Scotland 29y/o fires red-hot team to cup final as Rangers and Celtic cast-offs excel again

Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes was Birmingham City’s hero as he fired the Blues into the EFL Trophy final - with the help of some former Celtic and Rangers players.

Dykes, 29, came on with ten minutes to go in their semi-final clash with Bradford City and St Andrew’s with the score delicately poised at 1-1 and turned out to be the matchwinner, heading home a pinpoint cross from ex-Celtic midfielder Tomoki Iwata.

Birmingham went into the break a goal up on Bradford after Jay Stansfield had netted in first-half stoppage time after good work from Rangers loanee Kieran Dowell. However, the visitors equalised on 52 minutes through Bobby Pointon to leave the tie level going into the final stages.

Scotland star Lyndon Dykes scored Birmingham's winner. | Getty Images

However, Scotland internationalist Dykes - who has struggled to become a first-team regular since moving to Birmingham from QPR last summer - showed his aerial prowess to send the Blues to Wembley, where they will face either Peterborough or Wrexham.

“It was a special moment. It was really good to celebrate in front of the home fans, such a late goal as well, really special,” Dykes said of his winning goal.

“To get to Wembley is a really nice feeling. It’s a special moment of a player’s career to say they’ve played there and the manager also gave us two days off – I think that got a better response than us getting to Wembley!”

The victory in the EFL Trophy - also known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons - continues Birmingham’s excellent season so far under former Celtic coach Chris Davies. Following relegation from the Championship last summer, the Midlands side are six points clear at the top of League One and well-placed to win promotion back to the second tier of English football.

The only downside for Birmingham was a worrying knee injury for their star striker Stansfield, who was replaced just before the hour mark and was taken to hospital after damaging his knee.

“It was above his knee, it was a bad fall,” Davies said. “He [Bradford defender Romoney Crichlow-Noble] has landed on him basically. I don’t know the extent of it but he was in a lot of pain and has gone to hospital for checks.”

Birmingham have spent big in their attempt to land the title and have targeted players from north of the border. Iwata was brought in on a permanent deal from Celtic last summer, while Davies has signed three players from Rangers - winger Scott Wright permanently, and midfielder Dowell and defender Ben Davies on loan from Rangers. They also spent significant money to sign left-back Alex Cochrane from Hearts in July.

All five of the former SPFL players started on Tuesday night and can now look forward to a date at Wembley on Sunday, April 13. They will discover their opponent next Wednesday, with Wrexham and Peterborough due to play that night at the Racecourse Ground.