In the midst of all the celebrations at the London Olympics closing ceremony and Manchester City’s curtain-raising success over Chelsea in the FA Community Shield, the first round of the League Cup has taken place.
The Capital One Cup, as it is known this season, had its first round action spread over four days, with some surprises along the way.
Total Football’s Simon Wright looks over the main headlines.
Cardiff crash out
Last season's runners-up Cardiff City crashed out in the first round, losing 2-1 at Sixfields to Northampton Town.
Heidar Helguson put the visitors ahead inside of three minutes from the penalty spot but David Artell headed home on his debut and Alex Nicholls scored the winner for the League Two side.
Two former Premier League icons did battle at the County Ground but it was Paolo di Canio who came out on top against Gus Poyet.
Di Canio's Swindon side trounced Brighton 3-0, helped by two goals from ex-Seagull midfielder, Alan Navarro.
Troubled Portsmouth had to field a side of youngsters and unsurprisingly lost 3-0 at Plymouth Argyle.
Johnny Gorman, Paris Cowan-Hall and Nick Chadwick scored for Argyle, as Pompey had to field nine teenagers in their starting 11.
2011 League Cup winners Birmingham City put five past Barnet at St Andrews.
New signings Peter Lovenkrands and Darren Ambrose were amongst their scorers in the 5-1 victory.
Scunthorpe United came out on top in a crazy match at Pride Park, with Championship side Derby County.
After two hours of football, they shared an unbelievable 5-5 draw, with Scunthorpe triumphing 7-6 on penalties.
Morecambe cause a big upset
If Ian Holloway is serious about a Blackpool promotion challenge, he will see these competitions as a major distraction.
So, he won’t need to worry about the League Cup in 2012-13, after his side were dumped out of the competition in round one, losing 2-1 at home to Morecambe.
Lewis Alessandra gave the visitors an early lead inside six minutes and Andrew Fleming doubled the lead, shortly after the interval.
Alex John-Baptiste pulled a goal back but it was too little, too late for Holloway.
At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United’s playoff hangover increased into the new season.
Just like the League One final in May, they failed to be decisive from 12 yards and got punished, losing 5-4 on penalties at home to Burton Albion from League Two.
After 120 minutes, it had finished 2-2 with strikes from Adi Yussuf and Cleveland Taylor, cancelled out by Nick Blackman and Neil Collins for the Blades.
Marcus Holness was sent off for Burton Albion but in the shootout, Michael Doyle’s penalty was saved, allowing Taylor to sink Danny Wilson’s team and take a huge scalp in the competition.
Ryan Brunt scored the winning penalty as Leyton Orient came from behind to beat Charlton Athletic on penalties in a London derby, after a 1-1 draw at The Valley.
Another surprise happened at Ashton Gate, where Martin Allen's Gillingham beat Bristol City 2-1. Ben Strevens flicked home the winner for the Gills.
Wednesday storm back
Sheffield Wednesday produced the comeback of the round at Boundary Park against Oldham Athletic.
The Owls trailed 2-0 inside 27 minutes but stormed back to win 4-2. Chris O'Grady scored twice against his former side, with Jermaine Johnson and Michail Antonio completing the scoring.
Preston North End pulled off a minor shock, as they got the better of Huddersfield Town.
Graham Westley gave debuts to ten players and one of those debutants, Nicky Wroe, found the net in a 2-0 win.
A second half strike from Dexter Blackstock was enough for Nottingham Forest to record a 1-0 win, away at Football League newcomers, Fleetwood Town.
New Crawley Town manager Richie Barker made a great start, as his side overcame Millwall at the New Den.
Darius Henderson and Jack Smith had penalties saved in the penalty shootout by Crawley goalkeeper, Paul Jones.
This meant the new League One side went through 4-1 on penalties, after a 2-2 draw.
Coventry City ended their recent dreadful record in the competition, with a stoppage time penalty from Kevin Kilbane, seeing them progress at the expense of Dagenham & Redbridge.
Strikes from Jason Scotland, Tommy Smith and Aston Villa target Aaron Cresswell, enabled Ipswich to come from behind to defeat Bristol Rovers 3-1 at Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys will be hoping for a similar run that got them to the semi-finals of this competition in 2011.
Zola’s new territory starts with a win
Gianfranco Zola’s first match in competitive charge of Watford ended with a narrow 1-0 win after extra-time, against Wycombe Wanderers.
It was only the sixth ever clash between the two sides and it took an effort from substitute Chris Iwelumo, to prove the difference in the 109th minute.
After a potential takeover of the club hit the rocks last week, Leeds United got on with the job in hand and comfortably dismissed Shrewsbury Town at Elland Road.
New signings Luke Varney and David Norris scored on their debuts for the Yorkshire club, adding to goals from Luciano Becchio and Ross McCormack’s penalty in a 4-0 triumph.
Recently relegated Wolves needed penalties to overcome the stiff challenge of Aldershot Town.
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake fired home the opener for the hosts after 52 minutes, before Michael Rankine levelled things 11 minutes later.
In the lottery of penalties, Carl Ikeme saved from Jordan Roberts to get Wolves off the hook. 7-6 on penalties was the final score.
Leicester City strolled to an easy 4-0 away victory at Torquay United. Lloyd Dyer, Ben Marshall, Matty James and debutant Jamie Vardy were on target for the Foxes.
Elsewhere, there were victories for Middlesbrough, Barnsley, Burnley, Hull City and Milton Keynes Dons.
CAPITAL ONE CUP ROUND ONE RESULTS
Saturday, 11 August 2012
Bury 1-2 Middlesbrough
Carlisle United 1-0 Accrington Stanley
Cheltenham Town 1-1 Milton Keynes Dons (Milton Keynes Dons won 5-3 on penalties)
Crewe Alexandra 5-0 Hartlepool United
Doncaster Rovers 1-1 York City (Doncaster Rovers won 4-2 on penalties)
Hull City 1-1 Rotherham United (Hull City won 7-6 on penalties)
Leeds United 4-0 Shrewsbury Town
Notts County 0-1 Bradford City (AET)
Rochdale 3-4 Barnsley (AET)
Sheffield United 2-2 Burton Albion (Burton Albion won 5-4 on penalties)
Walsall 1-0 Brentford
Watford 1-0 Wycombe Wanderers (AET)
Wolves 1-1 Aldershot Town (Wolves won 7-6 on penalties)
Sunday, 12 August 2012
Blackpool 1-2 Morecambe
Monday, 13 August 2012
Fleetwood Town 0-1 Nottingham Forest
Oldham Athletic 2-4 Sheffield Wednesday
Preston North End 2-0 Huddersfield Town
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Birmingham City 5-1 Barnet
Bristol City 1-2 Gillingham
Charlton Athletic 1-1 Leyton Orient (Leyton Orient won 4-3 on penalties)
Chesterfield 1-2 Tranmere Rovers (AET)
Dagenham & Redbridge 0-1 Coventry City
Derby County 5-5 Scunthorpe United (Scunthorpe won 7-6 on penalties)
Exeter City 1-2 Crystal Palace
Ipswich Town 3-1 Bristol Rovers
Millwall 2-2 Crawley Town (Crawley Town won 4-1 on penalties)
Northampton Town 2-1 Cardiff City
Oxford United 0-0 Bournemouth (Oxford won 5-3 on penalties)
Peterborough United 4-0 Southend United
Plymouth Argyle 3-0 Portsmouth
Port Vale 1-3 Burnley
Stevenage Borough 3-1 AFC Wimbledon
Swindon Town 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Torquay United 0-4 Leicester City
Yeovil Town 3-0 Colchester United
By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
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