Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson hailed the quality of his side’s penalties but felt the performance could have been better as they saw off Swindon to reach the Carabao Cup second round.Joel Randall’s first Peterborough goal since his move from Exeter in the summer of 2021 was cancelled out by Rushian Hepburn-Murphy as the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.Frazer Blake-Tracy and Ja...Full Story »

Zac Ashworth’s first senior goal secured Carabao Cup progress for Sky Bet League One Bolton courtesy of a 1-0 victory over fourth tier Barrow.And on a night of unexpected results, manager Ian Evatt was just pleased his former club could not add to the list of giantkillers.Ashworth, on a season-long loan from West Brom, curled in a 44th-minute free-kick to mark his debut in fine style.&ldqu...Full Story »

Doncaster boss Grant McCann praised his “brave” side after they upset his old club Hull with a 2-1 win to book a place in the second round of the Carabao Cup.McCann – who oversaw relegation and promotion before being sacked by the Sky Bet Championship side last year – probably feared the worst when Oscar Estupinan gave the Tigers an early lead.But Rovers belied their Leag...Full Story »

Birmingham boss John Eustace hailed Juninho Bacuna as a potential Premier League player after his brace secured a 2-0 win at Cheltenham in the Carabao Cup’s first round.The Curacao international’s first goal was a heavily deflected shot in the 24th minute which flew past goalkeeper Luke Southwood off defender Liam Smith after efforts from Keshi Anderson and Koji Miyoshi were blocked....Full Story »

Sutton boss Matt Gray was delighted to make it third time lucky in the EFL Cup after beating Cambridge 6-5 on penalties.The south-west London club had failed in their two previous attempts to win a match in the competition.And they came from behind twice to force penalties as goals from Harry Smith and Harry Beautyman cancelled out Fejiri Okenabirhie’s brace at Gander Green Lane.“It&...Full Story »

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson was delighted with his side’s clarity during the penalty shoot-out after beating Wigan in the first round of the Carabao Cup.Charlie Hughes and Thelo Aasgaard both smashed their spot-kicks over the bar as the League One Latics crashed out of the competition.It was Wrexham’s first success of the season after their return to the English Football League got u...Full Story »

Ruben Selles saluted his red-hot Reading young guns after a stunning 4-0 Carabao Cup win over Millwall at The Den.Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan’s double and late strikes from Charlie Savage and Mamadi Camara fired the League One side to a shock victory against their misfiring Championship opponents in the competition’s opening round.Former Southampton boss Selles picked a youthful side with a...Full Story »

Tranmere manager Ian Dawes praised his players for overcoming a late equaliser to progress to the second round of the Carabao Cup on penalties following a 2-2 draw with Barnsley.Luke Norris and Sam Taylor gave the visitors the lead either side of the break, with Herbie Kane and Aiden Marsh twice equalising for the Tykes – with Marsh’s strike coming in the eighth minute of stoppage ti...Full Story »

Derby County head coach Paul Warne admitted he was “embarrassed” by his team’s Carabao Cup exit at home to Blackpool.Warne’s side were booed off at half-time after two goals from Jake Beesley gave Blackpool control they never relinquished.Beesley pounced in the seventh minute when Derby’s defence failed to deal with a cross from the left and after Owen Dale missed a...Full Story »

Xisco Munoz celebrated his first win as Sheffield Wednesday manager as they beat Stockport 4-1 on penalties after Tyreeq Bakinson levelled for the home side deep into time added on to make it 1-1 and force a Carabao Cup shoot-out.Stockport’s Paddy Madden struck in the 16th minute with a fine finish, meeting Akil Wright’s cross with a volley and sending the ball into the roof of the n...Full Story »

Notts County manager Luke Williams has challenged his players to produce a response following the disappointment of crashing out of the Carabao Cup at home to Lincoln.The Magpies were dumped out of with goals in either half from Sean Roughan and Lasse Sorensen and finished with 10 men following a red card for Aden Baldwin.County’s return to league football had ended in a 5-1 thrashing at S...Full Story »

Paul Simpson said his Carlisle players let themselves down during Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup first-round defeat at Harrogate.Sam Folarin scored the only goal of the game from long range in the 23rd minute to leave the Sky Bet League One Cumbrians winless in eighth attempts against Simon Weaver’s Sulphurites.And Simpson, who made no fewer than four substitutions at half-time, was far...Full Story »

Chris Rigg became Sunderland’s youngest ever goal scorer but his efforts proved in vain as they crashed out the Carabao Cup with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Crewe.At the age of 16 years and 51 days, Rigg also became the youngest player to net in the competition’s history as his second-half strike cancelled out a first-half header from Crewe defender Luke Offord.How...Full Story »

Tranmere progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup after defeating League One Barnsley 7-6 on penalties following a 2-2 draw at Oakwell.Luke Norris and Sam Taylor gave the visitors the lead either side of the break, with Herbie Kane and Aiden Marsh twice equalising for the Tykes.Rovers’ early persistence paid off in the 24th minute, breaking the deadlock through a well-worked free-...Full Story »

Sutton reached the second round of the Carabao Cup for the first time after beating League One Cambridge on penalties after the game had finished 2-2.Both sides came close in the space of a minute early on, as Cambridge goalkeeper Will Mannion kept out Aiden O’Brien’s header with Sutton unable to force the rebound in. Down the other end Elias Kachunga was denied by Steve Arnold.The v...Full Story »

English Football League new boys Wrexham dumped out Wigan on penalties as they reached the second round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in 16 years.The hosts dominated but were held to a goalless draw in normal time before winning the shoot-out 4-2.Charlie Hughes and Thelo Aasgaard both hit their spot-kicks high over the crossbar as the Latics crashed out.Jake Bickerstaff squandered a big ...Full Story »

A youthful Blackburn survived a Carabao Cup first-round scare before overcoming Sky Bet League Two Walsall in a 4-3 victory.The Championship outfit twice came from behind with goals from Oisin McEntee and Ross Tierney cancelled out by Zak Gilsenan and Niall Ennis before half-time.Strikes from Jake Garrett and John Buckley gave Blackburn breathing space but Ronan Maher’s late strike ensured...Full Story »

Sky Bet League Two Salford dumped Championship side Preston out of the Carabao Cup after a penalty shoot-out win at Deepdale.Preston had fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 after 90 minutes, only for substitutes Ryan Ledson and Mads Frokjaer-Jensen to miss from the spot and send the Ammies through with a 4-2 win.The home fans had earlier been left stunned as Preston took the lead after only fi...Full Story »

Mansfield turned on the style to see off Grimsby 2-0 in the Carabao Cup first round and delighted Stags boss Nigel Clough believes a team could be in for a real hiding if they can reproduce that form.Lucas Akins netted a 27th-minute penalty in a one-sided first half and Rhys Oates added a crucial second on 55 minutes.But it could have been many more and Clough said: “I think you can see al...Full Story »

Michael Carrick praised his Middlesbrough side’s control as they ran out 3-2 winners over 10-man Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup first round.Kian Harratt gave Huddersfield an early lead but they had Jaheim Headley sent off in the 13th minute.And Boro took full advantage with goals from Samuel Silvera, Isiah Jones and Riley McGree before Kyle Hudlin’s late consolation.Carrick said: &l...Full Story »