Thomas nets a hat-trick as Swans keep the show afloat

James Thomas scored a hat-trick as Swansea City recovered from a 2-1 deficit at home to Hull City to save their Football League place in a 4-2 defeat of the Tigers.

Twenty-one years ago the Swans were jousting in the top division with the likes of Liverpool in their pomp and Leeds United to finish sixth. And Brian Flynn's side had to produce a performance every bit as passionate as those to cling on their the Nationwide Third Division place.

The only other side involved in the last-day demotion derby, Exeter City, had beaten the Swans over the Easter weekend but that result began to look less damaging in the eighth minute when a foul on Leon Britton gave Thomas the chance to step up and fire home the penalty.

The joy lasted a minute. Lee Jenkins left a long ball and Stuart Elliott latched on to it to score Hull's first goal against the Swans for 18 years. Sixteen minutes later another defensive error let in Martin Reeves to put the Tigers ahead.

But on the stroke of half-time referee Stuart Mathieson awarded the Swans their second penalty and Thomas equalised. Three minutes into the second half Vetch Field was sent into waves of rapture as Kevin Nugent headed down a corner and Lenny Johnrose swept in the Swans' third. There was drama still to come as Thomas scored the goal of the match, picking up the ball in midfield and chipping in from 30 yards, to seal the Swans' survival.

"It was so important for Swansea and for Wales," Flynn told Sky TV after the match. The headlines would be about "the local boy made good," he added. "I told the players before the game to be bold and be brave, but to chip from where he was was exceptional."

At the top of the Third Rushden & Diamonds sealed the championship when they drew 1-1 with second-placed Hartlepool at Nene Park. In the play-offs, Bournemouth will play Bury, who slipped to seventh in the final match when they lost 3-0 at home to promoted Wrexham, and Scunthorpe United will have home advantage in the second leg of the other play-off against Lincoln City, who cemented their first ever finish in the play-offs.

In the Second Division, Bobby Gould's attempt to save Cheltenham Town from relegation faltered at the final hurdle when they lost 1-0 at Notts County, and Chesterfield drew 1-1 with Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

Cheltenham, promoted through the play-offs last season, had been on a seven-match unbeaten run, but when Danny Allsopp headed in Mark Stallard's cross to put the Magpies ahead at Meadow Lane, the Robins had no answer. Chesterfield's form, five defeats in their previous six games, did not inspire confidence but John Douglas's goal set up the status-saving point.

In the Second Division play-offs there will be a considerable surge in traffic volumes across the Severn as Cardiff City and Bristol City meet in the play-offs. In the other tie, Queen's Park Rangers meet Oldham.

In Scotland, the Premier relegation issue is still not settled. The bottom club Motherwell and Dundee United, one place and one point above them, drew 2-2. Well have a game in hand. Raith won the Second Division with a 1-0 win over Berwick.