Our Carabao Cup campaign got off to a winning start as we convincingly beat Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday night.
Fielding a much-changed yet still a strong side against our League One opponents, two goals in quick succession in the first half laid the foundations for the win. Joao Palhinha opened the scoring in the 14th minute before Jay McGrath put through his own net shortly after to leave us well in command of the third round tie.
Rovers goalkeeper Ian Lawlor made a number of good saves to prevent us extending our lead, while Antonin Kinsky – making his first appearance this season – pulled off a wonderful diving save to deny Owen Bailey with the visitors’ best chance of the match. We wrapped up the tie with the last kick of the game, Brennan Johnson streaking clear to confidently score past Lawlor.
A key moment arrived late in the game when Academy graduate Luca Williams-Barnett, aged just 16 years and 358 days, made his senior debut and took the milestone Legacy Number 900, a fine reward for his excellent displays for our Under-21s this season.
Thomas Frank made seven changes from the draw at Brighton at the weekend with only Pedro Porro, Rodrigo Bentancur, Palhinha and Wilson Odobert retaining their places in the side. Porro captained the team for the first time. Academy winger Tynan Thompson, 17, made his first appearance in a competitive first team matchday squad, joining fellow youngsters Jun'ai Byfield and Williams-Barnett among our substitutes. Another Academy youngster, Damola Ajayi – on loan at Doncaster – was in the Rovers side.
It was a lively start at both ends of the pitch as we had to make two important blocks in the opening minute to prevent Kinsky being troubled before a big chance at the other end, Johnson’s low cross missed by a defender but Mathys Tel couldn’t sort his feet out and failed to get a touch six yards out. We didn’t have to wait long for the opener though, 14 minutes gone when Lawlor could only get a glancing glove on Xavi Simons’ corner, Sean Grehan headed the ball off the line but only as far as Palhinha, who produced an overhead finish into an empty net from 10 yards. That lead was doubled three minutes later after great wing play from Odobert, who skipped past his man and whipped in a cross which flew off McGrath and into his own net.
Lawlor made a smart save from Tel’s angled rocket on 27 minutes and, from the corner, Bentancur’s header was flicked away off the line as we continued to create chances, with Lawlor denying us again with a diving save to keep out Archie Gray’s effort following Kevin Danso’s knockdown. The visitors went close on 39 minutes, Glenn Middleton with a cross into the box which skipper and this season’s top scorer Bailey met with a fine volley, only for Kinsky to pull off a magnificent diving save to his right to tip the ball onto the post and we cleared the danger.
The half drew to a close with a succession of Spurs corners, most of which were sent out to Pedro Porro on the edge of the box to fire in a series of right-footed shots, the best of them needing a good stop from Lawlor.
There was less intensity to the game in the opening stages of the second period as we controlled the tempo and there were few chances until the 68th minute when Johnson delivered a lovely cut-back but Tel was unable to make a clean connection on the ball. The visitors then had an opportunity with a free-kick 20 yards out, right side of the area, but Middleton curled his effort into the side-netting. Substitute Richarlison so nearly got on the end of an excellent run and cross from Johnson, only denied by an outstretched leg from the defender, before the introduction of Williams-Barnett to much acclaim from our supporters, the youngster showing some neat touches in his brief cameo.
Our place in round four was secured in the final seconds when Lucas Bergvall slipped the perfect pass for Johnson to run onto and he produced a composed finish to score his third of the season and wrap up a good night all round.