It wasn’t the best of performances but it was a performance that ensured four wins in a row for Swansea City with no goals conceded. Moving on to fifty seven points in the Championship with three games to play the Swans have an eye on getting over the sixty point line this season. This would be a relatively decent upper mid table finish considering the nonsense under Luke Williams for three months.

It was a quiet start as much of the first half was controlled and lacked real commitment. However a Hull booking on three minutes would be crucial to the visitors tactics. That player was Sean McLoughlin who looked like a rabbit in headlights every time Ronald had possession of the ball. A number of moves by the Swans inter-dispersed with slower in the half didn’t inspire the crowd. Although the near 19,000 who turned up were noisy and as ever were always behind the home side. Nothing much to shout about early on as Eom was way offside from one move. Hull did have a corner on the Swans right on ten minutes. It was pretty shocking to say the least. On eleven Ronaldo crossed well, it was a scooped effort without power and an O’Brien header followed but it was scrambled clear. It has to be said the Swans were not in full flow at all, they seemed cautious and lacking energy.

Another booking for Hull followed after a cynical trip by Gerhaldt on Eom. The frustrating pattern continued and nothing was gained from that free kick, another wasted effort. The Swans continued passing the ball with little impact. There was a plan but it wasn’t evident. The long ball wasn’t working too much either, most efforts skidding off the wet surface and out of play. The Swans continued to try and stamp their clearly better credentials on the game. Tymon and Eom making darting runs but it was all coming to nothing. The Swans earned their first corner on sixteen minutes but Hull defended the ball really well with an excellent clearance.

Another corner left side after a shot by Tymon was conceded by Hull. O’Brien took it. It was cleared, then a Ronald shot was blocked well and another followed from Eom. The pressure at last increasing slightly. On twenty one minutes Slater left a nasty foot in on Ronald. The referee really should have booked him. This would now be the way the official would run the game from here on in. His decision making impaired by the mistakes he had made before in an attempt to even up the game. Captain Ben Cabango made several attempts to get a long ball out to the flanks to Ronald. That tactic wasn’t working, not because of the actual formation of the players they just couldn’t pass the ball accurately.

It was certainly a scrappy game, no real threat posed but the Swans were certainly the better side. The midfield was very congested. Too many fouls and wrong balls from the Swans wasn’t helping. Eom as much as he tried wasn’t finding his man but he still spelled danger when on the ball. His improvement though along with many of this starting eleven was noticeable even when things were sticky. Sean McLoughlin somehow evaded a second yellow when chopping down Ronald. The referee thought, stood still and didn’t even speak to the offender. He knew any action he took would be a player sent off. It was nothing more than inconsistent and poor officiating.

The niggly fouling from Hull continued. Eom hauled down right on the edge of the area, the referee again ignored what was in front of him. Ronald continued to probe he was causing Hull numerous issues that they simply couldn’t deal with without fouling. Josh Key had an opportunity but fell in the area mixing up his legs. It was either mis-control or poor execution that was keeping the score at 0-0. Hull had shown nothing so far. No shots at all.

On thirty eight minutes Vipotnik was brought down in the area chasing an O’Brien ball, his shirt was pulled and as expected the referee ignored it. Whatever the official oIt in the Swans right was doing it wasn’t watching the game. This contest was like walking through treacle as the Swans continued to win the ball, make some progress, and then give it away. It was happening virtually every time the Swans moved the ball forwards. And it was all their fault. Looking across at Sheehan he seemed frustrated that his side was as inactive as they were.

As we approached half time the game could only be described as disappointing, and in the Swans case pretty boring. The crowd reacted as the atmosphere got quieter and quieter as one minute of additional time was played. There was nothing if anything for anyone to get excited about in this game so far. It really couldn’t continue in the second half, there needed to be far more urgency and concentration by the Swans.

As expected the Swans pressed from the off as the second half got underway. It was much better, crosses were more impactive and on forty nine minutes Vipotnik had an opportunity. in the box he rifled a shot goalwards. It hit a Hull defender, Edgar and after what seemed a lifetime the referee gave a spot kick. The ball had actually hit the defenders face. The Slovenian striker stepped up to take the spot kick, this was his first penalty for the Swans. The ball wasn’t struck that firmly it seemed to come off his instep spinning onto the net. At least the home side were ahead now. Hull responded well with a corner on the Swans left in front of the East Stand. It was cleared away with a long hoof forwards. We now had a game on. Hull were now stretching their legs and Swansea had to match this.

On fifty five minutes O’Brien drove forwards hitting a decent shot which Hull keeper fielded well. We needed to see some real determination from this Swans midfield. A Josh Key tackle in the Swans penalty area left the referee unmoved. The heat was on though. Eom shot on fifty eight minutes which went out for a corner. Tymon took it out on the right, However, the keeper was fouled. Then three Hull City substitutes made their way onto the pitch. The Swans were being far too casual, O’Brien the next offender. A rasping Vipotnik’s shot on sixty one minutes was again well fielded by Pandur.

