CITY'S bid for Wembley glory in the 2009-10 Johnstone's Paint Trophy ended with a 6-5 sudden death penalty shoot-out defeat against League One rivals Southampton at St Mary's this evening.
Just like the league game earlier this season, tonight's area semi-final ended all-square at 2-2 with Saints grabbing a last-gasp equaliser from Papa Wagio deep into injury-time.
Boss Paul Lambert made just two changes from the side that started Saturday's entertaining 3-3 draw at Yeovil. Michael Nelson replaced Jens Berthel Askou in the heart of the Canary defence with Tom Adeyemi coming in for fellow Academy product Korey Smith in midfield. With just five substitutes allowed in this competition summer signing Matt Gill made a welcome return from injury on the City bench.
City survived a couple of early scares with chances falling to Jacob Mellis and Ricky Lambert before Papa Waigo shook off the attentions of Russell Martin and slid the ball under Fraser Forster to put Saints in front on 14 minutes.
Tom Adeyemi came close to pulling City level on 27 minutes, the teenager received the ball in the box from Wes Hoolahan and turned smartly before unleashing a powerful shot which Saints 'keeper Bialkowski did well to repel.
For the second time in four days defender Doherty came to City's rescue with an equaliser. The big defender drilled the ball into the roof of the net after the home defence failed to clear a Simon Lappin free-kick.
City took the lead on 55 minutes when Grant Holt surged into the Southampton box and was thwarted by Bialkowski but the loose ball broke to Martin who guided the ball into an empty net.
In a keenly-contested match, City looked to seeing things out until Papa Waigo struck his second goal of the game in the final minute of injury-time.
As the match went to penalties Grant Holt, Russell Martin, Chris Martin and Darel Russell converted their spot-kicks as the initial first five penalties ended 4-4 after Michael Nelson saw his effort saved.
As the tie went to sudden death penalties City scored though Otsemobor but Bialkowski saved efforts from Matt Gill and Cody McDonald before Wayne Thomas converted the winning spot-kick for the hosts.
After the match City boss Paul Lambert told First News: "We deserved to go through, Alan (Pardew) said the same but it is a cruel game at times.
"Penalties are a lottery, sometimes they go for you sometimes against you. I couldn't ask for any more from the lads, I thought they were terrific."
