Swindon Town welcomed Peterborough United to the City Ground on Monday night in the second leg of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Area final.
The hosts took the lead in the first half when Alex Pritchard opened the scoring to make it 3-2 to Swindon on aggregate.
Britt Assombalonga equalised in the closing stages of the contest to make sure that the tie would be decided by a penalty shootout.
Swindon took advantage early in the shootout but Peterborough hit back and secured their place in the final thanks to a winning penalty from Tommy Rowe.
Read below to find out how a dramatic evening unfolded in the competition.
Good evening everyone. I'll be taking you through the second leg of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Area final between Swindon Town and Peterborough United tonight. The first game finished 2-2, meaning the tie is delicately poised at the halfway stage. Who will book their spot at Wembley?
The first leg was overshadowed due to a fan needing urgent medical attention, which caused the game to be delayed late in the second half. It was confirmed that the supporter was making a recovery. After all of that had finished, the game eventually ended in a 2-2 draw, with Swindon coming from two goals behind to level the scores.
What can we expect tonight? Promotion is top on the list of priorities for both sides this season. Peterborough are currently in sixth, with Swindon sitting just outside the playoff spots in eighth. A place in the Championship might be the target but a trip to Wembley is a big prize on offer. We could be in for a thriller.
SWINDON: Foderingham, Byrne, Archibald-Henville, Ward, Branco, Kasim, Thompson L, Luongo, Pritchard, N'Guessan, Murphy
SUBSTITUTES: Belford, Reis, Harley, Barthram, Gladwin
PETERBOROUGH: Olejnik, Alcock, Little, Brisley, Knight-Percival, Rowe, Payne, Swanson, Bostwick, Assombalonga, Vassell
SUBSTITUTES: Day, McCann, Newell, Anderson, McQuoid
The big news from the County Ground is that Swindon are without Nile Ranger, who injured his hamstring in the goalless draw with Colchester United on Friday evening. Michael Smith is cup-tied and misses out, while Nathan Thompson is currently suspended.
Grant McCann returns from a thigh injury to be named on the Peterborough bench and he is joined by loan-signing Josh McQuoid, who gives Darren Ferguson added options on the sidelines. Top-scorer Britt Assombalonga starts in attack.
"I'm looking forward to it. It will be a good crowd," Ferguson told BBC Cambridgeshire earlier this evening. "The carrot is Wembley. It could be a really big game and would catch the imagination of the whole town.
Ferguson clearly knows how big a trip to Wembley can be for these players, who may not get many opportunities to play at that ground. Swindon boss Mark Cooper will no doubt being saying a similar thing to his players in the dressing room. Chesterfield lead Fleetwood 3-1 at the halfway point in their tie. We'll know one of the finalists in just a couple of hours.
We'll surely see plenty of drama tonight. Both teams will be eager to play their respective brands of football and any game with Peterborough involved seems to produce goals. Swindon will look to dominate from the first whistle in front of their own fans. Goals look to be a certainty. Let's hope that isn't a curse.
These two sides are very evenly matched, so you just cannot rule out extra time tonight. Both managers will want to get the job done in 90 minutes but I'm sure the neutrals wouldn't mind being treated to the drama of a penalty shootout later this evening.
The players are out in the middle and there's a good reception from the locals. Promotion isn't on the mind this evening. It's all about a trip to Wembley!
KEY MEN: Assombalonga, with 23 goals to his name already, will be a big weapon for the visitors this evening. Swindon have been dealt a blow with Ranger being ruled out but Jacob Murphy, on loan from Norwich City, could provide a threat with his pace and skill going forward.
Here we go then. Peterborough will get the game underway.
Not much sticking for either side going forward in the early stages. Decent spells of possession for both teams but a lack of quality so far in the final third of the pitch.
Murphy does well to cause problems for the visiting defence as a long ball falls to N'Guessan, who is crowded out before he can unleash a shot. Pritchard then drills in a dangerous cross but Peterborough clear.
CHANCE! Alcock cuts in off the left wing and produces a superb cross but Assombalonga fails to test Foderingham with his header, which sails over the crossbar. Decent opportunity missed.
Archibald-Henville clashes with Knight-Percival in the box as the Peterborough defender clears a Swindon free kick. It looked like a boot caught Archibald-Henville in the eye but he should be fine to continue.
Peterborough are starting to settle down now as they enjoy an extended spell of possession. Swindon are dropping slightly deeper, which is inviting the pressure from the visitors.
