LUCKLESS Cherries left the Liberty Stadium empty handed despite turning in a much-improved display against the Swans.

Kevin Bond's side put the hosts to the sword for long periods but were again made to pay for conceding some sloppy goals.

Rory Fallon's second-half double ultimately condemned them to defeat, although a stirring late fightback almost saved the day.

Fallon's brace, coupled with Izzy Iriekpen's fourth-minute opener and Lee Trundle's late goal, made it five straight defeats for Bond.

But goals from Danny Hollands and Brett Pitman gave the hosts a huge fright and almost saw Cherries earn their first point under Bond.

Hollands and Pitman both came off the bench to silence the home crowd by netting in the 79th and 85th minutes as Cherries clawed their way back from 3-0 down before Trundle had the final say.

Bond made no fewer than seven changes following Cherries' dismal midweek defeat away to Millwall in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

New signings Jack Cork and Ryan Bertrand were both handed debuts after joining Cherries on one-month loan deals from Chelsea yesterday.

The two 17-year-olds were thrown in at the deep end to replace Danny Hollands and Warren Cummings, who were both struggling with injuries.

Gareth Stewart was restored to the starting line-up, as were Franck Songo'o, Steven Foley, Shaun Maher and Steve Fletcher.

Neil Young played his 384th league game for the club and so became Cherries' fourth highest appearance maker.

Swans goalkeeper Willy Gueret easily saved Songo'o speculative long-range effort after 30 seconds before the hosts drew first blood following a corner inside the opening four minutes.

Swung in to the near post by Lee Trundle, Iriekpen arrived through a crowd of players to bundle the ball home from inside the six-yard box.

Cherries goalkeeper Stewart remonstrated furiously with the officials for a foul, but referee Rob Lewis saw nothing illegal with the goal.

Darren Anderton and Bertrand both looked for an instant response and their respective fierce drives were well blocked by defenders.

Swansea's height advantage was always going to trouble Cherries and towering striker Rory Fallon headed narrowly wide from Darren Pratley's 12th-minute corner.

Bertrand, who had Leon Britton breathing down his neck, showed good awareness when he nodded Trundle's delicate cross clear at the far post as Swans again threatened. But a 30-yard rising drive from Foley had Gueret scurrying back towards his goal, the Dubliner's effort just clearing the woodwork as Cherries began to find their rhythm.

Britton then dispatched a venomous shot over the top after skipping past his marker before Pratley wasted a good chance when he scuffed his effort horribly wide.

Gueret got down smartly to push Foley's first-time shot past the post after the lively Songo'o had beaten his man and crossed from the right.

Stewart did well to claw away a Fallon header under pressure from Iriekpen after a teasing Trundle cross had been helped on by Dennis Lawrence towards the end of the first half.

Cherries made an enterprising start to the second half and went close to levelling when Anderton's piledriver flew narrowly wide four minutes in.

And as Cherries continued to pen back the hosts, a thunderous drive from Songo'o flashed just past the post.

Like a dagger through the heart though, Swans doubled their lead after 57 minutes with Fallon credited with the goal after Tom Williams's cross had looped over Stewart and appeared to have crossed the line before the big Kiwi applied his touch.

But if there was any doubt about the scorer of the second goal, Swans' third just three minutes later emphatically belonged to Fallon.

After good work by Britton had released Trundle, his inch-perfect centre was powerfully headed home from close range by Fallon for his fifth of the season.

Cherries went in search of a goal and Fletcher rose to meet Young's centre, only to see his header drift past the post.

They were handed a lifeline 11 minutes from time when sub Hollands turned neatly and slotted a low shot past Gueret to reduce the arrears.

And Pitman set up a grandstand finish when he slid in to net from close range after Shaun Maher had headed the ball back across the goalmouth.

But Trundle completed the scoring with a delightful individual effort when he clipped the ball past Stewart with his left foot in stoppage time.