Watford humbled by Preston

WATFORD were the victims of a League Cup giant-killing as the Premier League side lost 1-0 at Championship club Preston in the second round yesterday.

Hornets manager Quique Flores made 11 changes to the team whose goalless stalemate against Southampton on Sunday made it three successive draws since their return to the Premier League.

Flores’s gamble backfired as Watford became the only one of the 11 Premier League teams in action yesterday who failed to make the third round.

On-loan Sheffield Wednesday defender Marnick Vermijl slotted in the close-range winner in the eighth minute and Watford’s woes were compounded when debutant Miguel Britos was sent off in the 75th minute for violent conduct after the Uruguayan defender lashed out with his elbow.

Stoke were pushed to the brink of a shock exit before beating fourth tier Luton 8-7 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road.

West Bromwich Albion also required penalties to defeat third tier Port Vale at the Hawthorns.

Albion were without Tottenham target Saido Berahino, the England Under-21 striker who has handed in a transfer request, and they couldn’t break down the Vale defence in a 0-0 draw after extra time before taking the shoot-out 5-3.

Jermain Defoe’s hattrick spared Sunderland’s blushes as the Premier League strugglers defeated fourth tier Exeter 6-3 at the Stadium of Light.

Aston Villa were also indebted to a hattrick hero as Scott Sinclair inspired a 5-3 win over fourth tier Notts County after extratime.

French winger Florian Thauvin marked his first Newcastle start with a goal in a 4-1 win against fourth tier Northampton.

Crystal Palace needed extratime to see off League One side Shrewsbury, who had taken the lead through Matt Tootle before penalties from Dwight Gayle and Glenn Murray and Lee Chung-yong and Wilfried Zaha strikes sealed a 4-1 win for the hosts.

Ghanaian forward Joe Dodoo, 20, hit a debut hattrick as Leicester maintained their flying start to the season with a 4-1 win at third tier Bury.

Norwich flop Ricky Van Wolfswinkel scored only his second goal for the Canaries in their 2-1 win at Rotherham.

Swansea defeated York 3-0, while Bournemouth also beat fourth tier opposition, winning 4-0 at Hartlepool.