First half goals from Ed Upson and Sam Foley sealed the victory for the Glovers and their task was made easier with the 27th minute dismissal of Wycombe midfielder Matt Spring for a high lunge on Gavin Williams. The red card came before the two Yeovil goals but in truth, the hosts had already proved much the better side and supporters leaving at the final whistle will wonder how the score stayed 2-0 at the end.

 

Yeovil boss Gary Johnson made two changes to the side that lost 3-1 to Carlisle ten days ago. Captain Jamie McAllister returned after serving a one game ban and Gavin Williams started up front with James Hayter. Keanu Marsh-Brown and Gozie Ugwu dropped to the bench.

 

Yeovil signalled their intent early on and Ed Upson swung in a free kick that Byron Webster just failed to get on the end of and Upson himself then mis-hit a left foot shot wide on thirteen minutes. His midfield partner Korey Smith then got in on the act hitting a rising shot over the bar from thirty yards out before Hayter then glanced a header wide from Edwards’ deep cross.

 

Wycombe’s first sight of goal came on twenty minutes when Marvin McCoy shot over the crossbar before Junior Morais pulled a shot wide of the post five minutes later. Young striker Adebayo Azeez, on loan from Charlton, limped off moments later and was replaced by Matt McClure but things were about to get significantly worse for the Chairboys when they went a man down and a goal down within four minutes.

 

First up was the red card. Combative midfielder Matt Spring went in with studs raised and high on Williams and referee Gavin Ward had no choice but to issue a straight red card to no complaints from the player himself. Almost straight away, Smith put a teasing cross in from the right and it was met by Ed Upson with a downward header, his first for the club with his head and also his first from inside the box.

 

The ex-Ipswich star then went close with a shot and Williams then sliced a shot wide before Dan Burn headed a corner from Upson just wide of the near post. Just as it looked like half time would come with the score 1-0, up popped McAllister to swing in a cross which was headed back across goal for Sam Foley to lash in for 2-0 right on half time.

 

At the break, Smith was replaced by Reuben Reid and the big frontman shot straight at Jordan Archer in the Wycombe goal soon after his entrance. Foley then curled a shot a foot wide and Reid then volleyed into the side netting as it looked like the home side would extend their lead. It was almost one way traffic but the Chairboys did look dangerous on occasions with Kortney Hause testing Stech.

 

But the bulk of the chances were still going Yeovil’s way. McAllister, Upson, Reid and Hayter all went close in a one sided last twenty five minutes but the closest either side came was when McClure thumped a shot against the crossbar with seven minutes remaining – a goal then would have set up an exciting but nervy finale.

 

Burn then headed wide from a corner as the Glovers ended the match on the up and with the bulk of possession and chances. If the score had ended four or five nil, it would have been a fairer reflection of the game but no matter; the Glovers take their place in the last eight of the competition along with fellow Southern area teams Southend United, Oxford United and either Northampton Town or Leyton Orient.