JOHN Hollins could pair Giovanni Savarese and Walter Boyd up front as he aims to shoot down high-flying Rotherham at Vetch Field tomorrow. (3pm)

The game against Wycombe in midweek turned on its head when Savarese came on to partner Boyd, and now Hollins looks set to play the flamboyant front-runners from the start.

Venezuelan international Savarese is top-scorer this season with 14 goals, while Reggae Boy Boyd returned from the wilderness on Tuesday to score two spectacular goals in the 3-1 victory.

On the one previous occasion when they have started a game together, against Cambridge back in November, Savarese scored two goals and Swansea three.

So the visit of the promotion-chasing Millers would seem the right time to re-form the partnership from kick-off.

"We must score goals," said Hollins.

"You will not see three better than the ones we got against Wycombe.

"It's great to have Walter back in form at this stage, and with Savarese, Steve Watkin and Matthias Verschave also available, competition for places up front is high.

"It's a nice problem for me to have to choose between them. Maybe we'll play all four."

Hollins will not care where the goals come from as long as his side defeat Rotherham to maintain their slim hopes of avoiding the drop to Division Three.

And he knows the Yorkshiremen are likely to be very hard to beat as they are chasing an automatic promotion spot.

"They have had a very good run and are playing very well. But it's up to us to win the game. I don't care if they play well or badly," added Hollins.

"I think there will be a terrific edge to the game because both teams are fighting for points, but especially because we took the Third Division Championship off them last year.

"They want revenge and we want to avoid a double after we lost up there this season."

Hollins again appealed for fans to turn out in their numbers to add weight to his side's challenge.

"If we get a big crowd then the atmosphere can be our twelfth man. That would be tremendous," he said.

Swansea were checking the fitness of a number of players in training today.

Nick Cusack is set to recover from his hamstring strain, but Jonathan Coates is doubtful.

David Romo and Damian Lacey also have slight knocks, while defensive trio Jason Smith, Kristian O'Leary and Steve Jones are still out.

Meanwhile, long-term casualty Ryan Casey has signed a one-year extension to his current contract.

That keeps the Irish under-20 international winger at the Vetch until the end of next season.

Dates have been agreed for the FAW Premier Cup semi-final with Merthyr, which will be played over two-legs.

The first will be played at Penydarren Park on May 8, and the return at the Vetch on May 11.

May 18 has been set as a provisional date for the final, which will be hosted by the winners of this tie a decision being made on the toss of a coin.

CHRIS Todd's mum Julie was sick all morning on March 10. She wasn't ill, it was just that her 19-year-old son was due to make his debut for Swansea City that day.

The 6ft central defender didn't know what was wrong was with his mother. He didn't know he was playing.

John Hollins did not give him the good news until two hours before kick-off so Todd had no time to get nervous.

But the Swansea boss had rung Julie the night before to give her a chance to make sure the whole Todd family were present to see Chris make his Swans bow.

Julie was joined at Vetch Field by Chris's dad, Steve, his three brothers, his girlfriend, three grandparents and his uncle to see Swansea draw 1-1 with Northampton.

"It was nice of the boss to do that and I thank him for everything to be honest," said Todd.

"I found out after the game that my mum was crying all the way through as well.

"On the field, I thought the game went quite well for me."You get the impression that Todd, a lifelong Swans fan from Treboeth, can hardly believe he is in the first team himself. It's absolutely brilliant. I started watching the Swans when I was 11 and joined the club when I was 14.

"To be playing is a dream come true, and if it was a buzz making my debut, being part of a winning team against Wycombe was a different feeling again."

After just four appearances, Todd is still learning the trade in league football terms.Judging by his assured displays so far though, the feeling is that Todd could be around for a long time to come.

"It's great training and playing with people like Jason Smith, Matthew Bound and Kris O'Leary.

"They are always helping me out, talking to me and encouraging me," he said.

The only disappointment for Todd is Swansea's lowly league position.

"I think we've been a bit unlucky at times and we've had a lot of injuries," he said.

"But now we've got the win, hopefully we can stay up, though Rotherham tomorrow will be very tough."

