Chris Wilder and Phil Parkinson made a raft of changes each as they look to mount respective promotion charges in the Championship and League One this season, and it was United who emerged victorious on a muggy evening in South Yorkshire which, to be fair, told us little about the credentials both these teams possess this season.
But on the night, it was the hosts who were much the stronger side to secure safe passage to the second round, and Wilder will be heartened by the work his side have done in the first few days of the season, having defeated Preston on the opening night of the Championship season before this win against a tricky Wrexham side.
It can often be levied at clubs that their priorities lie away from this competition, and that certainly felt the case here. The two teams made a combined total of 21 changes from their respective opening-weekend victories: only Wrexham's James McClean survived after their win against Wycombe, while United rotated their entire side.
This story is from the August 14, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the August 14, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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