Cup specialists Fulham added another Premiership scalp to their collection as they tore the Crazy Gang apart at Craven Cottage.

The Dons are the most famous fighters in football but they surrendered tamely at the home of their First Division neighbours.

Two goals in three first-half minutes from Wayne Collins and Steve Finnan knocked the stuffing out the 1988 FA Cup winners in this fourth-round tie.

Neil Sullivan did his best to keep his team in the hunt as Barry Hayles and Geoff Horsfield terrorised an injury-ravaged Wimbledon back-line.

But Collins' grabbed his second, 13 minutes from time, to send Paul Bracewell's team into the fifth round.

It was no more than Fulham deserved having dominated proceedings from start to finish.

And a more healthy scoreline would not have flattered the Division Two champions, who have found goals hard to come by in recent weeks.

The Cottagers may have slipped out of the First Division play-off zone but they continue to trip up loftier opponents in the knockout competitions.

Last season, Aston Villa and Southampton, twice, were the top flight victims. Wimbledon have joined Tottenham this term. Leicester could be next. They await Bracewell's cup heroes in the Worthington Cup quarter-final in midweek.

Fulham's rookie boss shrewdly strung a quartet of central defenders across his back four in a bid to thwart Egil Olsen's aerial bombardment.

Skipper Simon Coleman started in an unfamiliar left-back position, issued with the task of keeping goal-hungry Carl Cort quiet, but it was the First Division side who did all the attacking.

Bracewell's men seized the initiative from the start with burly striker Horsfield making a nuisance of himself up front and Lee Clark and Kevin Ball taking a stranglehold on midfield.

Sullivan saved from Horsfield and stole a cross off the head of Barry Hayles but could only watch anxiously as Horsfield flashed a header inches over from Finnan's corner.

Fulham fully deserved to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute with a move fashioned by Sunderland duo Clark and Ball.

Clark, Fulham's £3million record buy, burst from midfield to collect a Ball pass and found Hayles inside the penalty area.

Hayles turned neatly away from his marker and lifted a cross to the back post where Collins caught the Dons napping to head home.

The Cottagers, who have earned themselves a reputation as cup specialists in the last two seasons, doubled their lead within three minutes.

Clark released Hayles down an inside right channel and, as Wimbledon looked for an offside flag that never came, he squared for Finnan to tap into an empty net from close range.

Wimbledon could have been three down at half-time had Sullivan not saved bravely from Hayles in the closing moments of the first half.

Damien Francis squandered a gilt-edged chance to haul the Dons back into the game after half-time.

Jason Euell and Marcus Gayle engineered the chance down the left but the youngster lifted his shot over.

Sullivan's heroics gave the visitors hope. He denied the impressive Hayles three times in quick succession after the break.

He flew to his right to beat away the first and then blocked shots twice with his legs as Hayles tried to make the game safe. And Collins had a shot cleared off the line by Chris Willmott.

When Sullivan was finally beaten again, in the 77th minute, it killed off the Dons.

Fulham put together pass after pass in a midfield move before Horsfield forged to the byline with typical aggression and pulled the ball into the goalmouth where Collins forced home his second.

Teams:

Fulham: Taylor, Melville, Coleman, Symons, Finnan, Clark, Morgan, Collins, Ball, Horsfield, Hayles (Peschisolido 85).

Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Trollope, Hayward, Brevett.

Goals: Collins 22, Finnan 25, Collins 77.

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Gayle, Andresen, Willmott, Francis (Gray 66), Andersen, Hreidarsson, Cort, Euell, Leaburn (Ardley 46).

Subs Not Used: Heald, Earle, Badir.

Att: 16,877

Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).