A cup scalp and a welcome return - The story of Doncaster Rovers 2 Huddersfield Town 1

A total of 18 changes combined told you all you needed to know about where this competition lies in the priorities of both clubs as each look to live up to pre-season billing as promotion favourites.

Each team made nine alterations from their last outing but for Rovers, it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that their starting XI would more than hold its own in a league encounter.

Despite that, it was the visitors - fielding a hybrid team of second-stringers and youngsters - who fashioned the first real chance of an admittedly lacklustre first half. Peter Thomas was presented with a golden chance to notch his maiden senior goal after an unfortunate slip from Jay McGrath. Luckily for Rovers, the youngster slotted wide of goal as the onrushing Ian Lawlor did just enough to put him off.

Surviving that near-miss injected a bit of urgency into the hosts and after some easy-on-the-eye passing sequences they were soon celebrating a deserved lead.

Ephraim Yeboah latched onto a crisp, lobbed ball over the top from Kyle Hurst and showed persistence to finish at the second attempt from just a few yards out after an initial half-block from Town's defence and goalkeeper.

From a Rovers perspective one of the highlights of the first half, and indeed the evening as a whole, was the telling contribution of the returning Ben Close. The midfielder was making his first appearance of any kind since January when he suffered a season-ending knee injury that required surgery. You couldn't miss him here, decked out with bright green luminous boots as he dug out some impressive passes and coped well under pressure. He can be proud of his contribution across the 76 minutes that he lasted.

Despite the encouraging first half it was the visitors who came out brighter after the restart - probably after a telling-off from their manager Michael Duff.

And it took veteran striker Danny Ward less than five minutes to restore parity after Town's Tom Iorpenda advanced unopposed through the pitch and fed Ollie Turton. His centre then found the lurking Ward just a few yards out and he duly tapped in in front of the 658 travelling supporters from West Yorkshire.

The remainder of the second half saw each team cancel each other out with chances very much at a premium. That was until Ben Wiles' wild kick-out at Jack Senior inside the box as Rovers recycled a corner.

Joe Ironside duly despatched the resulting spot-kick with a ferocious effort that gave Jacob Chapman no chance and ensured a winning start to the group stage for Grant McCann's troops as they claimed a welcome scalp over their higher-placed Yorkshire rivals.

Rovers: Lawlor, Sterry, Olowu, McGrath, Senior, Close (Straughan-Brown 76), Broadbent, Sbarra (Molyneux 63), Yeboah (Gibson 77), Ironside, Hurst (Williams 89)

Unused subs: Sharman-Lowe, Imariagbe, Fleming.

Attendance: 2,319.