Tigers hero Bowen saves himself a spot of bother

JARROD BOWEN went from zero to hero as Hull sealed a stunning comeback win.

Wilfried Bony wasted no time in taking his injury frustration out on the Tigers.

But Nigel Adkins’ men hit back in spectacular style with three goals in 10 minutes to ease their relegation worries.

Bony marked his first league start for a year with a quickfire opener after just

158 seconds – but even with Erwin Mulder’s first-half penalty save from Bowen, the Swans could not hang on.

Bowen made amends for his spot-kick miss by guiding home Fraizer Campbell’s low cross at the end of an

80-yard counter-attack.

Tommy Elphick put City ahead when he climbed above Leroy Fer to score with a far-post header from Kamil Grosicki’s corner six minutes later.

And Bowen rounded-off the Houdini act when he was given time and space to cut in on his favoured left foot to curl an 80th-minute third from 15 yards.

An 88th-minute goal by Bersant Celina caused a few hearts to flutter but Hull held on for three valuable points.

Earlier, Bony was soon back on the goal trail as he found the net for the first time since January – and his 50th goal in English football.

Hull stood off as Barrie McKay’s pass found Bony, who beat David Marshall with a thunderous low shot from 20 yards.

Bony could have had a first-half hat-trick. He almost doubled his tally with a spectacular overhead effort from McKay’s teasing ball into the box.

Todd Kane then cleared the forward’s close-range shot off the line from a Wayne Routledge cross, before Poland international Grosicki blazed a shot badly over from 10 yards, in Hull’s first threat.

The Tigers looked set to level from the spot after Mulder was harshly ruled to have brought striker Campbell down at the near post as they tussled for Stephen Kingsley’s deflected cross.

But the Dutch keeper made up for it in perfect style by guessing correctly to dive low to his left to divert Bowen’s spot-kick for a corner.

Routledge spurned a chance to double the lead from close range in a second half where Bony was replaced when understandably tiring after the hour mark.

Swansea’s hopes of hanging on for a win that would have left them just three points shy of the top six were then blown away by Bowen-inspired City.

This victory sees them climb eight points clear of danger, even though sub Celina’s deflected late effort halved the deficit and ensured a nervous finale for the Tigers.