Last season, when the Swans sealed the Third Division Championship against Rotherham at Millmoor, Todd was sitting in the stands with his brother cheering them on.

He wondered when he would be part of the first team and enjoying success. Now he's there, he is aiming high.

"Hopefully I will break into the Wales under-21s and do as well as I can with the Swans.

"We want to play at a higher level.

"The Premiership would be nice."

Swansea have no fresh injuries to contend with as they look to build on the lifeline they gave themselves by beating Wycombe in midweek.

Nick Cusack is making good progress and could play after recovering from a hamstring problem.

Ryan Casey (medial ligaments) is out for the season, while Steve Jones (thigh) and Kristian O'Leary (ankle) are still unavailable.

A spokesman for Swansea said: "The win over Wycombe has put pressure on the teams above us.

Varty out

"If we can win both our games over the Easter weekend it would make things completely different."

Will Varty is the only player that Rotherham manager Ronnie Moore is unable to call on.

The defender has a shin problem and will play no part at the Vetch Field as Moore's men bid to climb back into second place.

Moore said: "It is going to be a difficult game - we've got six cup finals now. We've got to get back to basics.

"Easter is such an important time as there's two games done and dusted in three days, with six points available."

CLUB captain Nick Cusack and Jonathan Coates could return to action this weekend to bolster Swansea City's Second Division survival campaign.

Boss John Hollins is hopeful of having the experienced midfield pair available as he looks to build on Tuesday night's 3-1 victory over Wycombe.

Promotion-chasing Rotherham represent a massive test for Hollins's lowly side, and the return of Cusack and Coates would be a timely boost.

"We did not pick up any new injuries against Wycombe, which is good news," said Hollins.

"And it's a possibility that Cusack and Coates could come back into contention for Saturday. We will look at them today."

Cusack strained a hamstring at Bristol Rovers last weekend. It was initially feared he would be out for a fortnight, but the 35-year-old looks set to make a swift recovery.

Coates, who has missed most of the season with knee ligament trouble, came off the substitutes' bench against Bournemouth 12 days ago for his first appearance since October.

But the 25-year-old soon suffered another set-back picking up a slight strain in training.

The news is not so good for Welsh under-21 international midfielder Lee Jenkins, who missed the Wycombe match and is doubtful for Rotherham.

At the back, too, the Swans will be far from full strength.

Hollins explained that Jason Smith and Steve Jones were in need of a reserve team game before they could re-join the first-team squad, while Kristian O'Leary is not expected to be quite ready either.

Meanwhile, former Swans favourite Keith Walker is set to leave South Wales to return home to Scotland this summer.

Walker, who played 336 games for Swansea between 1989 and 1999, has been in charge of Merthyr of the Dr Martens League.

The former central defender said the move was for family reasons.

The Swansea City manager John Hollins, buoyant after watching his side beat Wycombe on Tuesday, is hoping his players can keep their dream of a great escape alive by a beating Rotherham at the Vetch on Saturday.

The Swans recorded only their second win of the year when they beat the FA Cup semi-finalists 3-1 at the Vetch thanks to two goals from Jamaican international striker Walter Boyd and another from Jason Price.

Hollins's men are now 13 points from safety with only seven games left, but the former Chelsea midfielder is optimistic the Swans can stay up.

"We are not dead yet. If we win all our remaining games it will be very interesting to see where we finish," said Hollins last night. "Let's see how we go - the Rotherham game is a massive one for us.

"I'm not interested in what people are saying. I just like getting on with the job and getting the right results. We're a side that can play and, if we do, we can get the three points."

Rotherham, currently in third spot and chasing an automatic promotion place, finished runners-up to the Swans in Division Three last season but the Yorkshiremen have adapted far better to life in the more clinical Second Division.

"They've had one or two dodgy results in the last few weeks but I'd prefer to be wobbling in their position. We can't afford to wobble in ours," said Hollins.

"They're a hard-working side. Mark Robins is a good striker and the other two lads up there with him (Alan Lee and Paul Warne) are pretty useful too."