N'Guessan is the main target for Swindon's longer balls forward but Peterborough's defence have won everything so far. Murphy, who has look slightly isolated, needs to get closer to the striker.
Swanson is gifted some space on the right wing but his cross is poor and Swindon clear the initial danger before Vassell can gain possession inside the box. The visitors are dominating with the ball now.
SAVE! Assombalonga's confidence is clear as he unleashes a shot from 30 yards but, despite a lot of movement in the air, Foderingham manages to produce the save. Good stop from the Swindon goalkeeper.
N'Guessan displays great strength to hold off a couple of challenges but a lack of support sees the move end with a disappointing cross into the box.
PENALTY APPEAL: Big drama at the County Ground. A pass splits the visiting defence and N'Guessan is threatening to break through on goal with a good run off the right wing. Alcock makes a clumsy challenge on the forward but the referee ignores the protests. Swindon will feel they should have had a penalty.
Much better from Swindon. The home side produce their best move of the match as they work the ball from left to right, where Pritchard whips in a dangerous cross. No one inside the box can get a foot on the ball, much to the relief of Olejnik and his defence.
Clear signs that Swindon are improving now as the noise inside the City Ground goes up a level. The tempo of their play has increased and it's Peterborough who are starting to look under pressure.
Alcock fouls Thompson in midfield to hand the hosts a free kick 35 yards from goal. Pritchard steps up but his speculative effort sails over the crossbar.
Murphy loses his marker but a poor touch prevents him from running through on goal. The youngster manages to win the corner, which is cleared away by Peterborough under plenty of pressure.
A couple of decent opportunities in the early stages of this game but the key talking point is certainly Swindon's failed penalty appeal. Will that make a difference at the end of the night?
Peterborough break at pace and Vassell has plenty of space to work with outside the box. However, his final ball is poor and he fails to pick out the supporting Swanson.
It opens up for Alcock in the box following a good run from left-back but he miscues his effort from a tight angle and the ball loops into Foderingham's hands.
Little is the latest full-back to venture forward and he makes good progress with his pace on the right. Byrne sticks to his task impressively and steals possession for his side inside his own box.
Swanson beats a couple of defenders on the right and pulls one back for Rowe, who completely misses the ball with a wild swing on the edge of the box. Payne retrieves possession but he fails to come close to hitting the target with a long-range effort.
CLOSE! Pritchard has looked one of the most dangerous players on the pitch in the first half and he threatens again with a tricky run on the right before curling a shot just over the crossbar from 30 yards.
Both sides are still looking to be positive. One goal could really open the game up before the break. Swindon are improving with every passing minute but they must commit more men forward.
Murphy is winning a lot of fans at the County Ground tonight. He hasn't been given too much of a sniff in attack but he's refusing to give up on any balls that might look like lost causes. Excellent work from the 18-year-old.
GOAL! SWINDON 1-0 PETERBOROUGH (PRITCHARD)
Swindon make the breakthrough! Peterborough fail to deal with the danger on the left and Luongo is able to drill a cross into the box. Alcock panics and his poor clearance strikes N'Guessan before deflecting off his own thigh. The loose ball falls to Pritchard, who rifles home to make it 3-2 on aggregate.
Alcock attempts to make up for his mistake when a corner is cleared to him on the edge of the box but he fails to test Foderingham with a wild effort.
YELLOW CARD! Thompson is furious when Bostwick brings him down with a late challenge. Referee Keith Stroud isn't pleased either and he produces a yellow card.
YELLOW CARD! Kasim is the next player to be cautioned shortly after hauling down Swanson as the winger threatened to make further progress on the right. The free kick that follows is headed into the stands by Rowe.
Ferguson will be desperate for his side to hit back before the break but they're running out of time. Swindon have played some nice football and do deserve to be ahead at this stage of the game.
Peterborough are enjoying a good spell of possession in the closing stages of the first half but they're struggling to make the correct decision in the final third of the pitch. Little breaks forward once again but he's left disappointed when he fails to beat the first defender with a cross.
It's gone a bit quiet at the County Ground. Murphy seems to have dropped slightly deeper, which has left N'Guessan on his own in attack. Swindon may play on the break as Peterborough go in search of an equaliser.
Little collects the ball in space once again and he produces a much better cross from the right. Assombalonga makes a move to the near post but he's enied by an excellent Archibald-Henville challenge.
Kasim whips in a cross, which is cleared to the edge of the box. Luongo is obviously full of confidence as he attempts a half-volley but he's well off target with a speculative effort.
