IT was not meant to be like this but Andrew Whing is upstaging Albion's other summer signing, Nicky Forster.

While Forster struggles for goals, Whing has continued where he left off on loan from Coventry last season.

The Seagulls enjoyed their best spell of the campaign when he was with them and the right-back has looked reliably solid since his return on a permanent basis.

Never more so than at the Liberty Stadium as Albion gallantly picked up their first away point of the season against a side manager Dean Wilkins is convinced are destined for the top six.

More significantly, it was gained via a first clean sheet away since the last victory on the road, at Northampton at the end of March.

Right in the thick of what developed into a rearguard action throughout the second half was the flame-haired Whing.

Dean Hammond, the ever-dependable Guy Butters and Matt Richards, much-improved after his disappointing debut against Yeovil, all made important blocks or clearances after the break.

The challenge which stood out though was when Jason Scotland, with six goals from ten appearances for Swansea, turned to shoot deep inside the box.

Albion's stoic defensive efforts were epitomised by Whing making sure he got a protective foot in.

The unassuming Brummie was reluctant to accept any individual praise. "As a team we defended well, not just the back four or five, but from the strikers all the way through to the goalkeeper," he said."Clean sheets are always important. We were disappointed with our performance against Yeovil, so it was important to get back on track.

"It's a difficult place to come to and we performed well. It has stopped the rot, our first point away from home, and we are delighted.

"I can't single anyone out, everyone dug in. Swansea have some good players and Scotland has scored a few goals, so we knew it was going to be difficult but we produced the goods.

"We have missed out in the last few away games and let in a couple of sloppy goals but everyone has stuck together to get a result and we could have nicked it at the end."

That was a reference to Bas Savage, as unpredictable as ever, hitting the bar with a left-foot shot from 20 yards deep into stoppage time.

The recalled Alex Revell did the same with a cross early in the second half, which was the prelude to relentless Swansea pressure.

The woodwork denied them, too, a few minutes later, a low drive from 25 yards by Dutch midfielder Ferrie Bodde rebounding off a post after Savage undid some good defensive work by giving the ball away.

Albion were so committed at the back that Michel Kuipers, for all the Welshmen's second-half domination, was only called into serious action once to acrobatically keep out substitue Paul Anderson's short-range stab.

So much for the hard-earned shut-out. The speculative efforts from Savage and Revell apart, Albion's inability to find the net away from Withdean and Forster's form in general are causing Wilkins concern.

Two goals in nine games, both of them at home to Southend, is a poor return for a striker with his experienced pedigree.

He was replaced midway through the second half by Doug Loft, drafted into the squad for the first time this season.

It is just not happening for Forster at the moment. He should have scored early on when Revell's glancing header from Whing's near-post cross was blocked by Dorus de Vries.

The Dutch keeper did remarkably well to get his body in the way of Forster's follow-up but it was the sort of chance he would have gobbled up at his sharpest.

De Vries also had to retreat to palm over a chip from the inventive George O'Callaghan as Albion, after a lethargic opening, threatened on several occasions in the first half to end an away drought stretching back almost eight hours now to Dean Cox's early strike on the opening day at Crewe.

That will only compound the frustration felt by Jake Robinson. Last season's leading marksman was dropped from the squad for what Wilkins labelled "a lack of professionalism".

Robinson reacted badly on Friday to being told he was not in the starting line-up again. I am not condoning his surly response but it is easy to understand why he is feeling hard done by.

He was surprisingly relegated to the bench following the flowing 3-0 home win over Millwall on the basis that he did not get enough crosses in.

His replacement, David Martot, hardly covered himself in glory in that respect in the next game at Gillingham and the Frenchman was below-par after staying in the side for Yeovil's visit.

Having performed well in the Reserves, Robinson made a difference when he took over from Martot in the second half of that match.

Pulled out of the Reserves in midweek, together with Revell, amid injury doubts over Savage and Forster, he must have thought he was going to be in the side on Saturday.

Savage, Martot and Revell have all earned starts by making an impact off the bench and, in Revell's case, in the Reserves as well. Robinson must be wondering why not me?

ALBION (4-4-2): Michel Kuipers (GK), Andrew Whing (RB), Guy Butters (CB), Tommy Elphick(CB), Matt Richards (LB), Bas Savage (RM), George O'Callaghan (CM), Dean Hammond (CM), Dean Cox (LM), Alex Revell (CF), Nicky Forster (CF).

Subs: Doug Loft (for Forster 66), Nathan Elder, Sam Rents, Adam El-Abd John Sullivan. YELLOW CARDS: George O'Callaghan (13), Alex Revell (80).

SWANSEA (3-5-2): Dorus de Vries (GK), Angel Rangel (RB), Garry Monk (CB), Dennis Lawrence (CB), Marcos Painter (LB), Thomas Butler (RM), Ferrie Bodde (CM), Darren Pratley (CM), Andrea Orlandi (LM), Jason Scotland (CF), Warren Feeney (CF). Subs: Guillem Bauzza (for Orlandi 90), Paul Anderson (for Feeney 63), Kristian O'Leary, Kevin Austin, David Knight.

YELLOW CARDS: Orlandi (75), Anderson (83).

What did you think of Andrew Whing's performance?