Damola Ajayi marked his first start for Doncaster Rovers with a goal in their 4-0 victory at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, while Jamie Donley scored in Stoke City’s penalty shootout win over Walsall as a number of our loan players tasted Carabao Cup first round success.
Forward Damola, who had come on as a substitute in each of Doncaster’s first two League One fixtures of the season – respective wins over Exeter City and Mansfield Town, the former marking his league debut – was on hand to swipe home his side’s second goal of the night mid-way through the first half in their convincing win at the Riverside. He played 65 minutes before being withdrawn.
Fellow attacker Jamie, who supplied an assist on his Championship debut for Stoke on Saturday, helping them to a 3-1 home win over Derby, marked his first start and completed the full 90 for the Potters along with Ashley Phillips as they went through after a 4-3 shootout win against Walsall at the bet265 Stadium. Jamie went close twice during the game, seeing a shot from the edge of the box tipped wide before crashing a subsequent effort against the woodwork. The tie ended goalless, but Jamie scored one of Stoke’s spot-kicks to help them reach round two.
George Abbott is also into the next round after playing the first hour of Wycombe Wanderers’ 1-0 win at Leyton Orient on Tuesday – his second appearance for them after a similar stint in Saturday’s League One opener at home to Stockport County, which Wanderers lost 2-1. His central midfield colleague Tyrese Hall featured off the bench for Notts County in their 1-0 first round defeat at Wigan Athletic, having come on for his senior debut in Saturday’s 2-1 home loss to Salford City in League Two.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Will Lankshear started for Oxford United as they saw off Colchester United 1-0 at home. Will also started Oxford’s Championship curtain-raiser at home to Portsmouth on Saturday, which ended 1-0 to Pompey. Yang Min-Hyeok came off the bench for Portsmouth that day, but played the full 90 minutes on Tuesday as they suffered a 2-1 cup defeat at home to Reading.
Alfie Devine helped Preston North End advance in the cup with a 1-0 victory at Barrow on Tuesday, starting for his new loan side for the first time after a 15-minute cameo in Saturday’s 1-1 Championship draw at Queens Park Rangers.
Meanwhile, centre-back Alfie Dorrington made the first appearance of his second loan spell at Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen at the weekend with a 90-minute stint in their 2-0 home defeat by Celtic. Striker Alejo Veliz has been a regular starter for Rosario Central in recent weeks, most recently featuring in a goalless draw at Atletico Tucuman on Sunday.