Birmingham advance after win over Wycombe

BIRMINGHAM secured their place in the second round of the Carling Cup with a routine 4-0 victory at Wycombe as all four Coca-Cola Championship teams avoided upsets last night.

While the likes of Plymouth, Charlton and Barnsley crashed out on Tuesday night with Wolves and Derby needing extra-time to overcome lower-league opposition, Coventry, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United joined Birmingham in the next round.

After an evenly-contested opening Mehdi Nafti fired Birmingham ahead 14 minutes in, Wycombe fought hard in an attempt to equalise. However their efforts were undermined by two well-worked second-half strikes.