Doncaster triumph thanks to first goals from duo
YOUNGSTERS Alfie Beestin and Riccardo Calder both scored their first professional goals as Doncaster Rovers opened up their Checkatrade Trophy campaign with victory at Mansfield.
Eighteen-year-old Beestin and loanee Calder both struck in the second half to enable Rovers to top Northern Group E after the opening matches despite manager Darren Ferguson resting several key players after the club’s 4-1 demolition of Yeovil on Saturday.
Only Joe Wright, Cedric Evina, Jordan Houghton, Matty Blair and Andy Williams were retained for the trip.
Williams missed a tap-in from a yard just after the hour before Ferguson’s men turned the screw.
Eleven minutes later, Beestin, who joined from Tadcaster Albion earlier this month, fired into the bottom corner from 20 yards to give the visitors the lead.
Four minutes from time Liam Mandeville raced away before pulling the ball back for Calder, who tapped in his first goal since joining the club from Aston Villa on loan.
Leicester City’s youngsters proved nerveless in a penalty shoot-out to defeat Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Visiting goalkeeper Max Bramley saved from John Fleck to earn Leicester an extra point after the teams had finished deadlocked at 0-0 after an entertaining 90 minutes of Northern Group H action.
Many Blades fans boycotted the fixture against the Premier League champions’ youngsters in protest at the new competition structure, with the official attendance announced as 3,632 – with 177 away fans.
United’s best opening fell to on-loan Middlesbrough winger Harry Chapman, who was denied well by Foxes substitute goalkeeper Bramley, who had replaced Ben Hamer.
United captain Billy Sharp somehow poked wide of Leicester’s goal in the first half, and Bramley also did well to deny the lively young Blades substitute David Brooks from opening the scoring.
But there was little Bramley could do about Mark Duffy’s shot with seconds left on the clock, which was blocked by a Leicester defender and looped right as Bramley dived left.
The young goalkeeper breathed a sigh of relief when the ball bounced just wide and then saved Fleck’s spot-kick to set up his side’s bonus point.
Scunthorpe won 2-1 against Premier League Middlesbrough’s Under-23 side in front of a crowd of 1,200.