Hull City 1-1 Swansea City: Tigers draw spells end for Swans' unlikely play-off bid

Luke Cundle scores his second goal of the season, with both strikes coming against Hull City

Swansea City's faint Championship play-off hopes were wiped out as they could only draw 1-1 at Hull City.

Swansea came from behind to earn a point as Luke Cundle's measured finish cancelled out Ben Cabango's early own goal.

But despite stretching their unbeaten run to eight games, Russell Martin's team cannot now finish in the top six.

They climb to 10th, but are five points short of sixth-placed Millwall with only one game remaining.

It has been a rousing late-season run for the Welsh side, who were 15 points adrift of the play-off spots and in miserable form in the middle of March.

A mid-table finish now beckons, as it does for 14th-placed Hull, who have lost only two of their last 10 games.

Liam Rosenior's team have been a tough nut to crack on their own patch in 2023, losing just one of 10 home league fixtures, and they seized the initiative with the first attack of the game.

Jean Michael Seri found Harry Vaughan in space down the Hull left, and the teenage winger drove forward before crossing towards Ozan Tufan.

Cabango made a sliding attempt to clear the danger, but only succeeded in diverting the ball inside Andy Fisher's near post.

Swansea defender Ben Cabango looks back in despair after turning Harry Vaughan's cross into his own net

Swansea laboured for a while as they searched for a response, with Liam Cullen and Jamie Paterson seeing shots blocked, before a spell of pressure led to Cundle's equaliser as the break beckoned.

It was a well-crafted goal, with Paterson collecting a pass from Manning before a clever through-ball created the space for Cundle to curl a precise shot beyond Karl Darlow and inside the far post.

Still Swansea struggled to find top gear, and Hull looked more likely to find a second-half winner as Tufan curled a free-kick into the side netting and then rattled the crossbar with another effort from distance which had Fisher beaten.

Swansea did apply some late pressure as they attempted to send their unlikely play-off bid to the final day of the campaign, but the closest they came was a Cundle header which was comfortably saved by Darlow.

Hull head coach Liam Rosenior:

"I thought it was an outstanding performance from both teams - both teams look really, really good teams at this level.

"I think both myself and Russell will be disappointed the season isn't continuing because both teams are showing a level of football and a level of identity that is different.

"They are a really good team and we more than matched them. I was so proud of the group and there were a lot of real positives.

"Again it's a performance that we can build on for next season."

Swansea head coach Russell Martin:

"There are some really disappointed people in the changing room which surprised me, but I like the mentality that they really were desperate to force their way in and still had the hope even after the Millwall game last night.

"I think it shows how far they have come as a group mentality-wise.

"I thought we were really good today, we were just lacking that final bit. Hull had one shot on target. We paid for a lack of energy at the start of the game.

"Second half I think we were outstanding but we couldn't quite break down a team with a lot of bodies defending. I much preferred the energy in the second half, but we didn't have enough of those moments in the final third when it really mattered ."