Town boss Paul Cook was delighted as his much-changed side beat Gillingham 2-0 at the Priestfield Stadium in the Papa John’s Trophy, his first cup victory in charge of the Blues, and felt the players involved did themselves “the world of good” with their display.
Joe Pigott and Conor Chaplin scored in either half to see Town to their first win in a cup competition this season at the third attempt.
"I’m delighted,” Cook said. "I think when you look back to the Newport game and West Ham game probably we were really disappointed with the results because we’d expect the quality of the player we have within the club [to have won those matches].
"But lads haven’t got going at our club yet. I know we’re 10 league games in and a couple of cups but Pigott hasn’t got going, Chaplin hasn’t got going, the lads have been hampered with injuries, suspensions, Covid.
"And tonight we’ve seen glimpses of what they can do, which was great for our supporters who travelled across.
"We create chances, that’s a given. We were all disappointed when we left the stadium on Saturday. No one more so than myself, the staff, the players as well because we knew we let everyone down.
"But when we’re new and we’re learning about each other, we’ve got to go through a bit of pain to get to where we want to go.
"Tonight was an opportunity for players who haven’t played a lot of games and been subs and a lot of them did themselves the world of good tonight, and that’s great credit to them.”
Cook knows he will need those players as the season progresses: "One hundred per cent. I don’t know our best team, I’m sure our supporters at the minute don’t know our best team. Our best formation seems to be set in stone in a certain way.
"There are one or two positions we’ll alter in games, without a shadow of a doubt. But tonight was an opportunity and I thought the lads took that opportunity and I’m sure our fans have left the stadium quite happy.”
"Cook confirmed that Sone Aluko had been down to start: "Sone Aluko was ill this morning, our front four was supposed to be Aluko, Chaplin, Edwards and Pigott and that’s a very, very heavy front four in any division, it’s good.
"The quality is in the squad, in the club, the fitness levels are going up all the time. We all left Accrington on the floor because the previous three games had promised so much and we fell short.
"All I can promise our fans is that we’ll work so hard to make it right, that’s all we can promise them and if any day comes when we have given our best and it’s not enough then we’ll shake hands and do what we do. It’s football. But we’ve got such a long way to go this season and every game can build confidence quickly.
"Tonight I was very pleased for lads like Louie Barry, for example, who came on and looked electric and bright, which is great for confidence because confidence goes away quickly and it also comes back very quickly and we had a lot of good performances tonight.”
Regarding Myles Kenlock, who made his first appearance of the season having been without a squad number and training with the U23s since pre-season, Cook said: "You know in the summer we did what we did, there were a lot of players we wanted to leave.
"Myles Kenlock has done nothing but perform for this club with credit. There’ll be no disrespectful treatment of players like that. Myles hasn’t caused problems, Myles never left, he’s got a contract with the club, he’s been welcomed back into the squad now, and as you can see tonight he performed excellently and I’m delighted for the young man.”
Asked who else caught his eye, he added: "I only singled Louie out because it’s hard when you’ve come with such a reputation from Villa.
"Kayden Jackson, you can go right throughout players, Kane Vincent-Young. We played well tonight, it was a solid performance away from home.
"We looked a threat all the time and we looked solid at the back, and that’s the performances that we want.”
Tunisia international Idris El Mizouni again impressed in midfield. "Brilliant, excellent,” Cook enthused. "He’s doing the job required in those middle areas. Still got a lot of learning to do, but he’s an absolute credit of a young man and I love his attitude.”
Have those involved today given him something to think about? One hundred per cent, I thought [Toto] Nsiala and [Luke] Woolfenden were excellent. Tomas [Holy] had a little blip at home in the last one has come in tonight and has looked a commanding goalkeeper.
"Great credit to everyone, I’m thankful to our supporters for travelling, it’s getting to winter now, you’ve got your hats on.
"We’re still in the competition, we’ve got a game against Colchester next, that will always attract a little bit of interest, won’t it?”