Birmingham and Peterborough reach EFL Trophy quarters
Birmingham City's Ayumu Yokoyama put the Blues on course for the last eight
- Published
League One pacesetters and competition favourites Birmingham City booked their place in the quarter-finals of the EFL Trophy after edging past Swindon Town 2-1 at the County Ground.
A second-half strike from Ayumu Yokoyama, his fourth for the club since signing from Japan's J League last summer, looked to have sent the Blues coasting towards the last eight.
But they had to survive a scare after Robins' striker Harry Smith first equalised then cancelled out his good work by putting through his own net with a minute of normal time remaining.
Chris Davies' in-form side find out their opponents in the last eight when the draw is made on Saturday, with the quarter-finals split into two northern and two southern ties.
Holders Peterborough United shook off the disappointment of their FA Cup exit to Everton by reaffirming their fine record in this competition with a 4-2 win over Walsall.
Two goals from Swedish striker Gustav Lindgren, in only his second start for the club since signing on New Year's Day, and two from Malik Mothersille, the first from the penalty spot and the second from close range, proved enough to see off the League Two leaders.
Cheltenham Town struck early and late to secure a safe, if slightly nervy, passage into Saturday's draw in the southern section by beating Colchester United 2-1.
Tom Pett bagged his second goal for the club in the third minute before Lyle Taylor levelled matters for Colchester. With the match heading for penalties, George Miller stabbed home from a corner kick in the first minute of stoppage time to secure the win.
Two-time winners Bolton Wanderers ensured they will be in the northern side of the draw at the expense of Lincoln City, Aaron Collins's 13th goal of the campaign enough to separate the sides in a 1-0 victory.
Rotherham United also retained the chance of become the first side to have their name figure three times on the roll of honour after coming through at Chesterfield.
The Millers may have lost their 100% winning record in this season's competition – only Peterborough can still boast that – but they just about kept their nerve to win a penalty shootout 4-3 after being held to a goalless stalemate after 90 minutes.
Cameron Humphreys converted the winning spot-kick, slotting calmly home into the bottom-right corner after Chesterfield failed to put away two of their five penalties.
Bradford City are also in the hat after seeing off Aston Villa U21, the final remaining Premier League academy side, 3-1.
Graham Alexander's League Two outfit raced into a 2-0 lead through Calum Kavanagh and Jack Shepherd inside 15 minutes only for Kyrie Pierre to pull one back for Villa.
Their hope was to last no more than two minutes as Callum Johnson quickly re-established a two-goal cushion with the Bantams' third, a lead they held from 26 minutes to the final whistle.
Two more teams are yet to add their names to the quarter-final draw with Leyton Orient set to face Stevenage on 21 January, and Port Vale and Wrexham doing battle for a northern quarter-final spot on 4 February.