IT COMES to something when your mascot has more shots than your team and the ball boys make as many stops as the opposition goalkeeper.

But that is exactly what happened at the Vetch Field on Saturday when the notorious Cyril the Swan posed more of a threat during the half-time interval than John Hollins' men did in 90 minutes.

Cherries goalkeeper Gareth Stewart was troubled just once and could have been excused for keeping his arms folded like his graphic in our match facts panel on the right.

Stewart saved well from Steve Watkin's fierce drive 11 minutes from time, while an earlier effort from Jason Price was superbly plucked from the air by a ball boy in front of the Cherries fans.

The Swans were quite abysmal and even though Cyril was only taking part in a friendly penalty competition against Cherry Bear, he showed more determination and desire than any player in a white shirt. It also mattered to Cyril who recently hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons when he drop-kicked Zampa the Lion's head into the crowd during Swans' 0-0 draw against Millwall in February.

But he was impeccably behaved on Saturday and after giving Cherry Bear a lesson in finishing, Cyril courteously invited the visiting mascot to join him on a lap of honour as he celebrated.

Cyril's antics have had the Vetch Field faithful in stitches this season, but Swans fans are used to having a good laugh even though they have been staring relegation in the face since before Christmas.

Only last week, singer Tom Jones was rumoured to have tabled a £7m bid for the club, while other interested parties are said to include Chris Evans, Bonnie Tyler, Harry Secombe and Colonel Qaddafi. There is no doubt Swansea are quite simply a shambles both on and off the pitch and Cherries are unlikely to find such easy pickings as these during their remaining eight games.

But without wanting to take anything away from Sean O'Driscoll's troops, this was a workmanlike and efficient performance, capped by the addition of three valuable away goals.

The margin of victory also means O'Driscoll's side have regained their position as the leading scorers away from home in Division Two and saw Cherries pass their total goal haul for the whole of last season.

Familiarity with the Swans has breed content for Cherries in recent months and, apart from the odd Dean Court antagonist, most fans would have settled for three wins out of four against the Welshmen.

In fact, O'Driscoll would positively have bitten your hand off, if, in the dark days of September and October, anybody had offered him a league double and FA Cup first round triumph at the expense of an LDV Vans exit.

Goals either side of half-time from James Hayter and Wade Elliott put Cherries on course for their latest victory before new loan signing Warren Feeney completed the rout in the closing minutes.

And after discovering Hayter and Elliott had also scored in the cup tie at Dean Court in November, one sarcastic Swans fan was quick to point out that the duo are unlikely to net a league goal against them next season.

Cherries never looked back after Hayter had netted his 11th goal of the season in the 33rd minute when his deft near post header from Richard Hughes' corner left Swans goalkeeper Roger Freestone flat-footed.

Once again, the goal owed much to the tenacity of Jermain Defoe, who despite drawing another blank, forced Freestone into conceding the corner when the goalkeeper pushed his thumping 25-yarder round the post.

In a dire opening period, shots by Nicolas Fabiano and Matthias Verschave were both deflected wide, while Stewart pushed a David Romo corner into the danger area out to safety.

Eddie Howe, a rock in the centre of the Cherries defence, made a timely interception after Fabiano had burst through at the start of the second half before the visitors extended their lead in the 49th minute.

Elliott, the new wizard of dribble, collected a crossfield pass from Carl Fletcher before neatly side-stepping Swans defender Matthew Bound and smashing the ball into the back of the net from around 10 yards.

Sitting on a comfortable two-goal cushion, Cherries started enjoying themselves and Claus Jorgensen indulged in a spot of showboating down the right wing on a couple of occasions.

On the opposite flank, Elliott and Defoe combined to create another chance for Hayter who wasted a good opportunity to bag his second of the game when he blazed wildly over the crossbar.

There was delirium on the home terraces after substitute Watkin had finally managed to muster the hosts' first shot on target with 11 minutes remaining and the Swans faithful celebrated as if they had scored.

And as Swans piled forward in search of another shot, they were rocked as Cherries grabbed a third when substitute Feeney pounced on the loose ball after Freestone had pulled off a stunning double save from Steve Fletcher's thunderous volley and Feeney's header from the rebound.