The Hatters have had their playing resources ravaged by financial necessity over the past week, and their visitors showed no mercy at Kenilworth Road as a Keith Keane own goal got them under way in just the fifth minute.

Guillem Bauza (64) and Jason Scotland (82) completed the Swans' scoring, with veteran forward Paul Furlong (73) providing just faint and fleeting hope for Kevin Blackwell's team.

Swansea have a three-point break on their nearest rivals, who are in-form Nottingham Forest after their 4-0 home win against Orient.

Forest's goals came from Grant Holt (31 and a penalty in the 54th), Kris Commons (72) and Matt Thornhill (89).

Carlisle began today in second spot but went down one via a 1-0 defeat at Doncaster, where Stephen Roberts got the winner in the 84th minute.

Huddersfield found Gillingham a tougher nut to crack than last week's FA Cup stooges Birmingham, despite scoring the opening goal at the Galpharm Stadium via Chris Brandon (32).

The Terriers had no answer thereafter as Gary Mulligan struck right on half-time and then again from the penalty spot in the 75th minute - before Delroy Facey made it 3-1 eight minutes from time.

The Gills had Adam Miller sent off in the 90th minute.

Cheltenham did themselves a favour as Dave Bird's 90th-minute winner made it 1-0 at home to struggling Bournemouth as his team moved just out of the relegation zone.

There was a 1-1 low mid-table draw for Northampton and Hartlepool at Sixfields, where Liam Dolman (16) struck for the hosts - only for Ben Clark to reply on the stroke of half-time.

It was 1-1 too at Oldham, who could not hold a lead against 10-man Brighton - as they had famously managed in the Cup at Everton last week.

This time, Lee Hughes (40) put the hosts in front. But Brighton, a man down after Dean Hammond was sent off in the 10th minute, stayed the course to level via substitute Nathan Elder moments before the final whistle.

Port Vale hauled themselves off the bottom of the table as on-loan defender Keith Lowe (75 and 90) added to Danny Whitaker's 24th-minute effort to give his club a come-from-behind 3-1 win at home to 10-man Millwall.

Gary Alexander's 14th-minute opener for the Lions proved to be of little ultimate value, and it did not help matters when the visitors had Richard Shaw sent off in the 50th minute.

Southend had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Yeovil at Roots Hall, where the hosts finished with 10 after striker Matt Harrold was dismissed in the 86th minute.

The Shrimpers had taken the lead thanks to Nick Bailey in the 20th, but Lloyd Owusu scored midway through the second half.

It was a point each too for promotion-chasing Walsall and Swindon, in a 2-2 draw at the Bescot Stadium.

Edrissa Sonko (22 and 68) put the Saddlers in the lead and later equalised, after Andrew Nicholas (65) and Craig Easton (67) had raised the Robins' hopes.