EXETER ECSTASY IN SHOOT-OUT DRAMA
THERE was double Devon delight as Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle pulled off Carabao Cup first round shocks in midweek.
League Two Exeter continued their fine start to the new season by knocking out Championship side Ipswich on Tuesday night. It looked as though Paul Hurst’s visiting Tractor Boys would make the two-division gap between the sides count when ex-Accrington striker Kayden Jackson gave them a first-half lead.
But Troy Brown headed home a 64th-minute equaliser to take the tie to penalties and Matt Taylor’s Grecians kept their nerve to triumph 4-2 on penalties at St James Park.
“The players took the confidence they gained from the second half performance into the pens,” said Grecians boss Taylor. “Ipswich are a top, top team and, at times, we looked like we could match them if not better them.
“I am delighted with the second half performance. Penalties are penalties.”
Victory was just as sweet for Plymouth. Last year the Pilgrims were thumped 5-0 at Bristol City in the first round, the Robins going all the way to the semi-finals on a sensational run.
The teams met again at Ashton Gate and this time League One outfit Plymouth gained revenge for last season’s thumping with a superb 1-0 victory against the second tier outfit. Yann Songo’o proved to be the Pilgrims’ hero, heading home a 27th-minute winner.
But the West Country duo weren’t the only ones to get the better of higher level opposition as the Carabao Cup got going.
Tyler Walker led with the way with a hat-trick as League Two Mansfield hammered Accrington Stanley, promoted to League One last term, 6-1 at the One Call Stadium. Otis Khan, Danny Rose and CJ Hamilton also got in on the act at the Stags ran riot. All this came after Sam Finley had given Stanley the lead on six minutes.
No mercy
EFL new boys Macclesfield made the most of their return to the competition, dumping out League One outfit Bradford 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Macc took the lead on the hour through Fiacre Kelleher on the hour, but Luca Colville levelled things up two minutes later to take it to spot-kicks. Goalkeeper Rhys Taylor saved from Anthony O’Connor and Joe Riley as the hosts kept their nerve in the shoot-out.
League Two MK Dons showed no mercy to a youthful Charlton side, knocking out the third tier outfit 3-0 with goals from Dylan Asonganyi and Ryan Watson, plus a Jo Cummings own goal.
There were a few Championship clubs breathing a sigh of relief after squeezing past League Two opposition.
Nottingham Forest were given a real scare by visitors Bury. The Shakers shocked the City Ground by taking a second minute lead, Eoghan O’Connell heading home. And it got worse for Forest when keeper Jordan Smith was sent off for fouling Dominic Telford just after the half hour.
It looked as though Bury would see it through, but Matty Cash struck in the 93rd minute to save the hosts at the death. In the dramatic shoot-out that followed, Forest eventually edged home 10-9 with substitute keeper Luke Steele denying O’Connell.
A young Middlesbrough outfit also had to rely on penalties to get the better of Notts County. Veteran striker Jon Stead struck twice for Notts and Tom Crawford also netted as the visitors took the lead three times at the Riverside.
However, Tony Pulis’ Boro fought back each time with Ashley Fletcher also bagging a brace and Enes Mahmutovic getting the other.
In the shoot-out, Boro keeper Andy Lonergan saved from Stead and Dan Jones as the home side edged it 4-3.
Aston Villa didn’t need penalties to get the better of Yeovil, but they were forced to work mighty hard to advance to the second round. Yeovil fluffed a great chance to take the lead when Alex Fisher’s penalty on the hour was kept out by Villa keeper Andre Moreira.
And the Glovers were left ruing that miss – as well as an earlier Diallang Jaiyesimi ‘goal’ disallowed for a foul on the keeper – after Conor Hourihane struck on 77 minutes after fine work by sub Jonathan Kodjia to give Steve Bruce’s men the victory.
Blackburn had no such troubles on their visit to Carlisle, romping to a 5-1 victory. Adam Armstrong and Bradley Dack both notched doubles, while Chelsea loanee Kasey Palmer also joined in the fun. Hallam Hope scored a fine consolation for the Cumbrians.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds continued their superb start to the season with a 2-1 victory in their all-Championship clash against Bolton. Goals from £10m Middlesbrough capture Patrick Bamford, on his home debut, and Samu Saiz gave the Whites a two-goal lead at the break, but Erhun Oztumer pulled one back early in the second half to keep the tie on a knife-edge.
QPR and Reading both put their shaky league starts behind them to earn morale-boosting victories. Luke Freeman and Pawel Wszolek netted in the opening six minutes as Steve McClaren’s QPR defeated Peterborough 2-0, both goals set up by ex-Posh striker Conor Washington.
Double
Paul Clement’s Reading also enjoyed a 2-0 home success, beating much-changed Birmingham in an all-Championship showdown with goals from Yakou Meite and John Swift.
In two further all-second tier clashes, Rotherham beat Wigan 3-1 and Hull edged out Sheffield United 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Jamie Proctor returned from a year out through injury with a double for Rotherham, while Semi Ajayi got the other. James Vaughan netted for the Latics.
Jon Toral gave Hull a first half lead at Sheffield United, but sub Billy Sharp levelled for the Blades with 15 minutes left.
Brentford eased to a 4-2 victory at Southend. Marcus Forss, Julian Jeanvier, Said Benrahma and Kamohelo Mokotjo netted for the Bees, Theo Robinson and Shawn McCoulsky replying for the Shimpers.
Oliver Burke scored the only goal of the game as West Brom beat Luton, while Millwall won 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at home against Gillingham.
Norwich beat Stevenage 3-1, courtesy of goals from Marco Stiepermann, Christoph Zimmermann and Teemu Pukki, the latter two coming in the final seven minutes. James Ball netted for Boro.
Preston won by the same score at home against Morecambe. Brandon Barker, on loan from Manchester City, Louis Moult and Graham Burke struck for the Lilywhites, while Liam Mandeville was on target for the Shrimps.
Frank Lampard’s Derby earned their passage with a 2-0 success at Oldham. Sam Graham’s unlucky 36th-minute own goal set the Rams on their way before on-loan Chelsea midfielder Ma- s o n Mount added a classy second with 20 minutes left.
Round One drew to a close on Thursday night when Sheffield Wednesday won 2-0 at Sunderland with goals from Marco Matias and Adam Reach.
Other results: Blackpool 3 Barnsley 1; Bristol R 2 Crawley 1; Cambridge 1 Newport 4; Cheltenham 2 Colchester 2 (Cheltenham won 6-5 on pens); Crewe 1 Fleetwood 1 (Fleetwood won4-3onpens);Grimsby0Rochdale2;Oxford 2Coventry0;PortVale0Lincoln4;Portsmouth 1 AFC Wimbledon 2; Scunthorpe 1 Doncaster 2; Shrewsbury 1 Burton 2; Swindon 0 Forest Green 1; Tranmere 1 Walsall 3; Wycombe 1 Northampton1(Wycombewon7-6onpens).