Reflecting on the victory over Wycombe, the first league win at the Vetch since Boxing Day, Hollins said: "It was quite convincing in the end and it has brought us confidence, although we didn't play well until the second half."

Hollins caused a surprise by dropping 14-goal Giovanni Savarese in favour of Boyd, but his gamble paid off as the Jamaican netted twice, his first goals since the 4-0 drubbing of Luton seven months ago.

"We hadn't scored for three games and I needed to change something to get a response," said the Swansea manager.

"Walter has been in and out since he pulled a hamstring at Reading last September, but he's worked very hard on his fitness and he did all right on Tuesday."

Swansea City...3
Wycombe Wanderers...1

RETURNING Reggae Boy Walter Boyd breathed life into Swansea City's Second Division survival campaign in an amazing turnaround at the Vetch last night.

Boyd's superb double strike either side of Jason Price's deflected goal lifted the gloom just as another defeat looked almost inevitable.

All three goals came in an exhilarating final 15 minutes which saw the Vetch erupt with joy and relief.

It is only three points, of course, but this sparkling comeback might just kickstart an even bigger Swansea revival as they fight to avoid an immediate return to Division Three.

And all this after the home side had once again stuttered and struggled through the first hour of the match.

Wycombe had rubbished any talk of an FA Cup semi-final hangover inside the first two minutes.

Andy Rammell carved Swansea's defence in half with ease and although Roger Freestone saved well initially, Michael Simpson only had to pass the ball into an empty net from 10 yards.

As the half wore on, the feeling grew that a repeat of the Bournemouth debacle would be served up to the lowest crowd of the season at the Vetch.

Boyd scuffed Swansea's only opportunity, while Freestone kept his side in the game with fine blocks from Chris Vinnicombe and Rammell.

As Lawrie Sanchez pointed out afterwards, the game could have been over had these chances been taken.

"Rubbish," said one glum home supporter to another over a cup of tea. "They're getting worse," replied his friend. It would have been hard to argue.

But Hollins, who had surprisingly left out top scorer Giovanni Savarese to accommodate Boyd, threw on David Romo and, after four months out, Richie Appleby.

And Steve Watkin soon followed Damien Lacey and Nicolas Fabiano off to make way for Savarese.

The game changed.

Swansea were suddenly threatening and Wycombe could barely get out of their own half.

With 15 minutes remaining, Frenchman Romo threaded the ball to Boyd on the charge.

The Blacka Pearl had looked in good touch and proved he was back to his best as he turned Vinnicombe one way and then the other before firing the ball low, right-footed into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.

At last a Swansea goal after nearly six hours since Stuart Roberts's strike at Swindon on March 17, but 1-1 and one point would be no good in the relegation battle.

Hollins had said before the game that one goal would lead to another. It did just that after Price had cleared off the line from Keith Ryan.

Swansea poured forward in search of a winner, and after Appleby's parried shot led to a scramble, Price drove fiercely from 25 yards and the ball deflected over the helpless Martin Taylor.

Hollins danced on the touchline, then fingers were being gnawed until Boyd's 91st-minute wonderstrike wrapped up a first home win since Boxing Day.

Swansea's intercontinental strike partnership came good as Savarese headed Freestone's punt into Boyd's path.

The star of last season's championship campaign smashed a half-volley over Taylor and into the top corner from 35 yards.

The obvious question after such a glittering performance is where has Boyd been this season?

Hollins said he had struggled with injuries picked up with Jamaica and had only just begun to look sharp in training.

Referee Mick Fletcher rightly disallowed a reply from Ryan for a foul on Freestone before bringing the drama to an end.

After a breathless finish, all the talk afterwards was of Swansea's remaining fixtures and how many wins would be required to stay up.

But Swindon's win at Brentford last night means the Swans are 13 points behind Cambridge with just seven games to go. It's still an incredible task.

Hollins was right about one goal leading to another. It remains to be seen whether his other assertion — that one win will lead to another — will also be proved correct. The win at Stoke last month changed nothing.

And however well Hollins's side do from now on, they must still rely on other sides slipping up if they are to escape.

