After a goalless initial encounter at Hillsborough, the return was another cagey encounter and Swansea manager Carlos Carvalhal saw his Premier League side create little of note during the first half against his former employer.

Swansea's top scorer Ayew came on at the interval and poached his ninth of the season before Nathan Dyer quashed Wednesday's dwindling hopes 10 minutes from time.

A 4-1 thrashing at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday (AEDT) put Swansea back in the Premier League relegation zone and it was arguably second best in the first half at the Liberty Stadium.

Kristoffer Nordfeldt parried Jacob Butterfield's swerving shot from outside the area just before the half hour and the Swansea keeper reacted sharply to keep out Jordan Rhodes' diving header from Lucas Joao's cross.

Sam Clucas' improvised overhead kick was as close as Swansea came before the break and it was grateful for Nordfeldt's assured handling after the marauding Joao cut inside Kyle Bartley

Carvalhal elected to send on Martin Olsson and Ayew in a double change that paid dividends when Tom Carroll's 55th-minute drive remarkably struck both posts, leaving the Ghana international to snaffle the rebound.

Dyer ensured a home tie against either Tottenham or Rochdale in round six when he sprung the Wednesday offside trap – a VAR referral fell in the winger's favour – to slide home Tammy Abraham's pass.