CUP football is all about results - and Wanderers have quietly been negotiating their way through some tricky ties to claim their place in the last eight of the competition.

They may not have grabbed the national headlines, but Sam Allardyce's men have quietly gone about their business, reaching the quarter final stage for the second time in five seasons.

The first hurdle came in the form of Championship high-flyers Ipswich Town back in January.

Wanderers had won only one game in 11 heading into the game at Portman Road, but three goals in eight minutes underlined the Whites' class and put them into the hat for the fourth round.

Stelios set the ball rolling on the hour mark before transfer-listed Henrik Pedersen scored a brace to make the game safe.

Tommy Miller scored a late effort for Ipswich, but Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce was pleased with his side's performance.

He said: "With the extra bit of quality and fitness levels because of player rotation, we knew that the team would tire and it paid off for us and took us into the next round.

"It was a tight game in the first half, and there were not many chances at either end."

Sam's opposite number Joe Royle praised the Whites' clinical finishing and said it was probably the difference on the day.

He said: "The scoreline is slightly harsh on us. We probably had better chances but did not take them therein lies the difference probably between Premiership players and Championship players.

"Premiership football is played on the counter-attack, and their finishing was excellent.

The television cameras gathered like vultures to see Wanderers' next game at Oldham Athletic after the Boundary Park men had disposed of Manchester City in the previous round.

A scrappy game was settled by Ricardo Vaz Te's first goal for the club, but the main talking point after 90 minutes was Lee Croft's awful challenge on Nicky Hunt which left many speculating whether he would play again this season.

Luckily, Hunt received only bruising to his ankle, and Allardyce was left to reflect on another clean sheet.

He said: "It's important that we continue in the cup.

"We're three games off the final, four games off winning it and that's our quickest and our best route to Europe.

"I think we have the squad to cope with the Premiership and the FA Cup so we really can go for it."

Wanderers' first Premiership opposition, and first home draw, came in the shape of Chris Coleman's Fulham in round five.

Allardyce surprised many by making several changes to his in-form side, but the depth of his current squad was underlined as Kevin Davies' 11th-minute goal settled the contest, with Pedersen once again involved in the build up to the goal.

Although they never threatened to run away with the game, Wanderers booked their place in the last eight for the second time in five years, continuing a run of 10 games unbeaten with a workmanlike performance.

"I really don't know what my strongest team is any more," Allardyce said after the game, which by his own admission "wasn't a classic."

"It's very strong, whatever I do with it. When I change it, I don't weaken it.

"The lads who went in on Saturday were all very experienced players, most of them with experience of competitions far greater than what we were playing in.

"That has given me the confidence to make those changes whereas, in the last three years, I've been very reluctant to do it."

Fulham boss Coleman was upset that his players had failed to turn their greater possession into meaningful opportunities.

He said: "I am gutted. We bossed the game all the way through and