Crawley stun Fulham as Leicester survive Stockport scare in Carabao Cup
League Two side Crawley sent Fulham packing with a shock 2-0 win in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
Kevin Betsy’s side are languishing one place above the English Football League basement but goals from captain Tom Nichols and Liverpool loanee James Balagizi lifted them to a well-earned win over their Premier League opponents.
Issa Diop debuted for the Cottagers in a starting XI that was completely overhauled, with 10 changes from their weekend win over Brentford.
Marco Silva’s men fell behind on 16 minutes, Ashley Nadesan feeding Nichols who sent a low, left-footed drive into the far corner.
🌟 @LFC, can we keep him forever, please?#TownTeamTogether🔴 pic.twitter.com/XxeqYJXBFu— Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) August 23, 2022
The skipper then turned provider for Balagizi, who doubled the hosts’ advantage four minutes into the second half.
Stockport forced Leicester into a penalty shootout after neither side could find a goal.
Daniel Iversen impressed on his Foxes debut, saving three penalties in a clash his side ultimately won 3-1 from the spot.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Bournemouth also edged their contest with Norwich after Brooklyn Genesini’s last-gasp equaliser also led to the game being decided by penalties.
Jordan Hugill opened the scoring on 22 minutes before Emiliano Marcondes levelled just before the break.
𝗗𝗘𝗕𝗨𝗧. 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟. pic.twitter.com/UCxCAEOsB0— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) August 23, 2022
Adam Idah’s 83rd-minute strike seemed a likely winner for the Canaries before Genesini answered with a strike two minutes into second-half added time and former Cherries loanee Todd Cantwell’s miss proved decisive to seal his side’s fate.
Two more ties were determined on penalties, with Lincoln edging out Barrow 3-1 and Gillingham emerging victorious in a tense battle with Exeter after a 6-5 shootout.
League Two hosts Stevenage looked to be heading in the same direction in their contest with League One opponents Peterborough until Jamie Reid’s second-half stoppage-time heroics sent his side through.
Meanwhile MK Dons, who sit 22nd in the League One table, upset Championship side Watford in their 2-0 victory at Vicarage Road, Matthew Dennis and Darragh Burns netting either side of half-time to send their side through.
Aston Villa and Crystal Palace comfortably defeated their League One opponents, Odsonne Edouard and captain Luka Milivojevic sealing a 2-0 win over Oxford for the Eagles.
Bolton were level 1-1 with the Villans at the break, but Danny Ings’ 63rd-minute penalty started a second-half rally that saw Lucas Digne and Leon Bailey put the game out of reach.
Everton advanced after a close 1-0 contest with League One side Fleetwood, while Nottingham Forest claimed a decisive 3-0 victory over Grimsby and Brentford beat Colchester 2-0.
Che Adams bagged a brace in Southampton’s 3-0 win over Cambridge while League Two outfit Colchester could not find a way past Premier League opponents Brentford in a 2-0 loss.
Louie Sibley’s strike on the 15-minute mark was all it took for Derby to dispatch West Brom, while the same scoreline decided Burnley, Charlton and Morecambe’s victories over Shrewsbury, Walsall and Rotherham respectively.
Sheffield Wednesday advanced with a 3-0 win over Rochdale while James Waite struck in the winner in Newport County’s 3-2 win over Portsmouth and Adama Traore ensured Wolves knocked out Preston with a 2-1 victory.
Elsewhere Blackburn bounced back from an early deficit to knock out Bradford, Bradley Dack answering Andy Cook’s 18th-minute opener and Dilan Markanday netting the winner on 39 minutes.