Northern Ireland striker Josh Magennis enjoyed a dream debut for Stevenage, coming off the bench to head home a dramatic 95th-minute winner and secure a 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park.
The veteran forward, who signed a one-year contract with the League One side over the summer, entered the fray with just fifteen minutes remaining and made his cameo count by nodding home a dramatic winner to send the visitors marching into the next round.
Speaking to the club website, Magennis said: “We have real competition for places, there’s a real camaraderie in the squad.
“It was obviously brilliant tonight as we won and it was great to score a goal and get the winner, but the big thing is that the team is moving forward.”
Elsewhere in the competition, several players made their competitive debuts following high-profile summer moves to new clubs. Goalkeeper Pierce Charles started between the posts for Queens Park Rangers, though his debut ended in disappointment as QPR ultimately lost on penalties to Millwall.
Meanwhile, Eoin Kenny was introduced as a second-half substitute for Portsmouth, who suffered a 3-1 defeat against West Ham United at the London Stadium.
Ethan Galbraith earned a starting spot for Stoke City as they enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 home victory against League Two opponents Oldham Athletic.
Goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell was in the starting line-up as Blackpool ran out 3-1 winners at Grimsby Town, though they had to do without the services of injured duo Dion Charles (foot) and Dale Taylor (hamstring)
Providing an update on Taylor, Blackpool boss Ian Evatt said: “He’s got a hamstring issue. We don’t know the extent of it yet - it’s the other hamstring, not the one he injured last season.
“He’s out for the foreseeable so we’re digging into the extent of it and how quickly we can get him back.
With the start of the Premier League still a fortnight away, top-flight clubs were continuing their preparation with a number of high profile friendlies.
Dan Ballard and Trai Hume both started Sunderland’s 2-0 win over French side RC Lens with the former Linfield man opening the scoring in the 66th minute with a brave header inside the six-yard box.
Eighteen-year-old Ceadach O’Neill was again impressive for Arsenal despite only playing the final 12 minutes of the Gunners’ 3-2 home defeat to German side Borussia Dortmund.
Midfielder Justin Devenny played the second half of Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win over Fulham, though Paddy McNair played just eight minutes of Hull City’s friendly encounter with Eintracht Frankfurt before being substituted because of a knee injury.
