Vertu Trophy: Holders Peterborough United to Face Northampton Town in Last 32

Peterborough secured a 2-1 victory over Wycombe with a stoppage-time goal in the 2023-24 final. The reigning champions, Peterborough United, have been drawn to play at home against Northampton Town in the last 32 of the competition, now known as the Vertu Trophy. Peterborough, having previously defeated Wycombe in last season’s final, advanced from the group stage of the current competition with a flawless record, winning all three of their matches. Wycombe, who are currently leading League One, will also play their tie at home against Ian Holloway’s Swindon Town. Meanwhile, Port Vale, two-time winners and currently at the top of League Two, are scheduled to travel to Doncaster Rovers, the former club of their manager Darren Moore. Aston Villa Under-21s are set for an away fixture against Blackpool, who claimed the trophy in 2002 and 2004. Wrexham, winners of the trophy in 2005, will host Crewe Alexandra. Birmingham City, who were champions twice in the 1990s and are participating in this competition for the first time since that decade, will undertake a significant journey to Devon to face Exeter City. All sixteen teams that finished first in their respective groups secured a home draw for the initial knockout round, with each scheduled to host one of the group runners-up. The tournament will maintain its regionalised structure until the quarter-final stage. Although each group featured one Premier League academy side, Aston Villa were the sole academy team to advance, having secured second place in their group behind Bolton. Bolton, who won the trophy for the second time in 2023, are set to play Huddersfield Town, while the remaining fifteen academy teams have been eliminated. This competition, primarily intended for clubs from League One and League Two, was previously known as the Bristol Street Motors Trophy until earlier this week. The matches for the last-32 round are scheduled to be played during the week commencing 9 December. The complete draw for the last 32 is as follows: **Northern Section** * **Draw A** * Morecambe v Lincoln * Wrexham v Crewe * Stockport v Bradford * Bolton v Huddersfield * **Draw B** * Rotherham v Tranmere * Blackpool v Aston Villa U21 * Chesterfield v Wigan * Doncaster v Port Vale **Southern Section** * Wycombe v Swindon * Peterborough v Northampton * Charlton v Leyton Orient * Walsall v Reading * Cheltenham v Cambridge * Colchester v AFC Wimbledon * Burton v Stevenage * Exeter v Birmingham