Tranmere Rovers suffered defeat in their opening EFL Trophy game, as Fleetwood Town emerged 2-0 victors at Highbury Stadium.
Both goals were scored by substitutes, first Jayden Stockley converted from a spot on 73 minutes after Dan Pike was shown a second yellow card.
Then, Phoenix Patterson found the target with ten to go, securing the points in the first group match.
Ian Dawes handed debuts to loanees James Norris, from Liverpool, and Rob Apter, from Blackpool.
The latter looked bright throughout the first half. He caused problems for Adam Montgomery early on, twisting past the Fleetwood man before seeing his cross blocked behind.
Paul Lewis then went down with a knock and limped off in place of Reece McAlear after nine minutes.
The Cods began to have chances. Danny Mayor delivered a fantastic ball into Shaun Rooney, but he could only chest the ball into the gloves of Luke McGee.
Brad Walker was then forced into action to make a crucial block on the line, after the hosts worked the ball from a free-kick.
Kabongo Tshimanga, recently signed on loan from Peterborough United, looked the biggest threat for the home side. He twice got on the end of crosses but couldn’t find the target, his second effort clattered against the outside of the post and out.
McGee was called upon twice in quick succession as the half neared a close. He first rushed out to deny Ryan Graydon before pushing Tshimanga’s close range shot past the post.
Rovers had a late chance in the opening 45, as Connor Jennings curled a shot into the arms of Jay Lynch in added time.
McGee took his form from the first half into the second, first stopping a Xavier Simons effort from distance.
Then, Mayor smashed a fierce shot into Tshimanga which deflected towards goal but not beyond the reach of the Tranmere stopper.
Apter combined with Pike, the latter running onto the end of a delightful flick-on, but his shot was kept out.
Mayor was denied once again by the fingertips of McGee, but the deadlock was soon broken when Pike tripped Stockley in the box. The Rovers defender was promptly shown a second yellow card.
The Fleetwood man dusted himself off and calmly slotted the penalty into the net to open the scoring.
The hosts’ lead was soon doubled. Graydon’s cross was cleared into the path of Patterson who found the net, securing the Cods' first win of the season.
FLEETWOOD TOWN: Lynch, Montgomery (Armstrong 35’), Tshimanga (Stockley 63’), Vela, Mayor, Quitirna (Patterson 76’), Simons (Broom 63’), Holgate, Graydon, Nsiala (Teale 76’), Rooney
SUBS NOT USED: Harrington, Hayes
TRANMERE ROVERS: McGee, Pike, Walker, Turnbull, J. Norris (Morris 42’), Merrie, Lewis (McAlear 9’), Hendry, Taylor (Jolley 77’), Jennings, Apter (Hawkes 77’)
SUBS NOT USED: Murphy, Dennis, Hughes