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 Wycombe
went down by a single goal at St Andrews on Tuesday evening in the Second Round
- Second Leg of the Worthington Cup, to go out of the competition 5-3 on
aggregate. The only goal of the game came on 66 minutes when Peter Ndlovu
played a one two with teenage substitute Andrew Johnson before firing past
Martin Taylor from 20 yards.The good news before the game for The Wanderers was that Andy Rammell was available for selection after a successful outcome over the appeal for his sending off against Bristol Rovers. Andy Baird also returned on the bench having missed Saturday's game with Peterborough due to a groin strain. However, after last week's seven goal thriller at Adams Park City boss Trevor Francis took no risks in being overturned by The Chairboys at St.Andrews. Since the First Leg City had brought in striker Mark Burchill on loan from Celtic and he played up front alongside Ndlovu and Horsfield and at a wet and windy St Andrews it was the home side that started the stronger. Martin Grainger was a particular threat down the left channel, with Burchill looking to grab his first goal in a City shirt. But any thoughts of City have an easy passage to the Third Round were put on hold when Michael Simpson saw a long range effort skid past Ian Bennett's right hand post after just five minutes. A desperate claim for a penalty after Horsfield was challenged in the box by Chris Vinnicombe were waved away by the referee as the Wycombe defence got back in numbers to cover the powerful City frontline. A 25 yard shot from Ndlovu in the 13th minute almost gave City the lead. Taylor was deceived as the bar bobbled but reacted in time to push the ball onto the crossbar and then scrambled back to collect the rebound. Wycombe responded with another move neatly worked from midfield and ending when Vinnicombe crossed from the left only for Rammell to head wide at the near post from around 12 yards. Burchill wasted a good chance on 23 minutes while Taylor had to be alert again to gather Ndlovu'a close range header literally on his own goal-line. Wycombe beat City's highly efficient offside trap on 31 minute to force a corner on the left and from Steve Brown's delivery Harkin placed his shot too close to Bennett in the City goal to threaten a change in the score. Harkin aslo played a part in Wycombe's best chance of the evening when he sent in a low ball from the left - McSporran connecting well at the far post but seeing Bennett tip the ball wide. A goal then may have shook City but the home side finished the half the stronger side when Burchill headed over at the near post from another left wing ball from the imprssive Grainger. Half-time 0-0 Wycombe forced another corner shortly after the break but after that came to nothing, both Managers made substitutions, City's teenage hope Johnson relacing Burchill and Andy Baird coming on as an extra forward in place of Harkin. It was Johnson who proved to be the most effective of the two substitutes and was once again a thorn in Wycombe's side. Four minutes after coming on he brought a fantastic one handed save from Taylor after the youngster had forced his way through just right of centre. Then in the 66th minute he had switched wings and promptly set-up Ndlovu for the winning goal. Wycombe now had to score two to take the tie into extra-time and with Wycombe's low strike rate this season that was always going to be unlikely. Rammell and Castledine both tried to make their presence felt in a final push but it was the home side that could have added another goal when Hughes sliced wide from Johnson's ball in from the right. So Wycombe are out of the League Cup for another year and will look back on a crazy opening 25 minutes at Adams Park in the First Leg that cost them the chance of upsetting The Blues from Birmingham. Despite the quality of the opposition Wycombe matched City for most of the game but once again lacked the killer instinct in front goal that Lawrie Sanchez is looking for. Final Score Birmingham 1 Wycombe 0 Wycombe lose 5-3 on aggregate
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