Swindon remain on course to claim the second automatic promotion spot in League One following a resounding home victory over ten-man Tranmere.
The result was never in doubt from the moment Rovers' Ben Gordon put Alan Sheehan's cross into his own net.
The visitors lost Terry Gornall to a straight red for stamping on Billy Paynter in an incident that led to the penalty Paynter scored to make it 2-0.
Charlie Austin turned in a long ball from Jon-Paul McGovern to seal the win.
Earlier on Monday, Leeds' 2-1 win at Yeovil and Millwall's 2-1 victory at Colchester had seen Swindon briefly relinquish second place in League One firstly to the Whites and then the Lions.
However, this win - their fifth in six games - saw Danny Wilson's men leapfrog both their main promotion rivals with six matches still to play.
Swindon manager Danny Wilson told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "All we can do is do what we're doing. We can't effect whether Millwall get two or three goals but we know we can do something about it ourselves.
"We're in a great position. Can we sustain it? We'll wait and see. We want to get as many fans as we possibly can and that will make our job a bit easier.
"The confidence is growing and the belief has always been there."
Tranmere manager Les Parry told BBC Radio Merseyside: "We started ok and had a couple of chances. We've gone a goal down and it was a sloppy goal but we thought if we got to half time and regrouped we could get something out of the game.
"To go 2-0 down and down to 10 men at the same time, I'm not to sure if I would have taken 3-0 at that point but I would have been tempted.
"The conditions weren't great and we're playing against a team at the moment who is the second best in the division."
Live text and stats
Monday, 5 April 2010
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Swindon
3-0
Tranmere
FT
(HT 2-0)
Gordon (og) 10
Paynter (pen) 37
Austin 56
Swindon
01 Lucas
02 Cuthbert
03 Sheehan
06 Greer
21 Darby
04 Douglas
07 McGovern
24 Ward (Marshall 75)
30 Ferry (Timlin 78)
20 Paynter (Nouble 68)
32 Austin
Substitutes
12 Smith,
15 Amankwaah,
19 Jean-Francois Lescinel,
08 Easton,
10 Timlin,
25 Marshall,
09 Nouble
Tranmere
01 Daniels
05 Goodison
08 Broomes
12 Taylor
18 McCready
30 Gordon
04 Edds
11 Welsh (Labadie 73)
09 Moore (Savage 66)
14 Gornell red card
25 Curran (Mahon 60)
Substitutes
13 Collister,
24 Bakayogo,
10 Mahon,
23 Shuker,
29 Labadie,
07 Savage,
27 Sordell
Ref: LangfordAtt: 9,495
SWINDON
TRANMERE
Possession
Swindon56%
Tranmere44%
Attempts on target
Swindon8
Tranmere1
Attempts off target
Swindon4
Tranmere1
Corners
Swindon9
Tranmere2
Fouls
Swindon7
Tranmere9
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:07 The match has reached full-time.
90:00+2:50 Charlie Austin concedes a free kick for a foul on Ben Gordon. Luke Daniels takes the direct free kick.
89:38 The official flags Charlie Austin offside. Free kick taken by Luke Daniels.
88:54 Frank Nouble produces a drilled right-footed shot from close in and strikes the post.
85:57 Michael Timlin produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty area that goes harmlessly over the target.
85:33 Alan Sheehan decides to take the corner short.
77:27 Luke Daniels takes the direct free kick.
77:27 Substitution Michael Timlin joins the action as a substitute, replacing Simon Ferry.
77:27 Jonathan Douglas gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joss Labadie.
76:57 Alan Mahon challenges Gordon Greer unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jon-Paul McGovern restarts play with the free kick.
75:45 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Simon Ferry by Joss Labadie. Alan Sheehan takes the free kick.
74:55 Substitution (Swindon) makes a substitution, with Mark Marshall coming on for Daniel Ward.
74:14 Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Alan Sheehan, Chris McCready manages to make a clearance.
72:38 Substitution Joss Labadie replaces John Welsh.
70:42 Charlie Austin is ruled offside. Luke Daniels restarts play with the free kick.
69:30 Effort on goal by Charlie Austin from 18 yards. Comfortable save by Luke Daniels.
