The holders AFC Wimbledon marched confidently into the quarter finals of the Surrey Senior Cup with a comprehensive win over the Met Police.

Manager Dave Anderson had promised a strong side from the full strength squad that was named and he was true to his word. First team regulars Steve & Richard Butler started on the bench alongside Wes Daly, but as their replacements were Simon Sihoby, Barry Moore and Rob Ursell, the starting eleven was hardly weakened. Of the squad that drew with Slough at the weekend, only Wayne Finnie and the injured Josh Lennie were not involved.

On a bitterly cold night, there was precious little to excite or warm the crowd until the quarter hour mark. Barry Moore should then have profited when keeper Robin Ruston dropped a cross but his header was diverted wide and Sihoby sent a free header wide from the resulting corner.

The Met themselves barely managed any scraps of midfield possession, but did manage to set both Craig Brown and Rob Howarth clear in the opening 20 minutes, only for both to fire high and wide when well placed.

The scrappy nature of the opening half was summed up by the Dons' opening goal on 28 minutes. Dave Sargent's left foot cross looked promising, only for Rob Ursell to miscontrol the ball when well placed. As the ball squirmed away from Ursell, keeper Ruston somehow let it trickle agonisingly through his hands and almost apologetically across the line, with Ursell understandably reluctant to take the goal plaudits.

With a lead under their belt, the Dons finally began to come forward with some purpose, with the returning Mickey Woolner linking well with Ursell on the right flank.

Dwayne Plummer had been switched into a centre forward role and the former Staines man looked much more active and productive in a more central role. He got his reward for perseverance on 32 minutes when Moore chipped over an advancing Met Police backline and Plummer cheekily backheeled the ball past Ruston, even as the ball looked to have run away from him.

Chris Gell was fully fit again and pulling the strings in midfield, only to blot his copybook on half time when an over zealous tackle earned him the game's first caution.

With a comfortable lead to defend, the Dons started the second period with Steve Butler and Wes Daly on in place of Antony Howard and Moore, whilst James Evans replenished the visitors' backline in place of Hart.

Virtually from the kick off the Dons dominated their lower league opponents in the second period, with more chances created in the first quarter of this half than in the whole of the second period. Striker Shane Smeltz made Ruston save well at this near post and his striker partner Plummer should have added to his tally but dragged his shot wide when well placed.

Just before the hour former Dons favourite Kevin Cooper belatedly entered the fray, as did current fans idol Richard Butler, in place of Smeltz.

After the second half collapse against Slough, the Dons' fans may have been worried when Andy Little fumbled a long range effort from Leon Johnson on 63 minutes. Fortunately for the Dons' custodian the ball rebounded off the post straight into his arms and disaster was averted.

The Met Police have had a punishing recent schedule, playing midweek games all through January and this really began to tell in the last half hour as the Dons dominated.

Plummer, Ursell and Butler formed a potent attack trio bearing down on Ruston's goal, but despite laying on various opportunities for each other throughout the second half, none of them could manage the killer third goal, as they all contrived to shoot wide when well placed. Ursell was particularly profligate and even Butler seemed to have left his shooting boots elsewhere as he fired high into the Tempest End after Ruston had beaten away Ursell's shot well.

The Dons' creative genius Ursell continued to carve open the Met Police defence down their left flank but his team mates continued to miss chances - Harvey shooting at the keeper from close in, Butler somehow missing from 2 yards and Ursell himself having an effort chested off the line.

Under the cosh for most of the second period, a rare Met break on 67 minutes saw them almost snatch a goal back as Little could only watch Evans's speculative effort hit the top of the bar and rebound to safety.

The one man Urse show continued into the closing stages, including one mazy dribble past at least four defenders, spoilt by a weak effort on goal that was easily smothered. With more accurate finishing, the Dons could easily have notched 5 or 6 goals.

All in all it was a useful run out for the Cup Holders as they progressed to a Quarter Final tie away at Guildford Utd later in February.