At long last, Hull City's eighty-day wait for a Championship victory came in their final home outing of 2024 with a fully deserved 2-1 win over Swansea City, to hand Ruben Selles his first success as Tigers boss, ending a run of 13 games without three points.

City deservedly hit the front just after the half-hour when Joao Pedro forced in at the near post, but missed chances were costly, as was their inability to keep the lead, with Harry Darling heading in just eight minutes later from a rare Swans attack after ex-Tiger Josh Tymon picked him out well.

Burstow curled in a terrific goal nine minutes from time to give City the lead their play deserved and to put them within touching distance of a first win in 80 days, and in truth, the margin of victory should have been much greater, but in truth, it matters not because for now, the Tigers can celebrate Christmas with a win.

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Head coach Selles made two changes from the side beaten at Coventry a week ago, with Alfie Jones returning at the expense of Sean McLoughlin, while Kasey Palmer wasn't fit enough to be involved owing to his ankle problem, so in came Gustavo Puerta. There was a place back on the bench for fit-again Xavier Simons, joining McLoughlin.

Played out in a swirling wind and rain, the opening ten minutes were anything but exciting for the City fans and 250 hardy souls who had travelled from South Wales, but the Tigers did gradually work their way into the contest with Puerta angling in a teasing cross which Kamara on the stretch could only angle wide with a faint glance.

The chance Selles and the supporters craved came 16 minutes in when Giles' cross from the left found Slater six yards out unmarked, but the midfielder somehow sliced wide instead of hitting the back of the net, and so went a gilt-edged opening the goal-shy Tigers could ill-afford to pass up.

Swansea's first moment of promise came during the half-hour when Key swung over a good cross that was met by Vipotnik at the near post but went into the hands of Pandur.

Puerta almost slammed the hosts in front when his volley cannoned off the post and into the back of the goalkeeper, before fizzing over the bar, the luck again not on the Tigers' side.

City's dominance was rewarded after 34 minutes when the influential Alzate fed Pedro to fire in at the near post, his fourth goal in Black and Amber.

It should have been 2-0 moments later when goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux dropped a cross, Longman couldn't force it in and then inadvertently got in the way of Puerta's goalbound effort.

The Tigers were punished for those missed chances, when their inability to keep the lead proved to be a problem again. It was eight minutes before Harry Darling headed in the net giving Pandur no chance from Josh Tymon's cross, the returning Tiger with his another assist against the club he grew up at.

A slow start to the second half saw City take a while to get back into the swing of things, but eventually they did when Pedro picked it up outside the box, tried to take it past the goalkeeper but was forced wide and the chance went.

On the hour, Selles made a double change with Alzate and Kamara being replaced by the returning Simons and Mason Burstow and the former Chelsea man went close with a header from Longman's cross. Luke Williams made a double change moments later, taking off Ji-Sung and Vipotnik with Ronald and Florian Bianchini coming on.

Swansea hit the post from a corner as the nerves continued to be frayed at the MKM Stadium, and then Selles made a third change with 20 minutes to play when Cody Drameh replaced skipper Coyle.

Grimes was then booked when he brought down Puerta just outside the box with the Colombian looking to fashion an opening for the hosts, but Giles' free-kick was blocked, before Burstow saw a shot saved at the second attempt.

With nine minutes left, City finally got the second goal they deserved when Burstow angled in a lovely curling finish over the goalkeeper to lift the roof off the MKM Stadium. Second later, City won it back and Longman drove low, his shot cannoning back off the post.

After a nervy spell of added time, Selles' side hung on and were winners at the 14th attempt to give their fans some much-needed festive cheer, and a potentially season-turning success.

City: Pandur, Giles, Hughes, Jones, Coyle (c), Slater, Alzate, Puerta, Kamara, Longman, Pedro. Subs: Racioppi, McLoughlin, Mehlem, Bedia, Omur, Simons, Drameh, Jacob, Burstow.

Swansea: Vigouroux; Key, Darling, Cabango, Tymon; Fulton, Grimes (c); Eom, Cullen, Peart-Harris; Vipotnik. Subs: McLaughlin, Franco, Bianchini, Tjoe-a-on, Christie, Naughton, Abbey, Ronald, Abdulai

Referee: Thomas Bramall

Attendance: 20,024