The draw for the Capital One Cup second round was made last night straight after Doncaster Rovers dumped rivals Leeds United out of the competition on penalties. A host of lower league sides were in the draw thanks to a number of upsets in the first round.
Northampton Town, who piled more misery onto Blackpool with a 3-0 win in the first round, have been rewarded with a trip up North to face Steve McClaren’s Newcastle United. Walsall and Brighton have both tasted victories over Nottingham Forest this season in the cup and league respectively, and they meet in the second round at The Banks’s Stadium in Walsall.
Port Vale dumped out former Premier League side Burnley in round one and now make a relatively short trip to a Premier League side in the Black Country as West Brom host the Valiants. Oxford are on the road again after an excellent 4-0 demolition of Brentford, this time making a journey North to Sheffield Wednesday. Barnet, who beat Millwall after extra time have been rewarded with an exciting tie in Wolverhampton, and Bournemouth fans face a gruelling 330 mile trip to Hartlepool.
The other two newly promoted Premier League sides, Norwich City and Watford, face Rotherham United and Preston North End.
West Midlands police will have their hands full too, as in a weird coincidence all of the West Midlands sides, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Walsall, West Brom and Wolves were handed home ties.
As for Stoke City, Shaqiri may be used to Milan and Munich but will have a reality check when The Potters travel to Kenilworth Road to take on League Two side Luton Town under the lights. Mason Holgate, who signed for Everton yesterday from Barnsley may be coming up against his former club sooner than expected as these two sides were drawn together.
Here is a full list of the Capital One Cup second round draw to be played the week commencing 24th August:
Aston Villa vs Notts County
Walsall vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Crystal Palace vs Shrewsbury Town
Sheffield Wednesday vs Oxford United
Portsmouth vs Reading
Hartlepool United vs AFC Bournemouth
Fulham vs Sheffield United
MK Dons vs Cardiff City
Hull City vs Rochdale
Sunderland vs Exeter City
Bury vs Leicester City
Doncaster Rovers vs Ipswich Town
Rotherham United vs Norwich City
Swansea City vs York City
QPR vs Carlisle United
Barnsley vs Everton
Peterborough United vs Charlton Athletic
Birmingham City vs Gillingham
Newcastle United vs Northampton Town
West Bromwich Albion vs Port Vale
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Barnet
Burton Albion vs Middlesbrough
Luton Town vs Stoke City
Preston North End vs Watford