At least now there is hope, and even if the Swans are eventually relegated, more performances like this late show will only bode well for next season.

Goal scorers:

Boyd 75, Price 87, Boyd 90

Wycombe Wanderers:

Simpson 2

Swansea city:

Freestone, Howard, Bound, Watkin (Savarese 73), Phillips, Lacey (Romo 60), Roberts, Price, Todd, Fabiano (Appleby 60), Boyd. Subs not used: J Jones, Verschave

Wycombe Wanderers:

Taylor, Marsh, Vinnicombe, Cousins, McCarthy, Bates, Rammell (Ryan 80), Bullman, Lee (Brown 82), Simpson, Whittingham (Senda 69). Subs not used: Carroll, Essandoh

Bookings:

Howard 33, Rammell 76, Simpson 82, Brown 84

Attendance:

3,010
Referee:

Mick Fletcher (Worcester).

Swans star choice:

Walter Boyd.

LAWRIE Sanchez was left wondering what had happened after three Swansea goals in the final 15 minutes dragged Wycombe Wanderers into the Second Division relegation battle.

Sanchez's side, who were giving a standing ovation by everyone at Vetch Field following their FA Cup heroics, quashed any thoughts of a semi-final hangover by taking a second minute lead through Michael Simpson.

But Reggae Boy Walter Boyd sparked an astonishing Swansea revival which leaves Wycombe just two places and four points off the bottom four. "It's ridiculous. 3-1 sounds like a thrashing but I just do not know where it came from," said a disbelieving Sanchez.

"We started where we left off on Sunday against Liverpool and I was really pleased with the first-half.

"But if we cannot score goals then we have got nothing to defend. Next season there will be players at this club who can score goals." He added: "I am worried about relegation now, we probably need two wins."

JUBILANT John Hollins refused to get carried away after Swansea City's dramatic 3-1 victory over Wycombe kept their fading hopes of avoiding relegation alive.

The Swansea boss knows there is still a mountain to climb, but was clearly delighted after recalled Walter Boyd's brace and Jason Price's drive in the closing 15 minutes at Vetch Field sank FA Cup heroes Wycombe.

"We're back," announced Hollins.

"I have always said that you get one goal and then the goals come. And when you win one you will win two and you will win three."

Swansea, who are still 13 points away from safety at the foot of Division Two, must now build on this result when high-flying Rotherham visit this weekend.

"You cannot get a bigger game than Rotherham and if we do not do anything on Saturday, then that win is a waste of energy and time," Hollins added.

"But the win sets us up for the game and we are looking for a big crowd here to help us get a second victory.

"The fans can see now that we can do it. I know the North Bank and the supporters are Swansea till they die. Well we're not dead yet."

Hollins surprised everyone by leaving Giovanni Savarese on the bench and giving Boyd a rare league start.

The change had been made, explained Hollins, to try to produce more goals.

They eventually came when Savarese had replaced Watkin and joined Boyd in an exciting-looking front two.

"I am trying to look for a formula that will win us a game. We've found a formula today that's created three goals and that's what I'm here for," added Hollins.

"Walter has been looking bright and sharp and he has done the business in the game. He's different class.Wouldn't it be great if he could get two or three on Saturday? He scored twice against Rotherham on his debut last season so a repeat would be nice."

Hollins admitted he had feared the worst when Wycombe took a second minute lead through Michael Simpson.

"It was a bit of a shock. I thought it was going to be the same old story and Roger made two or three really good saves.

"But the double change improved it and in the second half we really penned them in."

Swansea City 3 - 1 Wycombe Wanderers

Swansea staged a remarkable second-half recovery, scoring three times in the last 16 minutes to keep alive their slim hopes of staying in the Second Division.

A goal down after two minutes, battling Swansea stormed to victory against the FA Cup semi-finalists with two goals from Walter Boyd and another from Jason Price.

Whether Swansea's first home win since Boxing Day will be enough to lift the side to safety could be decided over Easter when the watching Ronnie Moore brings his promotion-chasing Rotherham side to the Vetch.

