All four Premier League sides pitted against lower league opposition avoided becoming a cropper in Tuesday’s raft of Carabao Cup second round games.
Hull City had the biggest scare, needing penalties to navigate a way past Stoke City after the tie finished 1-1 after 90 minutes. Back-up goalkeeper Dillon Phillips was the Tigers’ hero after denying Stoke’s George Hirst as Hull scored all their penalties to seal a 5-4 shoot-out win in the Potteries.
Elsewhere, Brentford were in rampant form at Birmingham as they sealed an emphatic 6-1 win – Nathan Collins twice getting on the scoresheet at St Andrew’s.
Newly-promoted pair Ipswich Town and Coventry City both saw off League One opposition albeit Coventry had a bigger scare than they might have liked. Frank Lampard’s side ultimately won 4-2 but were pegged back to 2-2 at one stage, although their top flight class told in the end. Ipswich sealed a 3-1 win over Leicester with all the goals coming in the second half, including a Marcelino Nunez long-range stunner from just inside the Leicester half.
The other Premier Leagues in action were Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, with the Whites sealing a second win over Oliver Glasner’s side in the space of four days. Daniel James and James Justin both netting in the second half.
Elsewhere, League One Peterborough pulled off arguably the result of the night as they went to Championship side Watford and romped to a 5-1 win with Harry Leonard scoring a brace.
A flurry of Championship sides are also through. Middlesbrough overcame Doncaster Rovers 3-1, whilst Norwich City won 2-1 at Cardiff City. Sheffield United are safely through thanks to a 2-1 win at Blackburn, Lincoln battered Blackpool 4-1 and Millwall sealed a narrow 1-0 success at Cambridge. Wolves ran out 2-0 winners at Sheffield Wednesday, whilst West Ham belied their slow start to the league campaign by cruising to a 4-1 victory away at Southampton with teen Joshua Ajala scoring a brace.
Other results saw Barnsley see off Crewe 3-2, Fleetwood hammer Shrewsbury 4-0 and Reading ease to a comfortable 3-0 win at Stevenage whilst Leyton Orient needed penalties to see off Walsall, wining 6-5 on spot-kicks after a goalless affair.
There are six outstanding ties with four taking place on Wednesday and another two on Thursday.