Pritchard looks a threat every time he gets the ball and he targets a second goal after earning himself space outside the box. However, his effort is deflected behind for a corner. Peterborough clear the danger. Two minutes of added time to be played.
YELLOW CARD! Payne attempts to release a teammate with a long ball and he goes down after being tackled late by Branco, who is rightly shown a yellow card for the challenge.
HALF-TIME: SWINDON 1-0 PETERBOROUGH
Peterborough finish the first half well but they fail to create a chance before the referee blows his whistle. The visitors started impressively but have been forced onto the back foot on more than one occasion. Swindon continue to improve and they lead thanks to Alex Pritchard's strike. 3-2 to the hosts on aggregate.
Cooper will know that there's a long way to go in this game but his side have one foot in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final. It looked like Swindon had changed their shape slightly late in the first half. They may look to play on the counter to make full use of the likes of Pritchard and Murphy.
Peterborough have looked dangerous in flashes and they'll be pointing to one lapse of concentration at the back which has cost them dearly. Alcock has struggled at the back and he could have possibly been dismissed earlier in the game had the referee felt he fouled N'Guessan in the box.
The visitors aren't out of this tie yet. At 3-2 on aggregate, penalties could still be a possibility tonight. It's the biggest cliche in the book but the next goal will be crucial.
SUBSTITUTION: The players are back out in the middle for the second half. Swindon will get the game back underway. Josh McQuoid is off the bench for Peterborough to replace Vassell.
McQuoid may become a new partner for Assombalonga but it looks like he may start the second half slightly wider. Bright start from Peterborough after the break.
CHANCE! Big opportunity. Pritchard chips a superb ball over the Peterborough defence to find N'Guessan, who pokes the ball past Olejnik but misses the bottom corner. Will Swindon regret that miss?
Peterborough have started the second half well but Swindon are still looking positive. The visitors see a corner cleared as the away supporters increase the noise levels from behind the goal.
Superb work from Thompson to prevent Bostwick from playing the ball forward before chasing a couple of defender to make sure the ball is struck into the air. His efforts are recognised by the Swindon crowd with a big round of applause.
Ferguson is beginning to look nervous on the sidelines. His side seem eager to cross the ball into the box but Archibald-Henville and Branco seem to be winning everything in the air tonight.
Worrying signs for Swindon when N'Guessan requires treatment after colliding with Knight-Percival. The forward looks in pain but he's attempting to continue. Not too many attacking options on the bench for the hosts.
Swindon are beginning to dominate possession once again. The referee is forced to have a word with Branco, who has already been booked, after the defender catches Alcock but it doesn't look like a foul on second look. Plenty of boos from the home supporters.
Luongo wins the ball in a good position but his pass towards Pritchard is intercepted. A corner is given and Peterborough are forced under plenty of pressure before Olejnik collects a Pritchard cross.
SUBSTITUTION: Ferguson uses his second substitution to send McCann on to replace Payne for the final half an hour.
Swanson does well to keep an attack alive under pressure before picking out Little. The full-back advances into the box but he's eventually crowded out by two Swindon defenders.
A quick reminder that there will be no extra time played this evening. If the scores are level after 90 minutes, penalties will be required.
The Swindon fans are furious again when Murphy collides with McCann, who is awarded a free kick in midfield. It's a good decision on this occasion from Keith Stroud. Peterborough still struggling to create opportunities in the final third.
McCann is looking to get on the ball as much as possible since being introduced to the action and he starts a new move. Peterborough are still looking to use the wings but Little is once again frustrated by Byrne, who has been superb tonight.
Archibald-Henville has been in tremendous form at the back. Peterborough are persisting with high crosses into the box but the central defender is clearing everything with apparent ease. It's too easy for Swindon at the moment.
Ward dispossesses McQuoid before the substitute can turn towards goal as another Peterborough attack breaks down. Plenty of possession for the visitors, but very little threat.
Superb pressure from Swindon, who are not afraid to use their attacking players to press high up the field. It's been a source of frustration for Peterborough as they look to start moves from deep.
Assombalonga is looking very frustrated at the moment as he concedes a foul on Branco. The long balls forward are not suiting the striker, who has struggled to make an impact following a good effort early in the game.
Good spell of pressure from the visitors. A couple of crosses are nervously cleared by the Swindon defence. Bostwick picks up a loose ball 25 yards from goal and ignores his options before firing a poor effort over the crossbar.
