Key’s cross just beyond arriving Swansea shirts at the far post.

Stamenic, Widell and Nunes were introduced from the bench and the New Zealander nearly scored within minutes of his arrival as Pandur had to parry a ferocious strike from distance.

Vigouroux was the next keeper in action, making a brilliant stop as he denied David Akintola having parried a Hirakawa strike back out into the six-yard box.

Widell thought he had snatched a point when he find a pocket of space just inside the area and sent a curling strike towards the far corner, but Pandur was just able to parry at full stretch as the hosts clung on.

Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Ethan Galbraith (Josh Key 46), Ben Cabango (captain), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon; Jay Fulton (Malick Yalcouye 80), Goncalo Franco (Melker Widell 65), Liam Cullen; Ronald (Gustavo Nunes 65), Jisung Eom (Marko Stamenic 65), Zan Vipotnik.

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Bobby Wales, Joel Ward, Ollie Cooper.

Hull City: Ivor Pandur, Lewie Coyle (captain), Charlie Hughes, Liam Millar (Yu Hirakawa 56), Oli McBurnie (David Akintola 71), John Egan, Amir Hadziahmetovic (Matty Jacob 71), Joe Gelhardt (John Lundstram 56), Kyle Joseph (Kieran Dowell 87), Akin Famewo, Regan Slater.

Unused Substitutes: Dillion Phillips, Joel Ndala, Matt Crooks, Cathal McCarthy.

Referee: Josh Smith

Attendance: 21,912