Swansea sprang a surprise by dropping 14-goal top scorer Giovanni Savarese to the bench and his absence offered the forgotten Boyd a rare opportunity which he made the most of.

The Jamaican World Cup striker back in the league starting line-up for the first time since September, had to wait 25 minutes before being presented with a goal scoring chance.

The hard-working Steve Watkin carved out the opening but Boyd directed his effort straight at goalkeeping cup hero Martin Taylor.

But the smallest Vetch Field crowd of the season was silenced inside two minutes.

Experienced campaigner Andy Rammell sent Guy Whittingham through but Roger Freestone could only get a hand to Whittingham's shot, leaving Michael Simpson to tap the ball into an empty net.

Only the brilliance of Freestone kept Swansea in the hunt.

Twice before the interval Freestone made critical saves to deny Rammell and overlapping full-back Chris Vinnicombe putting the contest out of Swansea's reach.

But if Wycombe thought that Simpson's goal had secured maximum points they had bargained without Swansea's spirit and determination. After struggling for long periods to string their passes together in the first half, Swansea came back strongly after the interval.

Watkin's missed free header on 66 minutes seemed to sum up the main Swansea problem before Swansea's commitment and industry brought its reward 15 minutes from the end.

Substitute David Romo found Boyd in space and the front-runner turned his marker one way and then the other before driving a right-foot shot into the bottom corner.

In a grandstand finish, Price cleared a shot off the line from Wycombe substitute Keith Ryan before Swansea completed a remarkable comeback.

Picking up the ball 25 yards out, Price unleashed a shot which took a wicked deflection to put his side in front.

And, as the match headed into injury time, Boyd struck again, firing in from 30 yards, giving Swans hope as the vital Easter fixtures approach.

ONE-TIME Wycombe player Nick Cusack was roaring on his old mates from his armchair when they faced mighty Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Tonight, the Swansea City skipper will be praying they lose the Second Division relegation clash at Vetch Field.

This time he will be sitting in the stands, after picking up a hamstring strain during the defeat at Bristol Rovers.

"I was on loan at Wycombe in 1994 when Martin O'Neill was manager. I lived there for a few years and have got some good friends there," explained Cusack, who is hoping to be fit again by the weekend.

"I was rooting for them against Liverpool and I was really impressed by their spirit and commitment.

"I am sure Lawrie Sanchez will be telling his players this is an even bigger game.

"The danger for them is the cup being a distraction. When you get back to the league it's like the morning after the night before."

And Cusack is hoping that will be the case tonight, improving the home side's chances of taking all three points.

The 35-year-old midfielder believes Swansea still have a "huge amount" to play for in their last eight league games, despite their exposed position in the table.

"Realistically, we are probably looking forward to next season now, but we have got to keep battling until the end," he said.

"We are not going to lie down, we are not going to go under and we have to build for next season whether we are in Division Two or Three.

"After the euphoria of last year, we have let the supporters down and we have let the city down.

"Now we have to put a smile back on the fans' faces even if the season does end in sadness."

Cusack felt the boos after the last home game — a 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth — were fully deserved after what he described as an appalling performance.

And he said the squad were looking forward to Wycombe and the opportunity to wipe out the memories of that loss.

"We are a close-knit bunch of lads and we feel the situation deeply. We would be delighted if we could get out of trouble," he added.

"We will not give up the fight for survival until it's mathematically impossible, and even if that day comes we must play for the fans and everybody must stake a claim for next season."

UPBEAT Swansea City boss John Hollins has sent out a rallying call to supporters ahead of tonight's crucial Second Division basement clash with Wycombe at Vetch Field (7.45pm).

And Hollins has promised fans a battling display as Swansea look for three points to cling on to their increasingly slim survival hopes.

"We will endeavour to win all eight league matches we have left this season and there's nowhere better to start than at home tonight," said Hollins.

"I would like a big crowd and those who do come along will be most welcome.

"We'll give them everything we've got. I will, Alan Curtis will and the players will."

The under-pressure manager, whose side have not scored in three matches, will take goals from anywhere tonight.

