By Tim Dudding, at the Liberty Stadium

Albion are out of the Carling Cup at the first time of asking after a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Swansea.

Russell Slade's side simply couldn't cope with the slick passing Championship outfit, and the sheer pace of winger Nathan Dyer.

Albion had already survived a couple of early scares when the lightening Dyer and Mark Gower should have done better, when the home side finally took the lead after 17 minutes - and it came courtesy of Swansea's defensive partnership Alan Tate and Garry Monk.

Tate met Andrea Orlandi's free-kick with a powerful header that came back off the post, and with Michel Kuipers stranded, Monk reacted quickest to nod into the gaping net.

Albion almost responded immediately, when Tommy Elphick rose highest to meet Dean Cox's free-kick, but the defender's header cleared the bar.

Dyer's electric pace was causing all sorts of problems for Albion's defence, and in particular Jake Wright, who was charged with shackling him but had picked up an early booking.

In the 39th minute the livewire winger raced towards Kuipers's goal, and having chipped the ball over the prone Albion keeper, Gower had only to tap in at the far post but somehow fluffed his lines.

Knowing something had to be done to quell the onslaught from Dyer, Slade withdrew Jake Wright at half-time, switched Andrew Whing to the left, and brought on Adam El-Abd in his place. Mark Wright also replaced Andrew Crofts to give fresh impetus to Albion's attack.

And for the first 15 minutes of the second half Albion looked much more solid, and also enjoyed several spells in and around the Swansea area, albeit without threatening Dorus de Vries.

But having done well to steady the ship, suddenly Swansea regained control, and Kuipers's desperate out-stretched hand only just managed to block Stephen Dobbie's shot.

And moments later the Swans went on the rampage again, and when Dobbie's initial header was blocked by Whing, the rebound fell kindly to the striker who stabbed the ball home with ease to double the advantage.

Kuipers was forced into another terrific save minutes later when substitute Guillem Bauza shot low from the edge of the area, a block made all the better given the deflection from Elphick's boot.

Now firmly in the driving seat Swansea sat back, allowing Albion more of the ball, although Slade's men were still unable to test de Vries.

And with the seconds ticking away, Bauza sprang the offside trap and crossed for Dobbie to clip the ball past a helpless Kuipers and into the net to round off a convincing victory.

Swansea: (4-5-1) de Vries; Collins (61 Rangel), Tate, Monk, Bessone; Dyer, Britton, Lopez (Bauza 56), Orlandi, Gower (Morgan 73); Dobbie. Subs not used: Grimes, Pintado, Bond, Painter.

Albion: (4-4-2) Kuipers; Whing, Elphick, Virgo, J Wright (El-Abd 46); Thornhill, Crofts (Wright 46), Navarro, Cox; Forster, Dickinson (Murray 65). Subs not used: G Smith (GK), McLeod, Tunnicliffe, Dicker.

Attendance: 6400

Referee: Graham Scott.

Yellow Cards: Tate (Swansea);J Wright, Virgo (Albion).

Follow Albion on Facebook and Twitter! Find out how here!