A corner for Hull followed that but it was cleared for another as the visitors looked to get an equaliser. Matt Crooke met the ball on target with his head but Vigouroux in the Swans goal took it easily. Franco was now busy dominating the midfield but still the Swans weren’t anywhere near on top form. On sixty three Allen left the field for Jay Fulton. Hull were now pressing. With an unpredictable referee really the home side needed to gather their composure and passing. Tymon crossed deep on sixty six minutes, and the Swans started to take the game to Hull. A long throw from Key resulted in more Swansea pressure. Ronald was then brought down by Drameh, a clear yellow card not given. The Swans had a free kick out on their right, Eom and Tymon over the ball. The ball was cleared slightly and two snap shots from Eom followed. Franco blocking the first.

We had another corner.

That led again to more Swansea possession with O’Brien shooting, it hit Vipotnik who again seemed to have little sharpness about him to react. We were now into the last twenty minutes. Jay Fulton got his usual yellow card on seventy two minutes as Liam Cullen was about to come on. We had another lull in play then Hull pressure. At the moment we were seeing a decent Swans rearguard. Effort from some Swansea players was considerably lacking though. One of those, penalty taker Vipotnik was replaced by Cullen. Another odd free kick awarded by referee Tozer in a dangerous position for Hull but sub Amrabaht blasted his shot into the Swans wall which Eom headed away. It sparked him out for a moment.

On seventy eight minutes a corner was awarded after a Hull shot, it actually deflected off nobody. This led to a clear header in front of the Swans goal, Vigouroux scrambling to save. It was another corner this time in front of the West. Once again the Hull charge was on. The Swans now defending. All this stemmed from the bizarre corner referee Tozer gave some minutes before. Swansea just couldn’t get ahold of the ball. When they did they gave it away. The crosses were coming in but the headed efforts by the Swans defence were a level above. On eighty two minutes we saw Florian Bianchini and Ollie Cooper on for Ronald and Eom.

We were now heading into five minutes of actual time plus Amy additional minutes.

A foul on Cooper led to an eighty sixth minute free kick delivered in from the Swans right. This time Tymon and Bianchini over the ball. Bianchini’s kick was best forgotten. Hull pressed, they had a free kick that should have been a corner for them but a goal kick was the result. Figure that out. The issue since the goal was the fact Swansea City couldn’t hang onto the ball, and it has to be said were lucky to still be ahead after this second half effort by Hull. Matt Crooks got his second yellow card meaning he was off in the ninetieth minute. A terrible foul on Franco. Two yellows in five minutes meant he got the pick of the soap in the showers.. Franco seemed okay. This game wasn’t the best by a long shot, the Swans simply not at the races for most of it. Their inability to stamp their game on this fixture will mean Alan Sheehan will get some stick from the few. However, this isn't a game the Swans would have won under Luke Williams. The defensive ‘actions’ were excellent.

Ollie Cooper was put clear on ninety six minutes (there were only four added) he also found his legs in different places not dissimilar to Josh Key. Then the whistle sounded as we edged onto eight minutes added time and the game was over. The officials were poor and for a lot of the time so were both sides. It won’t live long in the memory this game, but it does mean the Swans have now taken twelve points from four games without conceding, and that ain’t half bad.

⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; 7 Josh Key 7 Ben Cabango 6 (captain), Harry Darling 7 Josh Tymon 8 Joe Allen 7 (Jay Fulton 64) 5 Gonçalo Franco 8 Lewis O'Brien 8 Ronald 7 (Florian Bianchini 84) 5 Jisung Eom 7 (Ollie Cooper 84) 5 Žan Vipotnik 6 (Liam Cullen 75) 5

Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Jay Fulton, Cyrus Christie, Kyle Naughton, Ben Lloyd, Sam Parker.

⚽️ Hull City: Ivan Pandur, Lewie Coyle (captain) (Mason Burstow 81), Charlie Hughes, Sean McLoughlin (Cody Drameh 37), Joao Pedro, John Egan, Lincoln (Abu Kamara 59), Gustavo Puerta (Matt Crooks 59), Regan Slater, Joe Gelhardt, Kasey Palmer (Nordin Amrabat 59).

Unused Substitutes: Timothee Lo-Tutala, Alfie Jones, Steven Alzate, Kyle Joseph.

Referee: Ben Toner : Unbelievably amateurish for both sides. 2/10.

Attendance: 18,775
Approx 500 away

🔴 We will resume with our usual reporting on Monday, and thanks to Jason for jumping in at the last minute to do this for us. Much appreciated.

Photographs Swansea Independent