Rochdale 0 v 3 Swansea City

Swansea produced the kind of performance that may yet get them into division two as they cheered their 276 supporters with a comfortable victory. There was more good news as bottom club Scarborough beat fellow play-off hopefuls Halifax.

City were full value for their 3-0 win and it could well have been a lot more. It would have been but for Rochdale 'keeper Neil Edwards who made four or five exceptional saves to rescue his side from what could have been a more humiliating defeat.

Rochdale had only one chance which fell to Ian Bryson in the first-half. The midifelder shot well but Roger Freestone rescued City with the only real save he had to make all afternoon.

However, Neil Edwards in the Rochdale goal was busy from the start. The defence in front of him was poor and was weakened still furter by Mark Monington sending-off after 50 minutes.

Jason Price and Julian Alsop gave the home defenders a torrid time, netting the three goals between them. In truth they should both have had hat-tricks.

Rochdale fans demanded manager Graham Barrow's head during the match. His side didn't help matters by producing such a poor show.

Rochdale: Edwards, Farrell, Barlow, Hill, Monington, Lydiate, Carden, Bryson, Morris, Peake, Holt,
Bayliss, Stoker,

Swansea City: Freestone, Jones, S, Coates, O'Leary, Smith, Bound, Appleby, Price, Alsop, Watkin, Cusack,

Substitutions
Rochdale: Painter, for Bryson (61)
Swansea City: Roberts, for Appleby (66), Thomas, for Price (77), Bird, for Watkin (68)

Bookings
Rochdale: Monington (19), Bryson (61)
Swansea City: None.

Sent Off
Rochdale: Monington (50)
Swansea City: None.

Referee: J. P. Robinson (Hull)

Attendance - 1,654

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