"We've got to score goals and I don't care how they go in. If we score because the ball hits a player on the back of the head, we'll take it.

"Even the fans have to blow the ball into the back of the net, it'll do," joked Hollins.

He said the efforts of his players at Bristol Rovers and Colchester last week could not be faulted and that defeats had not been deserved.

"The fans have not been happy with results, but I can assure them it's not for the want of trying.

"If we play tonight like we did at Bristol on Saturday we are in with a good chance of doing something. Something has got to give."

Wycombe's 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in last Sunday's FA Cup semi-final won praise from Hollins. He described their performance against the Merseysiders as "excellent".

"We are aware of them but all I'm going to worry about is what we do," added Hollins.

"When we played down there we gave them a two-goal head start and then frightened the life out of them." Swansea eventually lost 2-1.

"It's a familiar story for us really this season. But despite what some people say, we are not dead and buried yet by any stretch of the imagination."

Swansea will be without Nick Cusack who strained a hamstring at Bristol Rovers.

Jason Smith, next in line to wear the captain's armband, is also out with his long-term ankle ligament problem.

That means Matthew Bound is likely to skipper the side alongside young Chris Todd and Jason Price at the back, with Kris O'Leary (ankle) and Steve Jones (thigh) missing.

Welsh Under-21 international Gareth Phillips, man of the match last Saturday, faced a fitness test today on an ankle injury. Matthias Verschave returns to the squad.

For Wycombe, FA Cup goalkeeping hero Martin Taylor is doubtful with an arm injury.

Swansea:

(from) Freestone, J Jones, Price, Todd, Bound, Fabiano, Howard, Romo, Lacey, Phillips, Jenkins, Savarese, Verschave, Watkin, Boyd, Roberts, Coates.

Swansea have lost one player to injury with another doubtful ahead of Tuesday night's clash at the Vetch Field against FA Cup semi-finalists Wycombe.

Captain and defender Nick Cusack is out for two weeks with a hamstring problem while midfielder Gareth Phillips, who "had a blinder" at Bristol Rovers according to manager John Hollins, is battling to shrug off an ankle problem.

Ryan Casey is out for the season with medial ligament damage.

And Jason Smith and Steve Jones, who are carrying ankle ligament and thigh, are still not ready for action but should be back before the end of the campaign.

Kristian O'Leary is still struggling with a niggling ankle injury that has limited him to sporadic first-team appearances since February.

Hollins is remaining positive about his team's chances of survival, though the Swans are 16 points behind fifth from bottom Swindon, who they must catch if they are to stay up.

With 24 points still to play for, Hollins said: "We have eight games left and if we win all eight then it's feasible, isn't it?"

Back to the bread and butter

Wycombe's FA Cup goalkeeping hero, Martin Taylor, is a doubt for the trip to south Wales.

Taylor, who pulled off several magnificent saves against Liverpool but could not stop Wanderers going down 2-1, injured his arm in the process.

Manager Lawrie Sanchez must now lift his troops as points are vital to safeguard the Chairboys' Division Two status.

Matthew Bound says the injuries and suspensions suffered by the Swans this season are not the reason they are struggling in the league.

Last season's championship winning back five of Bound, Jason Smith, Mike Howard, Steve Jones and keeper Roger Freestone have played together on just eight occasions this season. However, the defender says that, while it would be easy to blame the season on that, the reality is that City haven't been good enough.

He said: "While playing together every week like we did last year obviously helps with familiarity, the truth is we've under-performed as a team this season and that's been very disappointing.

"We knew it would be tough even coming up as champions and we'd always have been happy simply staying up this season."

Midfielder's fitness race

John Hollins is sweating on the fitness of Gareth Phillips ahead of the clash with Wycombe on Tuesday, while Nick Cusack is definitely out.

Cusack was taken off in the second half of the defeat against Bristol Rovers after pulling his hamstring and looks set to be out of action for at least the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, Phillips is nursing a bruised ankle from the Rovers game and will face a late fitness test ahead of the game.

