Swansea City 1-0 Hull City

Žan Vipotnik’s controversial penalty condemned Hull City to a narrow Good Friday defeat at in-form Swansea City.

The forward won and converted the decisive spot-kick on 51 minutes after John Egan was penalised for handball by referee Ben Toner despite the ball hitting his face.

The Tigers, who finished with 10 men after Matt Crooks’ stoppage-time red card for two bookable offences, remain two points and two places outside the relegation zone with three games remaining.

Gustavo Puerta replaced fellow Colombian Steven Alzate in the only change from the draw with Coventry City, with the latter named on an otherwise unchanged substitutes’ bench.

John Egan was passed fit to continue at centre-back having been withdrawn in the second half against the Sky Blues after complaining of blurred eyesight.

His central defensive partner Charlie Hughes, making his 100^th senior appearance, was in the right place to clear Lewis O’Brien’s 12^th-minute header from Ronald’s cross after Sean McLoughlin’s misjudgement.

The visitors’ only first-half attempt came when João Pedro chased Ivor Pandur’s clearance, which Harry Darling failed to cut out, but his 18-yard strike was charged down by Ben Cabango.

Ronald’s speculative 30-yard strike sailed over the bar and Lewie Coyle made an important intervention to clear a Jisung Eom free-kick that had been flicked goalwards, with Pandur stranded.

Eom lifted a free-kick over from 20 yards on the half-hour before McLoughlin, on a booking and fortunate to avoid another caution, was withdrawn for Cody Drameh nine minutes before the break.

The Tigers’ unhealthy habit of conceding shortly after half-time continued as Swansea opened the scoring in highly contentious circumstances six minutes into the second half.

Handball was given against Egan despite Vipotnik’s venomous drive hitting him in the face, with the Slovenian slotting the subsequent spot-kick into the bottom corner, stuttering before sending Pandur the wrong way.

The Swans, searching for a fourth consecutive win without conceding under caretaker head coach Alan Sheehan, sought a second goal but O’Brien’s tame angled effort was easy for Pandur.

Rubén Sellés responded with a triple change on the hour, bringing on Crooks, Abu Kamara and Nordin Amrabat for Puerta, Kasey Palmer and Lincoln.

Two of the substitutes combined for a presentable chance as Amrabat’s deep corner to the far post was met by Crooks but nodded into the arms of Swans shot-stopper Lawrence Vigouroux.

Eom had two left-footed efforts blocked in quick succession, first by his teammate Gonçalo Franco and then by Pedro.

Gelhardt’s 25-yarder was deflected wide and from the resulting corner, Hughes’ glancing header from Amrabat’s outswinging delivery had Vigouroux scampering across his line to touch the ball wide.

Mason Burstow replaced Coyle in the final change with nine minutes left before Kamara headed Drameh’s deep centre over the bar.

Gelhardt spun Franco on the byline before dragging wide of the near post before Crooks was sent off in stoppage time after being shown a second yellow card for a barge on Franco.

Franco fired well wide and Gelhardt charged forward before shooting straight at Vigouroux in the final action of the game as the Tigers were defeated in drizzly South Wales.

Attendance: 18,775.

Extended highlights of Swansea City vs Hull City are available on Tigers Plus

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