Swansea 2 v 0 Darlington

Swansea put their play-off hopes back on track as they sank shapeless Darlo with a first-half double-whammy at the Vetch Field.

Kristian O'Leary's first of the season in the 20th minute started the North-Easterners slide and a second by sharp-shooter Steve Watkin 19 minutes later spelled a pointless night for David Hodgson's men.

Swansea welcomed back their evergreen 'keeper Roger Freestone, attack-minded Stuart Roberts and Julian Alsop as they looked to recharge their promotion dreams.

Darlington restored ex-Derby striker Marco Gabbiadini and defensive linchpin Steve Tutill as they saught the points to erase faint relegation pangs.

After a tentative opening, an exhilarating Roberts run brought The Vetch to its feet on 17 minutes and three minutes later, the Swans powered ahead through Kristian O'Leary's emphatic finish.

The Irishman started and finished the move, getting on the end of a Jonathan Coates - Steve Watkin exchange before blasting home left-footed from ten yards.

And on 39 minutes there was double trouble for the confused North-Easterners as Watkin hooked home a second - his 14th of the season.

Robert's left-foot had opened up the Darlo rear-guard, Alsop rose and Watkin finished from eight yards.

But The Swans were grateful to Roger Freestone for a trio of fine stops in a four minute spell either side of the interval.

In quick succession, the former Chelsea man frustrated Marco Gabbiadini (twice) and Craig Liddle as the visitors desperately saught a route back into the game.

But Swansea skipper Nick Cusack almost wrapped up matters before the hour, and Darlington suffered further as Gary Himsworth, Brian Atkinson, Phil Brumwell and Michael Oliver all saw yellow - this, after fussy Hampshire referee Robert Styles had cautioned the home side's Jason Smith, Richard Appleby and Steve Watkin before half-time.

Substitutions
Swansea City: Bird, for Alsop (76)
Darlington: Bennett, for Brumwell (66), Duffield, for Naylor (81), Dorner, for Atkinson (64)

Bookings
Swansea City: Smith (21), Appleby (25), Watkin (34)
Darlington: Himsworth (46), Atkinson (53), Brumwell (60), Oliver (90)

Referee: R. Styles (Waterlooville)

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