IRELAND UNDERAGE INTERNATIONALS Zak Gilsenan and Tom Bloxham scored on Wednesday night as Blackburn Rovers romped to an 8-0 Carabao Cup win at League Two Harrogate.
Gilsenan, who made his senior debut in the previous round, rifled a 20-yard free-kick into the roof of the net for Blackburn’s sixth after coming off the bench in the second half.
And fellow substitute Bloxham showed nimble footwork in the box before finding the bottom corner to make it 7-0 five minutes later.
Bloxham, making his debut after joining from Tottenham this summer, has been capped by both Ireland and England at U17 level, but represented the Ireland U18s last summer and was part of an U19 training camp earlier this year.
U21 international Andrew Moran, on loan at the Ewood Park club from Premier League Brighton, also caught the eye with a neat pull-back to set up a goal for John Buckley in the first half.
The one-sided win was Rovers’ biggest victory since 1963, and the biggest away win in club history.
- Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Everton -
Elsewhere on Wednesday night, Beto and Arnaut Danjuma saved Everton from an embarrassing exit to the Football League’s bottom side as Sean Dyche’s men came from behind to edge past dogged Doncaster 2-1.
Having lost their opening three Premier League games without so much as scoring, a tie against the side 92nd in the standings looked just what the doctor ordered for Sean Dyche’s men.
But Everton’s start to the season threatened to go from bad to worse as League Two’s bottom side took a deserved lead through Joe Ironside’s header.
Doncaster were dreaming of a famous win, but the Premier League visitors belatedly showed signs of life as striker Beto – on as a substitute early in the second half – scored a day after signing from Udinese, before Danjuma secured a late victory.
- Chelsea 2-1 AFC Wimbledon -
Chelsea also survived a scare as Mauricio Pochettino’s young selection recovered from a goal down to beat League Two AFC Wimbledon 2-1.
Wimbledon had stunned home fans to take the lead through midfielder James Tilley’s 19th-minute penalty, but Noni Madueke equalised from the spot in first-half added time as an unfamiliar Chelsea starting XI made heavy weather of seeing off Johnnie Jackson’s team.
It took a first Chelsea goal from substitute Enzo Fernandez to break the visitors’ stubborn resolve at Stamford Bridge.
- Sheffield United 0-0 Lincoln City (Lincoln win 3-2 on penalties) -
Lukas Jensen was the hero for League One Lincoln as they continued Sheffield United’s miserable start to the season with a penalty shootout victory at Bramall Lane.
After a drab 90 minutes ended goalless, the Imps goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Louis Marsh and Benie Traore to send his side through.
- Nottingham Forest 0-1 Burnley -
Zeki Amdouni’s last-minute goal clinched Burnley a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest and sent his side into the third round .
The Switzerland forward, signed from Basel in July, stepped off the bench late in the second half and volleyed home from six yards to settle a largely forgettable tie between two Premier League rivals in the Clarets’ favour.