Hollins' fighting talk

John Hollins says he won't accept relegation from the Second Division until it is mathematically possible.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bristol Rovers may effectively closed the door on survival hopes but Hollins said: "If the fans have given up hope then that's up to them. I certainly haven't and neither have the players.

On Saturday's game he said: "I honestly thought we were the better side. We gave away a scrappy goal - a goal of the type we never seem to get. We normally have to create excellent opportunities, and we certainly did that. It's just the luck didn't go our way."

A DEFIANT John Hollins is still refusing to accept the ultimate defeat of relegation despite another three points slipping away at Bristol Rovers.

Swansea City went down 1-0 at the Memorial Stadium to an eighth-minute goal from Lewis Hogg on a pitch Grand National horses would have struggled to run in but the boss said he would not give up the ghost until there were not enough points left to grab.

The players could not have worked harder than they did on Saturday but that old failing of not scoring goals was there for all to see.

Swansea have notched a pitiful 33 league goals and Hollins insists once the ball goes in the back of the net things will start to happen.

But surely it's too late now.

The players cannot be faulted for effort on Saturday but this goalscoring record is not good enough.

"I could not ask for anymore from my players although a goal would have been handy," said Hollins.

"But I thought we were, again, the better side throughout.

"We just need a goal and once we get that goal we'll beat somebody.

"We've lost three points. There's eight games left until it's mathematically impossible we'll keep going, keep driving and if we keep playing like that we will get results.

Hollins slammed the state of the Memorial Stadium pitch but said he had no complaints that the game went ahead.

"Nobody can be happy with that pitch, they can't be happy with it," he said.

"It was bordering on unplayable but I was quite happy to play on it."

Some of the Vetch Field faithful in the past few weeks have resigned themselves to the fact that Swansea are down but Hollins will not accept that.

"I haven't given up so why should fans," said the boss. One game will change it. We need to score goals.

"Today we were the better side and had more chances than them.

"I am just looking forward to Tuesday when we've got a home game which is fortunate.On a decent pitch we'll get at Wycombe and if we play anything like that we'll get three points.

"I don't care what the supporters do.

"If they want to give up that's fine, but until it's mathematically impossible I am here and I will try to maintain a high standard of playing and try to win football matches.

"The spirit is very good. If the players had come out and they were all laughing there would be a problem," Hollins added.

"But they were disappointed and have had 90 minutes hard work.

"It's not through lack of effort it's through lack of finish sometimes.

"If we can get a goal we will beat somebody."

The travelling band of 500 Swansea City supporters would not have appreciated the song being played as they drifted out of the Memorial Stadium. The choice was Louis Armstrong's 1960s classic What A Wonderful World.

Those who had made the journey across the Severn were in no mood to sing along to Armstrong's gravelly tones because, on a cold and wet afternoon in the West Country, they had seen their team all but condemned to the Third Division.

Make no mistake, this was a match the Swans just had to win. Before the kick-off they were 15 points from safety with only nine games left.

Even manager John Hollins, usually so careful about making sweeping pre-match statements, had said a draw against Bristol Rovers would not be enough.

But an eighth-minute goal from Rovers midfielder Lewis Hogg against the run of play was enough to settle this tense relegation dogfight and surely Hogg's tidy finish has sent Hollins's men straight back to the league base-ment.

Following this defeat, the men from the Vetch are now 16 points from the safety zone and 13 points behind Rovers who occupy the final relegation place.

To survive, not only would Swansea have to win at least seven of their remaining eight games (and remember, Hollins's men have only won six all season) but hope that Rovers and the sides just above them - Swindon, Cambridge, Wycombe and Port Vale - all capitulate in the final run-in.

A Swansea escape seems so far-fetched, however Hollins is refusing to throw in the towel. "Until it's mathematically impossible we will keep going," he said after this latest defeat.

"I haven't given up hope, why should the players? There are eight games left and there are still points available."

Here, Hollins is in a no-win situation. He is derided for believing his team can still stay up, but at the same time he would be slaughtered for surrendering while it was possible to avoid the drop.

"Everybody keeps asking me the same question - will we stay up? A lot of people don't think we will but it's not their job, it's my job, and as I keep saying we will carry on doing the best we can and we will fight until it's mathematically impossible to stay in this division."

