EFL Cup: The thrills and spills from the first round

This week we welcomed the EFL Cup back, and it didn’t disappoint! Below are five talking points, including the biggest shocks and most breathtaking moments, from the first round.

Luton 3 – 1 Aston Villa

Things seem to be going from bad to worse for Villa’s new manager Roberto Di Matteo after he saw his side lose their second game in four days, this time to League Two Luton.

Villa, who have won this competition five times, started well, hitting the woodwork twice, before Jordan Ayew scuffed them into a deserved lead.

However the moment Luton’s debutant Jake Gray equalised, they returned to their normal nervy and hapless selves.

Second half goals from Cameron McGeehan and Jores Okore, who somehow managed to stab the ball into his own net, sealed a deserved victory for the Hatters as they continue their impressive start to the season.

Luton manager Nathan Jones said: “We showed first half that we could compete, but then second half we showed real desire to win the football match.

“I thought we were absolutely excellent.”

Cameron McGeehan celebrates putting Luton ahead against Villa

Cambridge 2 – 1 Sheffield Wednesday

Cambridge reached the second round of the EFL Cup in brilliant fashion, leaving it late to come from behind and beat Sheffield Wednesday.

After a quiet opening 45 minutes, last season’s defeated Championship play-off finalists were put ahead by Lucas Joao slotting in his first of the season.

The Owls were in control from then on, but Peiro Mingoia’s stunning, swerving strike crashed in off the crossbar in stoppage to level things up.

And just as it looked like a penalty shoot-out would settle things, U’s captain Luke Berry scored to seal victory with two minutes remaining.

Cambridge manager Shaun Derry said: “These are special nights.

“It’s another night where Cambridge United are in the press for absolutely the right reasons once again.”

Cambridge United’s Luke Berry celebrates scoring their winning goal

Rotherham 4 – 5 Morecambe

In a topsy-turvy nine-goal thriller, Morecambe’s Jake Dunn scored a hat-trick to send his side into the second round of the EFL Cup.

After losing to League Two new boys Grimsby on Saturday, Morecambe manager Jim Bentley got the reaction he wanted when Cole Stockton curled them ahead after six minutes.

Rotherham equalised when Greg Halford scored from the spot on 59 minutes, only for Dunn to restore the the Shrimps’ lead before the Championship side scored twice late on in a frantic second half.

Dunn sent the game to extra time when he converted a stoppage time penalty, and then Kevin Ellison put the League Two side 4-3 up and a shock was on the cards.

Dunn completed his treble with two minutes to go, and although Jerry Yates scored a late fourth for the Millers, Morecambe held on to win an absorbing encounter.

Jim Bentley’s Morecambe overcame Rotherham, a side two leagues above them

Accrington  0-0 Bradford – Accrington win 11-10 on penalties

The game wasn’t exactly thrilling, and the result wasn’t particularly shocking, but what a way to win a match!

Stanley ‘keeper Elliott Parish was sent off after 74 minutes for tripping Bradford’s Felipe Morais, but any chances of note came in extra-time with Bradford twice hitting the woodwork and Accrington’s Reece Webb-Foster missing a penalty.

In the end, a penalty shoot-out was the only way a winner would be found. After 26 penalties, and goalkeepers Aaron Chapman and Colin Doyle both tucking away their spot-kicks, Stanley’s Jordan Clark finally sent them into round two.

John Coleman will certainly be happy to see his Stanley side progress

Cheltenham 1 – 0 Charlton

Cheltenham went a year without being in this competition, but look to be making up for lost time with a 1-0 win over League One Charlton.

Harry Pell scored the only goal of the game for the Robins, after his team mate Danny Wright and Addicks’ striker Nicky Ajose both had goals ruled out for offside.

Charlton have now not scored in their first two games of the season, despite signing Ajose, top scorer in the division last year. With Josh Magennis soon to be arriving at the Valley, it is clear Russell Slade is worried about the lack of goals and will be hoping their break their dry spell at home to Northampton on Saturday.

Cheltenham meanwhile have settled back into the league well, drawing against Leyton Orient on Saturday, and a reward for this impressive win is a second round tie against Newcastle United.

Nicky Ajose is still yet to find the net in a Charlton shirt

EFL Cup round two draw:

QPR v Rochdale
Scunthorpe v Cardiff or Bristol City
Watford v Gillingham
Peterborough v Swansea
Everton v Yeovil
Millwall v Nottingham Forest
Sunderland v Shrewsbury
Luton v Leeds
Chelsea v Bristol Rovers or Bristol City
Burton v Liverpool
Blackburn v Crewe
Accrington v Burnley
Crystal Palace v Blackpool
Morecambe v Bournemouth
Preston v Oldham
Oxford v Brighton
Reading v MK Dons
Fulham v Middlesbrough
Newcastle v Cheltenham
Exeter v Hull
Derby v Carlisle
Northampton v West Brom
Wolves v Cambridge
Stevenage v Stoke
Norwich v Coventry

The fixtures will be played the week beginning August 22.