GOAL! SWINDON 1-1 PETERBOROUGH (ASSOMBALONGA)
He only needs once chance! Murphy gifts the ball to Peterborough in a dangerous position and he pays the ultimate price as Bostwick chips a cross to Assombalonga, who heads past Foderingham from the edge of the six yard box. Will there be a winner?
Swindon look to hit back immediately but a cross is cleared away and the following corner ends with a free kick being awarded to Peterborough. 13 minutes plus stoppage time remaining at the County Ground.
It's the hosts who are dominating possession since the goal. They'll need to step up the tempo again to find a winning goal. Neither manager will be looking forward to penalties.
Swindon work the ball nicely from left to right. Branco chips a ball into the box but the delivery is lacking in pace and N'Guessan can only send a header over the crossbar.
SUBSTITUTION: N'Guessan is exhausted and he's brought off to make way for Ben Gladwin.
Gladwin is usually used in midfield or defence but it looks like he's going to a job up front for the final few minutes. Plenty of space for both sides now.
Bostwick is gifted plenty of space 25 yards from goal and he chooses to target the bottom corner. Foderingham looks relaxed as the ball passes his post by a yard.
Chance goes begging for Peterborough. Ward makes a mistake to concede possession in a very dangerous area. McQuoid has plenty of space in front of him but his pass to Assombalonga is too late and the striker is flagged for offside.
SUBSTITUTION: Good reception for Murphy as he jogs off to be replaced by Tijane Reis.
CLOSE! Good spell of pressure from the hosts. Reis collects the ball on the right and earns himself some space before whipping in a superb cross. Pritchard arrives late at the back post but he's denied by a brilliant Alcock clearance.
Time is running out for either side to find a winner. We could be set for a dramatic penalty shootout. Swindon are doing most of the pressing but Peterborough are defending impressively.
Archibald-Henville concedes a corner. The delivery isn't great but Thompson's mistake almost offers an opening to Rowe, who fails to take advantage. Four minutes of added time to be played.
Pritchard is convinced he's been fouled on the right wing but his protests are ignored as Peterborough clear once again after being pushed back.
A loose ball drops to Brisley, who attempts to unleash a shot from the edge of the box. Thompson makes a challenge and the referee decides it's a free kick. Swindon are furious but they'll have to get on with it now.
SAVE! McCann goes low from the free kick in an attempt to find the bottom corner but Foderingham reacts well to push the ball to safety.
SHOT! Assombalonga runs into the box and sees a powerful shot blocked. The ball breaks loose to Rowe, who then slices an effort wide. That will be the final chance.
FULL-TIME: SWINDON 1-1 PETERBOROUGH
Penalties are needed at the City Ground. Assombalonga's equaliser means that the shootout will decided who makes it to Wembley. Someone is going to be a hero in just a few minutes. The nerves will be hitting new levels for the two sets of supporters.
Here we go then. Swindon to go first. Luongo will take the opening penalty.
MISS! Oh my word. Luongo looks confident but he fires his penalty over the crossbar. It's a terrible start.
GOAL! Foderingham gets two hands on the ball but he fails to keep out Assombalonga's effort. 1-0 Peterborough.
GOAL! Kasim strokes his penalty home to get Swindon going in the shootout. 1-1
GOAL! Nothing pretty from Bostwick, who hammers the ball straight down the middle. 1-2
GOAL! Pritchard sends Olejnik the wrong way to make it 2-2. Peterborough still have the advantage.
SAVE! Foderingham guesses correctly! Swanson hangs his head on the walk back to the centre circle.
GOAL! Archibald-Henville finds the bottom corner with a confident penalty to make it 3-2 to Swindon.
GOAL! McCann drills the ball in off the underside of the crossbar. 3-3 in the shootout.
MISS! Terrible. Reis produces one of the worst spot kicks you'll see as he lofts the ball wide of the left post. Peterborough one penalty away from Wembley.
PETERBOROUGH WIN THE SHOOTOUT 4-3! No mistake from Rowe. He slots the ball home to win the tie for his side and send the travelling supporters wild in the stands. It's Peterborough who advance to Wembley!
180 minutes was not enough to separate these two sides. It's harsh on the Swindon team, who are given a great reception by the home supporters. They'll have to turn their attentions back to securing a spot in the playoff.
Peterborough will play either Chesterfield or Fleetwood Town in the final on March 30. I hope you've enjoyed our coverage on a dramatic evening in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final. Thanks for joining me. Goodnight.
Written by
Callum Mulvihill
Callum Mulvihill
