Football: Flynn takes it on chin

SWANSEA blew their chance of giving new manager Brian Flynn his first victory as they let slip a half-time lead against a Rochdale side reduced to 10 men.

Visiting striker Clive Platt was sent off just before the interval for a crunching tackle on Jason Smith - an incident that sparked a mass brawl involving 12 players.

The Swans, searching for only their second victory of the season, were ahead at that stage thanks to a 32nd-minute goal from Welsh Under-21 striker James Thomas - his fifth of the campaign.

They deserved that half-time advantage, but they somehow contrived to let it all fall apart after the break. And Rochdale, despite being a man short, deserved the 71st-minute equaliser scored by Paul Connor.

Flynn was left to sigh: "Our problem at the moment is that we are a good side - for 45 minutes.

"The trouble is that we lack belief in ourselves to take it from there, but I believe it will come - at least you could see the spirit in the side."

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