Hull City Under-18s suffered defeat in their final home game of the 2024/25 season, losing 2-0 against Swansea City.
First-half goals from Aidan Higgins and Callum Deacon saw the visitors leave Bishop Burton College with all three points.
David Meyler and Mark Beard initially made one change to their starting XI to the one that faced Bristol City last time out, as Reuben Silk came in for Lucas Dawson. Charlie Leach, who was set to start, withdrew from the starting side due to injury, which gave a first league start for fellow first-year scholar Oskar Gruszkowski.
Swansea took the lead after seven minutes as Yori Griffith hit the post initially with a powerful strike. The rebound fell to Higgins who controlled the ball inside the area before powering home the rebound.
Jake Hopper produced a stunning acrobatic save to deny Harlan Perry from range, before the midfielder would see his next two efforts from successive corners deflect wide. The third successive corner saw Swansea double their lead as a short-corner routine saw Deacon curl his left-footed finish into the top corner, with Hopper getting something on the effort to no avail.
The visitors continued to create chances in the first half as Higgins headed wide from Carter Heywood’s cross, before Bobo Evans’ cross found the run of Milo Robinson, but he could not guide his finish goalwards as Hopper gathered.
At the other end, Albert Matique’s great surging run created the space for the striker to shoot. His left-footed strike was parried away by Tom Wright, with Jack Topley narrowly missing the rebound as Swansea cleared away the danger.
In the second half, half-time substitute Calvin Okike denied the visitors twice in quick succession. First, the defender cleared Caio Ifans’ effort off the line before sliding inwith a vital challenge to deny Higgins a second, after the striker was picked out by captain Deacon.
Gruszkowski blocked Perry’s volley before Higgins and Perry both fired chances off target just past the hour mark. Bobby Moore tried to pull a goal back for the Tigers with an acrobatic attempt from Ed Devine’s corner, but it was blocked by Ben Phillips. Shortly after, Under-15s midfielder Alfie Cawte made his Under-18s debut as he came on three minutes after Moore's chance.
Moore tried his luck again for the Tigers later on as his powerful run found him coming off the left flank before cutting back, but his low strike was held by goalkeeper Wright. In stoppage-time, Okike came close to halving the deficit with a free-kick from 25-yards that flew narrowly wide past Wright’s right-hand post.
Hull City: Hopper; Leech (Gomeniuk 58’), Gruszkowski, Cole (Okike 46’), Devine (C); Moore, Ocaya, Silk (Cawte 76’); Topley, Matique, Gode.
Sub Not Used: Lizardos.
Swansea City: Wright; Clarke (Higginson 81’), Phillips (Williams 81’), Heywood, Deacon (C); Robinson, Perry, Griffith (Godfrey 46’); Evans (Gray 63’), Higgins, Ifans (Ojetoro 89’).
