Report | Hull City 4 Swansea City 4

14th February
First team
Hull Kyle Naughton

Swansea City came from behind three times to lead, only to be denied victory at the death in a thrilling encounter at the KCOM Stadium.

The hosts had led on three separate occasions with Leonardo Da Silva, Marcus Maddison and Mallik Walks netting.

But each time the Swans found a response.

Wayne Routledge’s first goal since August capped a fine flowing move, while Kyle Naughton hammered home from a corner and Jordon Garrick turned in from close range.

Rhian Brewster then looked to have snatched a dramatic victory six minutes from time with a fine finish.

But Tom Eaves tapped in from close range in stoppage time as it ended all-square.

Steve Cooper had made four changes from the draw with QPR as Ben Wilmot, Jake Bidwell, Jay Fulton and Routledge came in for Joe Rodon, Connor Roberts, Yan Dhanda and Brewster respectively.

The Tigers had the first chance with Maddison’s free-kick being headed back across goal, only for Wilks to put his own header over the bar.

But they made no mistake in the sixth minute, a deep delivery was only glanced away by Marc Guehi, and Da Silva picked the ball up and guided it past Freddie Woodman with the aid of a deflection off Bidwell.

Swansea looked to hit back, Andre Ayew just failing to get on the end of Bidwell’s knock down from a crossfield pass.

And they did hit back with a lovely goal in the 14th minute.

Hull Jay Fulton

It started from the back as a flowing sequence including Woodman, Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Bersant Celina and Bidwell ended with Gallagher laying on an easy finish for Routledge.

Celina had a strike blocked soon after from another fluent Swansea attack, while Ayew fired wide after driving into the area with purpose.

The Swans were firmly on top, Gallagher forcing George Long into a sprawling save with a firm shot from the edge of the area.

Long then dealt unconvincingly with a Celina free-kick just before the half-hour mark, conceding a corner when it appeared easier to catch than parry the ball.

It nearly proved a costly misjudgement as Ayew’s stooping header from the resulting corner was blocked as it travelled goalward.

Gallagher’s clever attempted looping header from a Bidwell cross also had Long scrambling, but the ball dropped just wide of the far post, before Naughton fizzed an effort into the side-netting.

The concern for the Swans was that they had not made the most of their dominance, and they fell behind for a second time shortly after half-time.

There was hesitation in the visiting defence after Maddison’s shot was deflected into the air and, when the Swans couldn’t clear, he had the time to pick his spot and find the net.

But the lead again did not last long. Hull were caught sleeping at a corner and a quickly taken delivery gave Naughton the time to sweep a rising shot into the net.

Hull Wayne Routledge cele

Yet parity only lasted just seven minutes before the Tigers took the lead for the third time.

A Dan Batty cross picked out Wilks, his initial header was blocked but the ball rebounded for him to fire a low left-footed effort into the bottom corner.

Swansea swept forward again, Ayew seeing an effort blocked after a lovely first-time pass by substitute Brewster, before Gallagher fizzed one over the bar.

And the visitors managed to level for a third time through Garrick.

The winger timed his run to meet Ayew’s cross, after the Ghanaian had skipped away from his marker on the left side of the box, to net his first league goal for the Swans.

Ayew was denied by a block – which Swansea felt was handball - from an excellent Bidwell pass as the Swans eyed a late winner.

They thought they had grabbed it when Brewster quickly adjusted in the area to get away a strike that squirmed under Long into the net.

But Eaves was on hand to score the eighth goal of the night from a Josh Magennis cross, and ensure the spoils were shared.

Hull City: George Long, Dan Batty (George Honeyman 66), Marcus Maddison (Ryan Tafazolli 66), Robbie McKenzie, Sean McLoughlin, Matty Pennington, Callum Elder, Josh Magennis, Jackson Irvine (captain), Leonardo Da Silva Lopes, Mallik Wilks (Tom Eaves 82).

Substitutes: Matt Ingram, Kevin Stewart, Stephen Kingsley, Keane Lewis-Potter.

Swansea City: Freddie Woodman; Kyle Naughton, Marc Guehi, Ben Wilmot, Jake Bidwell; Jay Fulton (Yan Dhanda 64), Matt Grimes (captain); Wayne Routledge (Rhian Brewster 64), Conor Gallagher, Bersant Celina (Jordon Garrick 73); Andre Ayew.

Substitutes: Erwin Mulder, Ben Cabango, Connor Roberts, Nathan Dyer.

Referee: David Webb