Tranmere Rovers went out in the first round of the Carabao Cup after losing 8-7 on penalties to Harrogate Town, with the score finishing 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Tranmere led through James Vaughan, but the visitors equalised to take the game to penalties.
Club captain Scott Davies and strike force Morgan Ferrier and James Vaughan returned as Rovers began the 2020/21 campaign in the Carabao Cup against Harrogate Town.
It was a quite affair in the first 30 minutes with little separating the two teams. Tranmere, donning their all white home strip, looked threatening down the wings with Otis Khan and Corey Blackett-Taylor, whilst Vaughan and Ferrier were putting in a shift in attack.
Meanwhile, the visitors, playing their first competitive match in an EFL competition, and against Tranmere Rovers, had a couple of half opportunities, but the back four were dealing comfortably with any danger thrown the host’s way.
In the 34th minute, former Aston Villa wide man Blackett-Taylor had an excellent chance to put Rovers ahead, beating his man with ease, he crashed an effort wide from the left.
Minutes later, Tranmere went close to breaking the visitors down, and outnumbering the opposition on the counter, a misplaced pass would have seen the hosts go through on goal.
From the interception, Harrogate pushed bodies forward and swung a cross into the box, but a diving header was off target.
Just before half time, Blackett-Taylor was forced off with an injury, with 2019/20 TRFC player of the season, Keiron Morris, coming on in his place.
Lee O’Connor had the first attempt of the second half. Excellent work from Khan saw him beat his man on the left and carried the ball from his own half to the edge of the box.
Khan flicked the ball out wide for Ferrier to drive a cross in which was only half cleared before O’Connor fired wide.
Just after the hour mark, Harrogate had a shot on target from 20-yards but captain Davies was equal.
A minute later, 62 on the clock, Aaron Martin span away from O’Connor to put a curling effort on target from the left, but Davies made a strong save.
Tranmere made two more changes, one before Harrogate’s two goal bound attempts, Ferrier replaced by Stefan Payne, and one afterwards, Paul Lewis off for Ollie Banks.
In the 65th minute, a misplaced back pass from a Harrogate captain Joshua Falkingham allowed Vaughan to collect the ball, round the goalkeeper and tap home for his first of the campaign.
However, Harrogate responded nearly straight away and scored their first goal as an EFL club when Lloyd Kerry fired from the edge of the box to put the Yorkshire team level.
Both teams were creating chances coming into the final stages of the match with a place in the second round of the Carabao Cup at stake.
Captain Falkingham took range from 30 plus yards, but Davies was alert to his fellow captain and pushed the ball behind for a corner kick.
However, the game finished 1-1 and was decided by penalties with the visitors winning 8-7 to advance to the next stage.
Tranmere: Davies, MacDonald, Clarke, Monthe, O’Connor, Khan, Lewis (Banks 63), Spearing, Blackett-Taylor (Morris 41), Ferrier (Payne 62), Vaughan. Unused subs: Murphy, Ridehalgh, Nelson, Ellis.
Harrogate: Cracknell, Fallowfield, Falkingham, Smith, Burrell, Thompson, Martin (Beck 81), Kerry, Muldoon, Hall, Walker (Stead 73). Unused subs: Emmett, Kiernan, Kirby, Lokko.