THE FA Cup battle between two renowned giant-killing sides turned out to be a massacre on Saturday evening as Football League newcomers Yeovil Town overwhelmed and outclassed Wrexham at their Huish Park home.

Gary Johnson's players milked the applause from their adoring fans during a celebratory lap of honour at the end, condemning their opponents to seek the sanctuary of the dressing room as soon as decently possible - although the reception awaiting the humiliated Dragons from manager Denis Smith can only be imagined.

The Racecourse boss put on a brave face for the television cameras but he must have been inwardly seething as he admitted to embarrassment and also apologised for the abject display to the club's supporters, particularly those who had made the 400-mile round trip to Somerset.

Broadcaster Sky, however, would have been delighted with their choice as the home side rose to the occasion in style, dominating the match from beginning to end and delivering goals at regular intervals.

On their showing, Wrexham would have failed the audition for Dream Team, the satellite channel's popular fictional drama of life inside a football club. Quite simply, they froze in front of a national audience and rarely, if at all, looked capable of getting anything from the game.

By comparison Yeovil, who have made an impressive start to life in the Third Division and had already beaten Second Division opposition in Bournemouth earlier in the season, were full of running, aggression and ability.

Another Second Division side, Colchester United, needed a penalty shoot-out to knock them out of the LDV Vans Trophy earlier in the week, so boss Johnson was somewhat affronted when asked whether his players had surpassed themselves.

"It was a fantastic victory and the boys deserved it," he said. "We played a bit like that against Colchester and didn't get our rewards, but today we got those rewards and we looked a class act. I was very proud of them.

"We know the passion, the power and the pace we've got but we need to show it a bit more often. That was there today and, when we combine that work-rate with our natural ability, we can win games.

"I was very pleased we were able to show the nation that we've got some very good footballers. Their work-rate was phenomenal, just as it is every week. You have to win the game in both penalty areas and we did that today."

Unintentionally, no doubt, there was a hint of condescension as he added: "We've killed a little giant today. We mustn't be too over the top because Wrexham are only one league ahead of us and we've beaten teams four or five leagues ahead of us in the past. In fact, I'm not too sure who were the giants out there today."

Ironically, the Dragons had two decent chances to have silenced the noisy home support before their opponents exerted a stranglehold on proceedings.

There was little to choose between the sides when Carlos Edwards saw his first-time shot turned away for a corner by goalkeeper Chris Weale in the 17th minute and Hector Sam might have done better than fire across the face of the goal after being put clear by Chris Llewellyn.

In between those two opportunities, the pace of Wales U21 international Kevin Gall had exposed Wrexham at the back but Andy Dibble did well to deny former Racecourse striker Jake Edwards.

And Yeovil's lively and mobile front two were superbly supported by an aggressive and hard-working midfield quartet, who seemed to win every disputed header and tackle, as well as being first to every second ball.

Their enthusiasm for the task was evident and, although there were brief moments of promise for the visitors, Dibble had to make another fine save from Gavin Williams before the opening goal, which had long been on the cards for the

home side, arrived six minutes before the break.

Nick Crittenden won the ball on halfway to set Lee Johnson on his way and when the Yeovil man skipped through a half-hearted challenge from Dennis Lawrence, he delivered the perfect cross for Gall to head the ball beyond Dibble.

Wrexham hit back through Sam, whose shot was well-saved by Weale low down, Darren Ferguson had a shot blocked and Shaun Holmes saw his follow-up deflected for a corner.

Brian Carey, whose lack of pace had been exploited too often, was replaced by Craig Morgan for the second half but barely a minute had elapsed before the visitors were 2-0 down.

Gavin Crittenden again set up the goal, chipping the ball in for Gavin Williams, who got in front of Holmes to turn it in.

Gall's failure to take advantage of a poor back-header by Jim Whitley merely delayed the inevitable as Wrexham continued to surrender possession tamely and, when Sam missed another good chance to get his side back into the game, they were punished again.

Lee Johnson's 59th-minute corner was met by defender Colin Pluck, whose header went through Dibble's hands - an error that summed up his side's miserable fortunes - and Wrexham were taunted by the home fans chanting "Ooh aah, it's a massacre".

To their credit, the Dragons refused to countenance a damage limitation exercise and Steve Roberts went close with a 20-yard shot that had Weale scrambling across his goal.

But there was no stopping Yeovil and when Darren Way went past Holmes in the 66th minute, Edwards was rewarded for his sterling display with a relatively simple tap-in to complete the rout.

Chris Armstrong, a 56th-minute substitute for the largely anonymous Lee Jones, scored a late consolation - his second in successive games - but by then Wrexham fans had packed up their flags and were miserably contemplating the long journey home.

YEOVIL TOWN: Weale; Lockwood, Skiverton, Terry, Pluck; Williams, Way, Johnson, Crittenden (El Kholti 76); Gall (Stansfield 80), J Edwards (Jackson 73). Subs: Rodrigues, Collis.

WREXHAM: Dibble; Roberts, Carey (Morgan 46), Lawrence; C Edwards, Whitley, Ferguson, Llewellyn (Thomas 73), Holmes; Sam, L Jones (Armstrong 56). Subs: Whitfield, M Jones.

BOOKINGS: Roberts.

REFEREE: Clive Penton (Sussex).

ATT: 5,049