For the reasons why Swansea are in such a torrid position simply look at the statistics this season. They have the worst goal-scoring record in the division with 35 goals in 38 games (only Giovanni Savarese has scored for them on a regular basis) while the defence, impregnable last season in Division Three, has conceded 64 goals.

Only Oxford, Luton and Cambridge have let in more. Combine the two and you have a recipe for relegation.

Once again Hollins said one victory would spark an upturn in fortunes, but the Swans won at Stoke four weeks ago and that failed to trigger a winning sequence.

When told that the Swansea supporters had resigned themselves to relegation, Hollins replied: "I don't care what supporters do. If they want to give up, fine. The spirit in our camp is very good. The players are very disappointed and tired because they've had a hard 90 minutes. They've lost not through a lack of effort but through a lack of finishing at times.

"I thought we were the better side. We had more chances than they did but we've lost three points. We've got another game on Tuesday - at home to Wycombe - and I'm not looking any further ahead than that. If we play like we did against Rovers then we'll get the three points."

Rovers's caretaker-manager Garry Thompson, a former Cardiff City player who scored a winner for the Bluebirds in a notorious South Wales derby in December 1993, was naturally delighted with his side's victory. "It was important to put distance between us and the other teams in the relegation battle. I thought we were the aggressive team in the first 20-25 minutes."

It was a familiar story at the Memorial Stadium. The Swans endeavoured to play good football, enjoyed much of the possession - especially in the second half - and carved out decent chances. But they lacked a cutting edge in attack and were punished for a piece of slack defending.

In the opening minutes Savarese nearly connected with Lee Jenkins'scross and Nicolas Fabiano tested Nick Culkin with a low drive 15 yards out.

Then the home side scored. Nathan Ellington broke into the Swansea penalty area, Michael Howard dispossessed him and it seemed the attack had fizzled out, but the ball rolled to Hogg who coolly beat Roger Freestone with a neat flick.

Swansea controlled most of the second-half although Rovers' striker Ellington had the best chance in the 57th minute. Culkin's goal-kick fooled Swansea's 19-year-old central defender Chris Todd, who was standing in for the injured Kris O'Leary, and the ball fell to Ellington who had just Freestone to beat but he blasted his shot wide. That was Ellington's last action - he was replaced a minute later.

In the last minute Freestone went upfield for Howard's free-kick. It was a last, desperate act but he had no time to emulate Reggina goalkeeper Massimo Taibi who, in a Serie A match a week earlier, headed home a last minute corner to earn his side a draw.

Swansea boss John Hollins says he is determined to keep his side in the second division despite Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers.

"Until it is mathematically impossible we will keep on going and keep on driving," he said.

"I thought we were the better side throughout and we had two or three very good chances before they got their goal."

Hollins called on Swansea's fans not to give up hope of survival.

"We just need a goal and once we get that goal we'll beat somebody," he said.

Lewis Hogg's early strike kept Rovers' own survival hopes alive as the Pirates Hollins' strugglers 1-0 at the Memorial Ground.

The defeat almost certainly condemns the Swans to relegation, despite Hollins' brave words and a battling second-half display that saw them go close through Lee Jenkins and Nicolas Fabiano.

Rovers took the lead after just eight minutes when Nathan Ellington set up Hogg after a fine run.

Ellington himself had a great chance to settle the match after 56 minutes but volleyed wide.

Swansea kept battling on a quagmire pitch but Rovers managed to survive a nervous last few minutes to claim three points they just about deserved.

Bristol Rovers: Culkin, Thomson, Foster, Jones, Challis, Pethick, Wilson, Hogg, Astafjevs, Ellington, Lee. Subs: O'Reilly, Andreasson, Gall, Foran, Owusu.

Swansea: Freestone, Howard, Bound, Todd, Price, Fabiano, Cusack, Phillips, Jenkins, Savarese, Watkin. Subs: Jason Jones, Roberts, Lacey, Romo, Boyd.

Referee: M Pike (Barrow-in-Furness).