Blackburn Rovers 4-3 Walsall - Hosts come back to reach second round

Blackburn Rovers have now scored six goals during their opening two games of the 2023-24 season

Blackburn Rovers twice came from behind to thwart Walsall's hopes of an EFL Cup first round surprise at Ewood Park.

The League Two Saddlers twice led in the first half after Blackburn manager Jon Dahl Tomasson had changed all 11 players who beat West Brom in their Championship opener on Saturday.

Oisin McEntee and Motherwell loanee Ross Tierney had shocked the home crowd but both goals were pegged back, by goals from 20-year-old debutante Zak Gilsenan and summer signing Niall Ennis.

That took the wind out of Walsall's sails and in the second half Jake Garrett also grabbed his first senior goal and John Buckley made sure of the victory despite Ronan Maher's late goal for the visitors.

Tomasson has turned to Blackburn's youth products after losing key men Ben Brereton Diaz, Bradley Dack, Thomas Kaminski and Ash Phillips in the transfer window, and was instantly repaid as Dilan Markanday and Harry Leonard's goal gave them a 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on the opening day.

Tomasson handed starts to Jake Batty and Sam Barnes as well as Gilsenan, but the mass changes almost cost them as McEntee headed home a corner to give the Saddlers the lead.

Gilsenan, who spent two years in Barcelona's academy, levelled within two minutes from a Ryan Hedges cross but then Tierney got on the end of a Joe Foulkes cross to restore Walsall's lead.

This time the lead lasted just three minutes as Ennis, who moved from Plymouth in this window, was found in space by Hedges and finished.

Buckley picked out Garrett to give Rovers the lead for the first time and grabbed one himself from Gilsenan's sharp pass, although Maher's deflected strike gave Rovers a late scare.