National League Cup: a 'sweetener' for scrapping Cup replays or cash lifeline?

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Competition pitting Premier League U21s against fifth-tier reserves fails to inspire a paltry Wealdstone crowd against Southampton

Fifth-tier Wealdstone defeated Premier League Southampton 3-1 on Tuesday night: a remarkable result at first glance but one that came with caveats.

Southampton's Under-21s went to north-west London to play Matt Taylor's heavily rotated Wealdstone in the National League Cup at Grosvenor Vale. The competition was revived last month with a 32-team, four-group format featuring 16 sides from Premier League 2, and 16 from the league's fifth rung.