THREE goals in 10 second-half minutes condemned Swindon Town to a 4-0 defeat to Rochdale at Spotland.

Joseph Bunney had given the hosts the lead in the 29th minute before a second period capitulation saw Town come away with little more than they deserved.

Matty Lund got Rochdale’s second in the 56th minute before a brace from substitute Steven Davies, the second coming from the penalty spot, wrapped up the comfortable victory and see Swindon slip to 20th in League One.

Swindon made four changes to the side as Jonathan Obika returned to the starting line-up for the first time since picking up a knee injury in training on the eve of the Bolton Wanderers defeat October.

However, there was no place in the matchday squad for Yaser Kasim, who was set to undergo a scan on an ankle knock that saw him limp off against Eastleigh in the FA Cup.

There were also starting spots for Anton Rodgers, Bradley Barry and Tom Smith as Luke Norris, Conor Thomas and Sean Murray all dropped to the bench.

The game started at a frantic pace with both sides looking to make an early impact on the game.

That almost came the way of John Goddard in just the fourth minute when the ball dropped kindly for him to pick it up and drive into the box but, one-on-one with Conrad Logan, his effort could only find the body of the Dale stopper.

Michael Doughty then tried to construct a chance in the seventh minute when his chipped ball into the box found Rodgers and while the midfielder’s swipe at the ball failed to make contact, it caused enough panic at the back for a combination of Logan and Keith Keane to clear behind for a corner.

In the 12th minute the ball dropped on the half volley for Nathaniel Mendez-Lang to fire a shot on the volley but it just flew wide of Lawrence Vigouroux’s goal, sparking Tim Sherwood, who was sat in the director’s box next to chairman Lee Power, to gesticulate angrily towards the bench.

The visitors were then called to throw their bodies on the line in the 14th minute when Darnell Furlong’s flicked clearance fell to the feet of Oliver Rathbone, but his shot was blocked.

The breakthrough came in the 29th minute when Swindon switched off at a throw deep in their own half and Callum Camps was alert as he dinked the ball into the box for Rathbone to collect before standing it up to the back post.

On hand was left-back Joseph Bunney, who was sent off in the fixture last month, to get a free header and leave Vigouroux with no chance.

The hosts had the chance to double their advantage four minutes before the break when Mendez-Laing pulled the ball back well to Matty Lund, on the edge of the box, whose shot just evaded the far post with Vigouroux at full stretch.

Mendez-Laing looked to press home Rochdale’s advantage after the break when he drove past the Town defence like it wasn’t there.

However, one-on-one with Vigouroux, he tried to chip the ball over the large frame of the Town stopper but cleared the bar as well.

However, it wasn’t long before Rochdale doubled their lead when Raphael Branco conceded a foul for a late challenge on Joseph Thompson.

From the resulting free-kick, the ball bounced kindly in the box and Lund was on hand to fire home on the half volley.

Swindon’s afternoon got worse just three minutes later.

With Thompson having already struck the bar moments earlier, Vigouroux was forced into a fine save at the back post before the ball fell to substitute Davies saw his shot in the box blocked, before finding the net with the follow up.

Town were now at sixes and sevens at the back and Rochdale smelt further blood when Davies drove into the box on the right and went down after tangling legs with Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill.

The referee pointed to the spot and Davies picked himself up to rifle the ball into the back of the net with power.

Fellow substitute Ian Henderson had the chance to get Dale’s fifth shortly after his arrival when Bunney drove to the line before cutting back, but the forward hesitated and when he eventually got his shot away, Vigouroux was behind it.

SWINDON TOWN XI: Vigouroux; Branco, Jones, Ormonde-Ottewill, Rodgers (Iandolo 68’), Smith, Doughty (c), Barry (Norris 53’), Obika (Delfouneso 60’), Goddard

Unused subs: Henry, Thomas, Evans, Murray

Referee: D Handley

Attendance: 2,196