EFL Trophy Birmingham City 2 Bradford City 1 Full time

Lyndon Dykes scored Birmingham's winner eight minutes after coming off the bench

Birmingham City survived a second-half scare against League Two Bradford City before substitute Lyndon Dykes' late header won a dramatic Vertu Trophy semi-final to book Blues' first Wembley appearance in 14 years.

The twice EFL Trophy winners will now be at Wembley on 13 April to meet the winners of next week's second semi-final between fellow League One sides Wrexham and Peterborough United.

But victory came at a cost with the loss of Blues top scorer Jay Stansfield, who was taken to hospital after being stetchered off with a knee injury.

It looked like Birmingham had broken Bradford's stubborn resistance when Stansfield scored his 21st goal of the season just on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors then levelled on 52 minutes when boyhood Bantams fan Bobby Pointon netted from close range in the same passage of play in which Stansfield was not only denied a penalty after being barged over, but suffered his injury.

However, with the game heading for penalties, Dykes headed in to earn Blues a first return to Wembley since the 2011 League Cup win over Arsenal.

Chances were sparse in the first half as Bradford's injury-hit line-up, missing five cup-tied January signings, did a magnificent job closing down the hosts.

One well-worked early Blues corner routine created an opening for Willum Willumsson, whose low shot was blocked, while Stansfield flashed an effort just wide. But the big breakthough did not come until just before half-time.

Kieran Dowell's free-kick was blocked, the rebound fell to Stansfield outside the right corner of the box, he took a touch to create more space and a better angle and then tilted to powerfully guide home a right-foot volley which flew just inside the left upright.

If that was a dramatic end to the first half, it was more than matched by the way the second half began.

Blues felt they should have had a penalty when Romoney Critchlow bundled over Stansfield in the box - but referee Scott Oldham waved their protests away.

Instead, Bradford went straight down the other end and scored as Antoni Sarcevic crossed low from the right and Pointon lost his marker to ghost in at the near post and poke home.

Bradford keeper Sam Walker made two saves from Willumsson and substitute Alfie May as Blues and their fans in a bumper 27,066 crowd were left feeling increasingly frustrated. But, on 88 minutes, the hosts got the winner.

Tomoki Iwata crossed and Dykes climbed highest to divert his header into the left corner and take his side to a third final - three decades on from their two previous Wembley triumphs in this competition, in 1991 and 1995.

Birmingham City boss Chris Davies told BBC Sport:

"It was a great cross from Tomoki Iwata, a great header from Lyndon Dykes and a great moment. It's got us to Wembley.

"It was a penalty, I didn't have to see it again, and for them to break away and score just added insult to injury.

"Jay Stansfield has gone to hospital. It's his knee. He's landed on him and he was in a lot of pain. We must just wait and see - and hope for the best.

"We've still got one more step to go to win it, but for me to be able to lead out a team at Wembley is something special."

Birmingham City match-winner Lyndon Dykes:

"We haven't won anything yet, but to get to Wembley is great - and the boss has given us two days off too.

"I played there for Scotland against England during Covid, but it will be nice to be there in front of a crowd."

Bradford City boss Graham Alexander told BBC Radio Leeds:

"We've gone toe to toe with them. I can't remember Sam Walker making any saves before their first goal, which was a sucker punch just before the break.

"But I reminded the lads at half-time of some of the discipline that we had put into the first half and felt that we had maybe been a bit cheap on the ball and could be better.

"And, in the second half, we showed that. We scored the goal of the night for me And then they brought an international class striker and he's got the winner.

"They stuck their chests out and represented the club in the best way. There are bigger things ahead for this side if they carry on the path they're on."