A second-half hat-trick from Salomon Rondon has helped West Bromwich Albion to a 3-1 victory over struggling Swansea City in the Premier League.
The Venezuela international struck three times in the space of 13 minutes before Wayne Routledge netted the Swans' solitary reply at The Hawthorns.
Clear-cut chances were at a premium in the first half, but West Brom could have taken the lead in the 16th minute when Matt Phillips directed Nacer Chadli's low cross just wide from close range.
Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was called into action in the 36th minute when Rondon was sent clean through on goal, the Polish international racing off his line to make the block and maintain the parity.
There was a let-off for the Baggies moments later as Chris Brunt almost turned a cross into his own net, but they wasted no time returning to the front foot.
Rondon looked destined to beat the offside flag on the stroke of half time as he left his marker behind, only to be dispossessed by Jordi Amat, whose vital interception was all that kept the Venezuelan from racing clean through.
The hosts took the lead five minutes into the second half when Rondon leaped high in the box to head Phillips's free kick beyond Fabianski, but there was more to come from the South American.
He doubled his and West Brom's tally for the evening just after the hour mark, nodding home a cross from Brunt before claiming the match ball with a third header from another Brunt cross moments later.
Swansea began to ask a few questions of their own after falling three behind and pulled one back in the 78th minute, Routledge pouncing in the box following a goalmouth scramble to reduce the deficit.
The Swans might have had a fighting chance of salvaging something from the game had substitute Borja hit the target with a volley late on, but he squandered the opportunity and his side's slim hopes of a comeback.
The win moves West Brom up to seventh place in the Premier League table, while Swansea remain in the bottom three, three points behind Middlesbrough directly above them.
Mark Langshaw
