Swindon will contest the League One play-off final after a penalty shoot-out success at Charlton.
Charlton's main man misses penalty to end side's promotion hopes
Swindon Town will contest the League One play-off final after a penalty shoot-out success at Charlton Athletic.
The Robins, who won their third spot-kick decider of the season at the Valley, booked their trip to Wembley on 29th May after Charlton captain Nicky Bailey blazed his attempt wide to give Danny Wilson's side a 5-4 win in the shoot-out.
It looked as though the Addicks would be heading to the final when Simon Ferry put the ball in his own net after 27 minutes and then David Mooney put the hosts two up on the night and 3-2 ahead on aggregate just before half-time.
When Swindon skipper Gordon Greer saw red in the second-half, the Robins' hopes looked dead and buried until Danny Ward sent the tie into extra time with a 74th minute strike.
It was soon ten versus ten as Miguel Angel Llera received his marching orders in the 90th minute and when extra-time could not separate the two sides, it was Stephen Darby - on loan from Liverpool - who scored the winning spot-kick to ensure a final showdown against either Millwall or Huddersfield who lock horns on Tuesday.
Both sides entered Monday's semi-final second-leg with optimism with the visitors to the Valley holding a slender 2-1 lead from the County Ground first leg.
Swindon boss Wilson was forced into a change within the first five minutes as goalkeeper David Lucas fell awkwardly claiming a loose ball and was forced off the field with a suspected collar-bone injury which could keep him out of the final in 12 days time.
Lucas' replacement Phil Smith was soon called into action as he denied midfielder Kyle Reid's powerful drive in the 14th minute.
Addicks domination
The Addicks were dominating proceedings and they got the goal they deserved in the 27th minute as Gary Borrowdale's set-piece eluded Smith and Ferry - on loan from Celtic- somehow hooked his clearance into the back of the net.
Lucas' injury meant there were five minutes of stoppage time in the first-half and Phil Parkinson's side used them to grab a second goal when Reid set up Mooney to give the hosts the aggregate lead.
Midway through the second-half, things were looking even better for Charlton when Swindon were reduced to ten men after Greer's ridiculously high-foot on Deon Burton left referee Neil Swarbrick with no other choice but to show the Robins captain a straight red card.
But the visitors were buoyed by the dismissal and Ward levelled the match with a quarter of an hour to go when he scored for the third time in three games before Llera became the second sending off for pulling Charlie Austin down as the last man.
With neither side able to score in the additional 30 minutes, the game went into penalties. Charlton captain Nicky Bailey took the Addicks' second penalty and blasted his spot-kick wide.
With all the other penalties scored, it was left to Darby to take the one to send Swindon to Wembley and he made no mistake by sending Darren Randolph the wrong way.
