A young Town side progressed to the next round of the leasing.com Trophy with a 6-5 shoot-out win at Peterborough.
Adam Przybek saved from Sirike Dembele and Frankie Kent to leave Barry Cotter the chance to send Blues into the last 16 and one step closer to a Wembley final.
Idris El Mizouni’s first goal in senior football gave Town the lead midway through the first-half but Peterborough were level before the break through an excellent finish from Ricky-Jade Jones.
Emyr Huws was close to a winner for Blues in added on time before the spot-kicks, which went into sudden death after each team converted four out of five with Przybek and then Cotter taking centre stage.
Przybek and Alex Henderson were handed their debuts for Town, with six Academy scholars included on the bench. Jordan Roberts returned from injury while Cotter lined up for Blues for the first time since April 2018.
Jones was wide with a header in the first attack of the game, while at the other end Roberts had too much on his shot when ‘keeper Aaron Chapman was off his line.
Cotter, a willing runner down the right, crossed for James Norwood who showed a good touch before volleying at Chapman, Dembele almost got in before Cole Skuse spotted the danger, Przybek then saving low to his left from Serhat Tasdemir’s effort.
The Town ‘keeper denied Dan Butler at full stretch and then did even better to beat out Joe Ward’s vicious strike that was arrowed for the far corner but on 23 minutes Blues were ahead, Norwood the creator with a driving run and shot that Chapman stopped but couldn’t hold and El Mizouni was first to the rebound.
Przybek held firm again after a corner cannoned up to him, Roberts sent a 25 yard free-kick well over before Peterborough levelled just past the half hour with a crisp drive from Jones that beat Przybek to his left.
Myles Kenlock cleared the danger from Jones as Posh enjoyed a spell of attacking intent, Przybek again in action to keep out a strike from Tasdemir to keep Blues level at the break.
Tommy Smith joined the debutants, replacing Skuse at the break. Town started the second-half brightly and El Mizouni and Norwood both tested Chapman inside the first few minutes but Peterborough had a great chance to go in front soon after but Ward pulled his shot wide.
Henderson came to Town’s rescue with a challenge inside the box, Norwood almost getting on the end of Huws’ ball over the top, Kent replacing Ward in Peterborough’s first change.
Dembele was just wide from close range, Roberts testing Chapman, then incisive play from Armando Dobra almost carved out an opening for Roberts.
Huws was wide from 25 yards, Posh making a double change for the final minutes with Ivan Toney and Mo Eisa thrown into the action.
Chapman tipped Huws’ free-kick over the bar, Toney sending a header that Przybek grabbed to his right and with time almost up, Chapman first denied Huws and then did the same with Roberts, with Huws doing superbly in the last seconds to prevent Tasdemir finding the net in a frantic finish to the game.
Roberts, Kenlock, El Mizouni, Norwood and Huws all scored from 12 yards, Brett McGavin seeing his kick saved before Cotter netted the winner after Przybek had saved from Dembele and then Kent.
Peterborough: Chapman, Butler, Woodyard, Dembele, Bennett, Tasdemir, Ward (Kent 63) Mason, Kanu (Toney 83), Barker, Jones (Eisa 83). Subs not used: O’Malley, Reed, Cartwright, Burrows. Booked: Tasdemir, Butler.
Town: Przybek, Cotter, Henderson, Skuse (Smith 46) Kenlock, Dobra, McGavin, Huws, El Mizouni, Norwood, Roberts. Subs not used: Alley, Folami, Hughes, Simpson, Gibbs, Georgiou. Booked: Smith, Roberts.
Att: 2310