Liam Walsh's first Luton Town goal secured Jack Wilshere's side a place in the Vertu Trophy final as they came from behind to beat Northampton Town 2-1.

The midfielder, who was the outstanding player on the pitch in the semi-final, set up a Wembley meeting with Stockport County with a deflected strike eight minutes from time, just as a penalty shootout had started to look likely.

The relegation-threatened Cobblers, who have won just one of their past 15 games in League One, had taken an early lead as Nottingham Forest loanee Kyle McAdam headed in his first senior goal.

Luton dominated throughout and equalised in the second half through Nahki Wells before Walsh's late winner.

Wilshere's side have seen their push for the League One promotion places falter lately, with a run of four games without a victory putting them six points behind sixth-placed Wycombe Wanderers.

However, the former Arsenal man, appointed in October, has taken them to Wembley for the first time since the Hatters won the Championship play-offs there three years ago.

The fact that Wilshere still sees promotion as the priority was reflected in his five changes from the side which drew at Port Vale on Saturday, but the Cobblers' relegation troubles meant that their boss Kevin Nolan made nine changes.

Luton were dominant from the start, but the first time the ball entered their penalty area, in the 17th minute, it ended in the net. Charlton Athletic loanee Terry Taylor curved an excellent free-kick into the box, and when it reached McAdam at the far post, he headed firmly past James Shea.

Nolan had spoken of the Luton set-up as being of "Premier League standard" before the game, and while there was no sign of that, in Walsh they had a player who showed poise and quality throughout and eventually won them the game.

Jordan Clark sliced a big chance wide, Hakeem Odoffin ballooned another opportunity over the bar, and Manchester City loanee Emilio Lawrence sent a powerful volley narrowly past the post as the home side chased an equaliser.

It came eight minutes after the break, as Walsh played a sharp reverse pass to Clark, whose cross picked out Wells at the far post for a simple tap-in, his seventh goal of the season.

Northampton's Conor McCarthy was lucky to escape a loud penalty appeal as the ball struck his hand and arm as he competed for a header, and the visitors were clinging on until Walsh again took charge.

Kai Naismith rolled a corner kick to him on the edge of the area, and Walsh, who has been a Luton regular since joining them in 2024, saw his sweetly struck shot cannon off the head of Dean Campbell and flash past goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons.

Luton manager Jack Wilshere told BBC 3CR:

"I'm happy for the players. I told them afterwards it hasn't always gone our way this season and we've had some tough games where it hasn't quite happened for us.

"[Northampton] scored and had two touches in our box in the first half so we need to do better with that. The message at half-time was to up the intensity and attack with purpose, and they executed that and got what they deserved."

[On leading a team out at Wembley:] "It will be a proud moment. When I stepped into this mad coaching world, I stepped in with a lot of humility and awareness that I needed to get better, and then I'm here, as head coach.

"When you spend so much time and energy to get a day at Wembley with a group you truly believe in, and who you feel believe in you, it's a special moment."

Northampton manager Kevin Nolan told BBC Radio Northampton:

"I'm gutted we couldn't get over that final hurdle. What we've got now is 11 big ones coming up [in the league], and we'll look forward to them.

"I'm proud of what these lads have done, making history for the club, for the first time getting in the semi-finals and getting everyone to believe and dream, and now what we've got to do is stick together.

"It's going to be nice going Sunday to Saturday for once, and having some time on the grass with the lads.

"We're leaving no stone unturned, and the teams around us have to go in that mill now, seven weeks where they have to go Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday, and it affects you with fatigue and injury."