67:16 Substitution Billy Paynter leaves the field to be replaced by Frank Nouble.
65:15 Luke Daniels takes the direct free kick.
65:15 Substitution Bas Savage on for Ian Thomas-Moore.
65:15 Jonathan Douglas concedes a free kick for a foul on John Welsh.
61:29 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Alan Sheehan from the left by-line, Ash Taylor makes a clearance.
60:30 Gareth Edds fouled by Alan Sheehan, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Luke Daniels.
59:03 Substitution Alan Mahon joins the action as a substitute, replacing Craig Curran.
57:37 Drilled right-footed shot by Daniel Ward. Save by Luke Daniels.
55:16 The assist for the goal came from Jon-Paul McGovern.
55:16 GOAL - Charlie Austin:Swindon 3 - 0 Tranmere Charlie Austin scores a goal from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. Swindon 3-0 Tranmere.
54:24 Gordon Greer has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.
53:59 Inswinging corner taken by Jon-Paul McGovern.
53:46 Shot by Jonathan Douglas from 30 yards. Fantastic save by Luke Daniels.
50:28 Ash Taylor produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.
45:01 The second half has started.
Half Time
45:00+1:07 The ref blows to end the first period.
44:16 Charlie Austin concedes a free kick for a foul on Marlon Broomes. Direct free kick taken by Luke Daniels.
43:41 Gareth Edds takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance by Alan Sheehan.
38:42 John Welsh fouled by Alan Sheehan, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Luke Daniels.
37:34 Handball by Charlie Austin. Luke Daniels restarts play with the free kick.
36:18 GOAL - Billy Paynter:Swindon 2 - 0 Tranmere Penalty taken right-footed by Billy Paynter and scored. Swindon 2-0 Tranmere.
34:58 Sent off Terry Gornell is sent off by the referee.
33:34 Foul by Terry Gornell on Billy Paynter, Penalty awarded.
33:17 Corner taken by Alan Sheehan from the right by-line.
33:01 Shot by Daniel Ward. Save made by Luke Daniels.
30:10 Short corner taken by Jon-Paul McGovern from the left by-line, Shot by Jonathan Douglas. Luke Daniels makes a comfortable save.
29:30 Corner taken left-footed by Alan Sheehan, Marlon Broomes manages to make a clearance.
28:20 Alan Sheehan takes a shot. Save made by Luke Daniels.
27:38 Alan Sheehan decides to take the corner short.
23:39 Free kick awarded for a foul by Craig Curran on Stephen Darby. David Lucas restarts play with the free kick.
22:32 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Douglas by Ben Gordon. Strike on goal comes in from Alan Sheehan from the free kick, save by Luke Daniels.
22:01 Terry Gornell gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Scott Cuthbert. Alan Sheehan takes the direct free kick.
19:05 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jon-Paul McGovern by Ash Taylor. Stephen Darby restarts play with the free kick.
15:31 The assistant referee flags for offside against Ben Gordon. David Lucas restarts play with the free kick.
11:45 Marlon Broomes gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Alan Sheehan. Alan Sheehan takes the direct free kick.
9:57 Assist on the goal came from Alan Sheehan.
9:57 GOAL - Ben Gordon:Swindon 1 - 0 Tranmere An own goal is scored by Ben Gordon. Swindon 1-0 Tranmere.
9:10 The assistant referee signals for offside against Ian Thomas-Moore. Indirect free kick taken by Gordon Greer.
7:19 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Stephen Darby by Terry Gornell. Direct free kick taken by Stephen Darby.
6:10 Gareth Edds takes a shot. David Lucas makes a save. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Gareth Edds from the left by-line to the near post, Billy Paynter makes a clearance.
5:43 Ian Thomas-Moore fouled by Jonathan Douglas, the ref awards a free kick. John Welsh restarts play with the free kick.
4:02 Headed effort from inside the area by Billy Paynter misses to the left of the target.
3:38 Alan Sheehan decides to take a short corner.
2:14 The official flags Terry Gornell offside. David Lucas takes the indirect free kick.
0:00 The game gets underway.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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