PNE conjured up just one chance all afternoon - a first-half Chris Brown header which cleared the bar by some distance.

Swansea bossed the contest from start to finish with Darren Ferguson's side failing to impose themselves at all on proceedings.

David Cotterill and Ashley Williams netted for the Swans, Cotterill also hitting the post in this one-sided affair which could have ended in a bigger winning margin for the hosts.

The visit to South Wales completed a miserable five days for North End following their 4-1 reverse to Barnsley in midweek.

Ferguson has plenty of work on his hands to put things right ahead of Sheffield United's trip to Deepdale on Tuesday night.

In the 14th minute, Gorka Pintado put a diving header from Darren Pratley's cross well wide of the target.

Joe Allen dragged a shot past the post, while North End's only attacking contribution in the clash came through Brown's header which looped high over the bar.

In the 23rd minute, the speedy Nathan Dyer beat Eddie Nolan down the right and whipped over a low cross to the near post.

Pintado met it with a neat flick which Andrew Lonergan blocked well.

It needed a fine interception by Sean St Ledger to deny Dyer as he raced on to a pass into the box in the 28th minute.

Both players then collided with Lonergan, the PNE keeper needing lengthy treatment to a facial cut.

Swansea went in front in the 35th minute, Mawene conceding a free-kick inches outside the box with a foul on Cotterill as he weaved goalwards.

North End lined-up a six-man wall but Cotterill curled the free-kick over it and into the far top corner.

The goal brought about a change in formation, PNE having started with a 4-3-3 system, Danny Welbeck and Neil Mellor providing width either side of Chris Brown.

They switched to 4-4-2 leading up to the interval, Welbeck moving alongside Brown, Mellor playing on the right with Keith Treacy on the left.

A terrible start to the second half saw Dyer catch Youl Mawene flat-footed less than two minutes in to race clear into the box.

But with only Lonergan to beat, the winger dragged his low right-foot shot wide of the far post.

It was a warning which wasn't heeded, Swansea going 2-0 ahead 60 seconds later.

Cotterill delivered a free-kick from the left-wing into the box, Williams rising highest at the near post to steer a header across Lonergan into the far corner.

Ferguson responded by putting on Jon Parkin and Ross Wallace for Treacy and Mellor.

PNE had the ball in the net in the 69th minute, Parkin running on to Brown's pass to slot the ball home.

But the flag went up for offside, it being a tight call on the linesman's behalf to say the least.

Lonergan made a good save two minutes later, diving low to his left to push away a 20-yard shot from Joe Allen.

Cotterill hit the woodwork as Swansea continued to boss the game, his 78th minute shot from 25 yards beating Lonergan and coming back off the post.

Paul Coutts was handed his debut after Monday's move from Peterborough, and Treacy made his first start following a lively substitute's appearance against Barnsley in midweek.

Youl Mawene coming back into the centre of defence completed the trio of changes.

Neill Collins and Ross Wallace dropped down to the bench, while Richard Chaplow missed the trip with a groin injury.

Chris Sedgwick returned to the bench after a move to Barnsley fell through, he hadn't been involved for the last two matches.

Callum Davidson wasn't fit enough to make a comeback following a head injury, Nolan continung at left-back with Sean St Ledger's wearing the captain's armband.

PNE: Lonergan, Hart, Mawene, St Ledger, Nolan, Mellor, Coutts, Jones, Treacy, Brown, Welbeck. Subs: Collins, Chilvers, Wallace, Parkin, Sedgwick, Carter, Henderson.

Swansea: De Vries, Tate, Williams, Monk, Bessone, Dyer, Britton, Pratley, Allen, Cotterill, Pintado. Subs: Trundle, Kuqi, Gower, Butler, Richards, Orlandi, Cornell.

Referee: P Gibbs (Birmingham)

Attendance: 14,659

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