ANDREW Johnson came up with a late winner at keep Birmingham City's heads above water at Adams Park last night after Trevor Francis's team had come close to capsizing.

Blues looked on course to coast into the third round after repeating their Southend first-round stroll to go three up inside half an hour.

But, only two minutes after Wycombe's Jamie Bates had capped a heroic fightback by drilling home through a crowded penalty area to equalise, Johnson sneaked in at the near post to settle this seven-goal thriller.

Not that his late winner managed to restore the smile to Trevor Francis's face.

"The only satisfaction I take out of this game is the fact that we ended up winning it," said the somewhat glum Blues boss.

"There was very little to choose between the two sides.

"And I can't possibly think the tie is over yet.

"The only difference was we finished better than them in the first half, when they had six chances.

"That's more than we'd expect the opposition to have in two months, let alone 45 minutes."

In less than dreamlike conditions, Blues made a dream start.

Having settled the tie before halfway and putting five past Southend in the first round, once again the Francis's men were hot off the blocks.

And the soaking wet conditions - the game passed two inspections within a couple of hours of kick-off - certainly played their part.

With the ball skidding and splashing all over the shop, making it a nightmare for defenders, Johnson - a slippery customer in any conditions - scurried clear, goalkeeper Martin Taylor could not hold his low shot and, in the resulting scramble, home skipper Paul McCarthy seemed to slide in ahead of Geoff Horsfield to get an unwanted final touch, although Horsfield will claim and have the goal credited to him.

Straight from the restart, Horsfield wasted an even better chance when he raced clear, Taylor this time holding on.

But Wycombe really should have equalised immediately, Jermaine McSporran, two-goal destroyer of Wolves in last season's first round - twice spurning golden chances.

First he raced clear only to fire across the face then, put clean through again, he was denied only by Taylor's legs.

Wycombe were to pay for their poor finishing, though, when Blues struck twice in two minutes, Horsfield sliding home Peter Ndlovu's cross from close range before Johnson himself jinked his way through to tuck away a delightful third.

Old warhorse Andy Rammell did make Blues think a bit when, having made a habit of scoring against Midland opposition with Walsall last season, he maintained that streak by belting home an absolute screamer from 25 yards on the stroke of half-time.

But Blues should have settled it straight after the break, Bryan Hughes trying his luck from similar range, only to smack the left-hand upright, before Horsfield fluffed Taylor's miskicked clearance straight to him.

Having battled on with commendable heart, though, Wycombe pulled one back through Andrew Baird - with his first touch only two minutes after coming on.

And it got a bit hairy when first McSporran fiercely tested Bennett, then Baird fired over.

That pressure told when Bates levelled but, from Martin Grainger's corner, Johnson got the vital connection at the near post - and, although Blues will do well to heed Wolves' second-leg experience last season - that ought to be enough to take back to St Andrew's next week.

Rammell - 45	Horsfield - 2, 22
Baird - 71	A. Johnson - 24, 87
Bates - 85