MAKING his Hull City debut against Sheffield Wednesday on New Year's Day proved to be a bittersweet moment for former Pickering Town loanee Matty Jacob.

The 22-year-old defender replaced Manchester City youngster Liam Delap in the 61st minute of the sides’ clash at Hillsborough, after Marvin Johnson and Djeidi Gassama had given the hosts a 2-0 lead.

Josh Windass then sealed victory for Wednesday, with Burnley loanee Scott Twine’s 76th-minute penalty proving a mere consolation for the 10-man Tigers, who had earlier seen Tyler Morton shown a straight red card - a decision that has since been overturned.

Jacob first joined the Pikes on loan from Hull in February 2019, going on to be voted as the club’s Player of the Season as they earned a 16th placed finish in the Pitching In Northern Premier League division one east in 2018-19.

Making his debut for his boyhood club was a bittersweet yet proud moment for the young defender, despite his side beginning the New Year on a sour note.

“It’s a bittersweet feeling because I was coming on at 2-0 and losing the game when we expect to win games, we expect to win any game,” he told the club.

“But it’s a proud moment to come on for my boyhood club.”

Jacob has been with the Tigers since the age of nine, and captained the club's Under 21s before making the step-up to first team football under Liam Rosenior.

The left-back can also count a promotion on his CV, having been a part of the Gateshead side that claimed the Vanarama National League North title in 2021-22, scoring twice and contributing four assists in 37 appearances for the North East club.

Contracted to the club until the summer after penning a new deal last year, he has been named on the bench in each of Hull's last six Sky Bet Championship matches - a run that stretches back to their 3-0 triumph against Cardiff City on December 16.

But despite feeling as though the experience had prepared him to make his Tigers debut, Jacob admits that it instead proved to be rather a whirlwind.

“I’ve been prepared for months,” he reflected. “I had a long injury last season, and then I’ve just been building up my fitness.

“I’ve been on the bench for the last couple of weeks, which is nice, and then the gaffer said to go and warm up - within a minute or two I was on the pitch!

“I didn’t really have time to think about it!”

The Barnsley-born talent also credited Rosenior for his support during his rehabilitation from a long-term injury sustained last season.

“He just fills me with confidence,” he enthused.

“Even when things aren’t going your way, he puts an arm around you and says how good of a player you are.

“He just makes me feel like I can play good football.”