An injury time goal from Lorent Tolaj kept Albion’s hopes of progress in the Papa John’s Trophy alive.
The striker’s header sealed a 2-1 win over League Two Northampton Town at Sixfields and moved them into second place in the Group D table.
They will progress to the knockout stages if group leaders Walsall beat Forest Green Rovers at home next week.
Substitute Evan Ferguson had scored a superb equaliser with 19 minutes to go after Albion had trailed at the break to Nicke Kabamba’s fine finish.
Andrew Crofts’ youngsters had other chances in an entertaining encounter and thought they should have had a late penalty when sub Ulrick Ella was brought down. But the victory they deserved arrived courtesy of Tolaj.
Northampton’s squad has been ravaged by illness and injury and included 15-year-old Josh Tomlinson, who became their youngest ever player.
Albion knew only a victory would do on a chilly night but it was the hosts who threatened first on 12 minutes. A corner was half-cleared to Liam Cross on the right and his powerful shot hit the side netting, to the frustration of Cobblers’ fans in the main stand who thought it had gone in.
The visitors responded and Cam Peupion’s pass found Sam Packham in a good position inside the box but his shot lacked the power to test the keeper.
Albion began to stretch the Northampton defence, especially in wide areas, and they should have opened the scoring in the 28th minute. Marc Leonard’s cross-field pass sent Todd Miller galloping down the left and into the box. He fired the ball across the face of goal but Peupion couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball as he arrived at the far post to keep it on target.
Miller was involved again when his side created another chance six minutes later. Odel Offiah’s diagonal picked out the overlapping James Furlong on the left. He slipped Miller in but his effort drifted wide of the far post.
Albion looked to be getting on top but they fell behind in the 37th minute when Kabamba wasn’t closed down 15 yards from goal and he buried a low right-foot shot into the bottom corner with Tom McGill helpless.
The goal came against the run of play and Albion fashioned another good chance when Leonard threaded a lovely pass into Packham’s path; the defender drilled the ball across the face of goal but the Cobblers managed to clear.
Northampton ought to have doubled their lead six minutes after the break. Kabamba’s pass released Peter Abimbola on goal, but his side-foot effort went the wrong side of the far post.
Albion needed goals and Ferguson replaced Peupion to play alongside Tolaj but Northampton looked more likely to add to their goal as the game entered the final quarter, Abimbola forcing McGill into a decent save after the visitors gave the ball away on the edge of their box.
The visitors rallied. They went close in the 69th minute when Ferguson’s powerful effort from the right-hand side of the box forced Charlie Woods to tip over. Miller then slalomed his way into space but fired into the side netting before Ferguson levelled in the 72nd minute with a superb goal. He held off a defender on the left-hand side of the six-yard box, turned and curled a delicious right-foot shot beyond Woods to make it 1-1.
Could Albion find a second and keep their hopes of progressing alive? Ella, who scored their late leveller against Manchester City last Friday, came on for the last ten minutes and Ferguson went close when he met Jack Spong’s corner but his close-range effort was straight at Woods.
Ella then raced through and went down as he rounded Woods. To the striker’s amazement, he was booked for diving and it looked as if Albion’s last chance of winning it had gone.
But deep into stoppage time they worked an overlap down the right, Packham swung over an excellent cross and Tolaj buried his header at the far post.
Now Albion can only wait until next Wednesday to see if they progress.
Albion: McGill, Packham, Turns, Offiah, Furlong, Leonard, Spong, Peupion (Ferguson 57), Moran, Miller (Ella 82), Tolaj.
Subs not used: Desbois, Hinchy, Nilsson, Hinshelwood.
Attendance: 1014 (21 Albion fans)