LAWRIE Sanchez said the quality of finishing was the only difference as Wanderers went out of the Worthington Cup to first division millionaires Birmingham City on Tuesday.

LAWRIE Sanchez said the quality of finishing was the only difference as Wanderers went out of the Worthington Cup to first division millionaires Birmingham City on Tuesday.

Blues lost 1-0 on the night to go out 5-3 on aggregate and never looked like scoring the two goals they needed to reach the third round for the first time in their history.

Wanderers had as much possession as City but never troubled keeper Ian Bennett in a game that did not remotely match the excitement of City's 4-3 win at Adams Park.

Blues boss Lawrie Sanchez said: 'The difference over the games was the quality of finishing. Our passing was as good as theirs but their finishing was better.'

Birmingham learned their lessons from the first leg and were much tighter defensively.

Brum boss Trevor Francis said: 'We learned our lessons. It was a real shaker to some of our lads to lose three goals at Wycombe and we were much tighter tonight and I couldn't see Wycombe scoring.'

But the tie always retained its interest until the 65th minute when Birmingham put the tie beyond doubt.

Substitute Andy Johnson, Birmingham's two goal first-leg hero, raced down the wing before crossing low for dangerman Peter Ndlovu to sweep the ball in.

It was third time lucky for Ndlovu. He was denied by the crossbar when Blues keeper Martin Taylor misjudged his first half shot but luckily, as the ball appeared to go under his dive, Taylor got some part of his body on the ball, forcing it onto the crossbar.

Then moments later Ndlovu saw his header gathered on the line at the second attempt by Taylor.

Wanderers created half chances and never forced Bennett in the City goal to dirty his knees.

It might have been different if referee Steve Dunn had given a penalty when Jermaine McSporran was felled inside the City box or if McSporran's second half drive had been deflected inside the post instead of just outside it by defender Darren Purse.

But in the end Wanderers were happy to escape with just a one-goal defeat on the night as Birmingham turned the screw late on. Johnson and Marcelo Cipriano were both denied by Taylor's legs as the hosts pushed for a second in the last ten minutes.

Birmingham: Bennett, Eaden (Hyde 28), Grainger, Purse, Holdsworth, Gill, Hughes, Sonner, Ndlovu, Horsfield (Marcelo 68), Burchill (Johnson 55). Subs not used: Poole, Robinson.

Wycombe: Taylor, Rogers, Vinnicombe, Bates, McCarthy, Bulman, Simpson, Brown,(Castledine 80) Harkin (Baird 58), McSporran (Senda 78), Rammell. Subs not used: Westhead, Cousins.