Peterborough United were spot-on as they scrambled past Swindon Town in the Carabao Cup

Posh were perfect from the spot with Jonson Clarke-Harris, Ronnie Edwards, Joe Tomlinson and skipper Harrison Burrows all converting powerfully, while former Posh player Frazer Blake-Tracy struck a post and goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic saved a weak effort from Jake Young.

There wasn’t quite the drama the last penalty shootout to involve Posh generated, but they’ll take the 4-1 win after a poor 90 minute performance.

There was one golden moment when Joel Randall claimed his first goal for the club, two years after moving to London Road for a million pounds.

He could have scored twice more to ensure he dominated the post-match headlines, but Swindon were worth their equaliser at the start of the second-half from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.

Both sides could have nicked the win before penalties, but Swindon would probably have left the ground more satisfied with their performance than their hosts.

Posh rarely delivered any slick passing moves and barely won any tackles until Jeando Fuchs came on to bolster the midfield for the final half an hour.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson hinted he would go strong with his selection and he was true to his word, apart from replacing main goal threat Clarke-Harris with Kabongo Tshimanga.

Club captain Ephron Mason-Clark was an injury absentee so Ricky-Jade Jones started against a Swindon team who were also predominantly full of first-team regulars.

Burrows led the Posh team out for the first time.

It started okay for Posh, once Charlie Austin’s attempted block of a pass Bilokapic was only half successful.

Randall’s moment of glory arrived early when he finished off a sweet move involving Burrows and Jones by tricking inside his marker and curling into the corner, possibly via the head of Swindon defender Tom Brewitt.

Randall should have scored a second goal just before the half hour mark when a chipped cross from Jones was flicked on by Tshimanga, bit a left-footed half volley sent the ball arrowing the wrong side of a post.

Peter Koiso then headed a corner just wide, but this was far from a Posh procession.

Swindon passed the ball much better generally and worked themselves into many promising positions without creating a clearcut chance.

Bilokapic was only mildy inconvenienced by two shots from 20 yards from Dan Kemp and by a Brewett header. It was a similar story when Saidou Khan let fly from just outside the area in first-half added time.

Ferguson reacted to a casual first half by replacing Tshimanga with David Ajiboye with Jones moved into a central position.

And there was almost an instant reward as a fine pass from Kwame Poku enabled Jones to charge through the middle. He had a bit to do, but did it well until the most important bit as visiting goalkeeper Murphy Mahoney stuck out a foot to save.

It soon looked an important miss as Swindon drew level within four minutes.

A slack pass was intercepted and one pass later Hepburn-Murphy was breezing past Edwards and beating Bilokapic at his near post.

Swindon should have gone ahead minutes later when Posh were undone by a straight pass which left Kemp through on goal, but he fired wide.

Ferguson’s response was to send Fuchs on and change to three at the back with Ajiboye and Burrows as wing-backs. Fuchs immediately livened his teammates and the home fans up with some strong tackles.

Posh immediatlely fashioned a chance which Randall spooned over the crossbar from the edge of the area.

Multiple substitutions had the effect of opening the game up, despite the best efforts of a woefully incosistent referee.

Swindon almost nicked it with an audacious chip from substitute Jacob Wakeling which Bilokapic was thankfully big enough to tip over the crossbar.

And then Posh were thwarted twice by Mahoney at the end of eight minutes of added time. Mahoney leapt well to his left to keep out substitute Joe Tomlinson’s excellent curled effort and the ‘keeper followed that up by getting down low to keep out a sidefoot from Clarke-Harris , who was brought on so late it can only have been to take a spot-kick.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards, Crichlow, Peter Kioso (sub Josh Knight, 71 mins), Hector Kyprianou, Archie Collins (sub Jeando Fuchs, 62 mins), Joel Randall, Kwame Poku (sub Joe Tomlinon, 71 mins), Ricky-Jade Jones (sub Jonson Clarke-Harris, 90 + 5 mins), Kabongo Tshimanga (sub David Ajiboye, 46 mins).

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Ryan De Havilland, Kai Corbett, Benjamin Arthur.

Swindon: Murphy Mahoney, Remeao Hutton, Frazer Blake-Tracy, Saidou Khan, Dan Kemp, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (sub Jake Young, 72 mins), Tom Brewitt, Tariq Uwakwe (sub Benn Ward, 73 mins), Udoka Godwin-Malife (sub Harrison Minturn, 76mins), Liam Kinsella (sub Brooklyn Genesini, 77 mins), Charlie Austin (sub Jacob Wakeling, 66 mins).

Unused subs: Conor Brann, Jaxon Brown.

Goals: Posh – Randall (7 mins).

Swindon – Hepburn-Murphy (50 mins).

Cautions: Posh – Kyprianou (foul).

Swindon – Blake-Tracy (dissent)

Referee: Tom Nield 5.

Attendance: 3,440 (366 Swindon).