Swansea City's travel sickness continues with frustrating Hull City defeat

Swansea City's away day woes continued courtesy of a frustrating defeat at Hull City.

A brainless handball from Ben Cabango allowed former Swan Oli McBurnie to give the host the lead, before Zan Vipotnik spurned two glorious chances to level.

Regan Slater's strike doubled the lead before half-time, but Swansea improved after the break and pulled one back through Liam Cullen's header.

But they couldn't find a second goal to restore parity, leaving Vitor Matos once again empty-handed.

This was Swansea's seventh defeat in eight outings on the road, and their form away from the Swansea.com Stadium remains a grave concern.

The fact Swansea created more than enough to take something from this game will likely be of scant consolation.

They now sit 16th in the Championship table ahead of another journey to Watford next week.

A largely forgettable opening 20 minutes yielded little excitement for either side, but this contest would leap into life courtesy of a proverbial brain fart from Wales international Cabango, who inexplicably held out his hand as a Hull freekick was delivered into the box.

McBurnie duly rolled home the resulting spot kick, in a moment that largely set the tone for Swansea's afternoon.

The hosts could have doubled their lead through another former Swan just moments later, with Lawrence Vigouroux getting down well to deny Kyle Joseph after he'd got in behind a creaky visiting backline.

But Swansea grew into the contest, and on half an hour were left wondering how they weren't level.

Josh Tymon's low ball across the box was inch perfect for Zan Vipotnik, who even without his recent goalscoring exlploits would have surely been expected to bury the resulting chance.

Somehow, from around six yards, and unmarked, he managed to turn his shot wide.

The Slovenian's second miss was arguably a harder chance, but the sight of his poked effort going just wide from a similar close range again after a brilliant Tymon cross, would have been no less gut-wrenching.

If there was anyone left in any doubt that this wasn't going to be Swansea's afternoon, Hull then, almost inevitably, added a second as Slater fired a rocket from the edge of the area into the top corner.

Virgouroux had to be alert to deny Joe Gelhardt, before then producing a fine save to tip Liam Millar's curling effort behind on the stroke of half-time.

Swansea, to their credit, improved after the break.

Substitute Josh Key's angled effort was parried away by goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, who produced a brilliant fingertip save to keep Cullen's header out just before the hour.

Cullen, one of two changes from the win over Blackburn Rovers, wasn't to be denied, however.

A superb near-post corner from Tymon found the head of the Wales international, who flicked home for his third goal of the season.

It was no less than Swansea deserved, and given their newfound dominance, a sensational comeback now seemed perfectly plausible.

John Egan nearly nipped things in the bud soon after Cullen's strike, but could only divert his diving header wide.

Matos threw on three subs, including new signing Gustavo Nunes, but it was Marko Stamenic that nearly made an impact; stinging the palms of Pandur with a rasping effort from distance.

Vigouroux had work to do too. Indeed, he would produce a sensational double-save to keep out Yu Hirakawa and then Joseph in quick succession 15 minutes from time.

Swansea continued to push for a leveller, with Melker Widell forcing a smart save late on, but they ultimately could not find a crucial second on what turned out to be another frustrating day on the road.

Hull City: Pandur; Coyle, Hughes, Egan, Famewo; Hadziahmetovic (Jacob 72), Slater; Joseph (Dowell 88), Gelhardt (Lundstrom 57), Millar (Hirakawa 57); McBurnie (Akintola 72)

Subs: Phillips, Crooks, McCarthy, Ndala

Swansea City: Vigouroux: Galbraith (Key 46), Cabango, Burgess, Tymon; Fulton (Yalcouye 80), Franco (Stamenic 65); Ronald (Nunes 65), Cullen, Eom (Widell 65), Vipotnik

Subs: Fisher, Wales, Ward, Cooper