AFTER a summer that has contained plenty of penalty shoot-out drama, perhaps it was only fitting that Middlesbrough got in on the act as a side containing seven debutants successfully made it through to the second round of the Carabao Cup.

Andy Lonergan, one of the new boys, filled the Jordan Pickford role, keeping out two Notts County penalties after a thrilling game had finished 3-3.

Grant Leadbitter, Paddy McNair, Stephen Walker and Marcus Tavernier all scored for Boro, with the latter pair in particular displaying a level of composure that belied their tender years. On a night brimming with youthful endeavour, the next generation of Boro players more than proved their mettle.

The Teessiders fell behind on three separate occasions, with Jon Stead scoring twice for Notts County, but hauled themselves level each time thanks to a brace from Ashley Fletcher and a header from Enes Mahmutovic. With no extra-time in this season’s League Cup, that meant penalties – and a chance for Lonergan to shine. His two full-length stops capped a memorable first appearance.

On a hugely dramatic night, there was a moment of history too, with Nathan Wood coming off the bench to become Boro’s youngest-ever player at the age of 16 years and 75 days. Having featured in the Teessiders’ pre-season programme, Wood replaced Thomas Murray, from the 1904-05 season, in the record books.

In his programme notes ahead of last night’s game, Tony Pulis extolled the qualities of Boro’s Rockliffe Park academy and hailed the number of youngsters who have emerged from Hurworth to enjoy successful professional careers. By handing out seven senior debuts, he proved he does not intend to see the production line dry up.

There were ten changes from the side that beat Birmingham at the weekend – Dael Fry was the only player to keep his place – with debuts in the starting line-up for academy products Mahmutovic, Nathan McGinley and Harry Chapman as well as Lonergan, who made a summer move from Leeds.

A fifth debutant arrived before half-time, with 17-year-old Walker replacing Chapman, whose maiden appearance was cruelly curtailed by a shoulder injury, and Wood became the history-making sixth new boy when he came on for Ayala. Another teenager, Djed Spence, made it seven new faces when he also left the bench late on.

None of the youngsters looked out of place, indeed Mahmutovic and McGinley in particular immediately looked at home in their new environment.

Mahmutovic, a full Luxembourg international, has been on the Teessiders’ books for a couple of years, but Middlesbrough-born McGinley joined the club as a teenage scholar, Hartlepool’s Chapman has been on Boro’s books since the age of eight and Walker, who hails from Berwick Hills, is another long-term academy fixture. No wonder Dave Parnaby, watching the game from the press box, was beaming like a proud father.

Pulis’ willingness to put so much faith in his youngsters was a vote of confidence in Parnaby’s successors, as well as a reflection of his desire to protect some of his more established first-team players ahead of Saturday’s Championship trip to Bristol City.

It was also a risk. Notts County boss Kevin Nolan might have made seven changes of his own, but his side started the season as one of the favourites for the League Two title and were able to boast former Sunderland striker Stead in their starting line-up.

Stead is in his mid-30s now, but he remains a tried-and-tested forward, and his intelligent running enabled the visitors to break the deadlock in sumptuous style in the 20th minute.

Terry Hawkridge’s quick free-kick released Stead into the left-hand side of the area, and with the Boro defence caught flat-footed, the veteran squared the ball for Tom Crawford to sweep home.

Boro hadn’t really found their feet at that stage, with Mahmutovic and Tavernier both seeing shots blocked inside the area, but the Teessiders levelled eight minutes after falling behind.

The returning Daniel Ayala flicked on Leadbitter’s corner at the front post, and Fletcher bundled the ball home from inside the six-yard box. Having spent the second half of last season on loan at Sunderland, it was Fletcher’s first Boro goal since he scored in a 3-2 win over QPR last September.

The goal should have spurred the home side on, but with McNair and Leadbitter failing to exert the kind of midfield control that might have been expected of them, Notts County continued to enjoy plenty of possession in the Boro half.

That possession paid dividends again shortly after the half-hour mark, with Stead claiming the goal his industrious display merited. Receiving the ball with his back to goal, the 35-year-old spun away from his marker before sweeping a low 20-yard finish into the bottom corner.

Tavernier wasted a decent opportunity as he blazed over from inside the box, but Boro did not have to wait long to be level for a second time.

The impressive Johnson stood up an inviting cross from the left, and Mahmutovic, marauding forward from right-back, was left with the simple task of heading home from close range. Unsurprisingly, his successful effort meant he became the first Luxembourger to find the net in a Boro shirt.

Johnson headed Tavernier’s cross over the bar at the start of the second half, but despite some decent movement from their youngsters in attack, the hosts never looked especially comfortable.

Wood’s introduction reduced the average age of the side even more, but as the age-old saying goes, a good ‘old un’ will often beat a good ‘young un’. Sure enough, Stead struck again midway through the second half to restore Notts County’s lead.

Midfielder Noor Husin did most of the damage, firing in a long-range effort that beat Lonergan but rebounded off the base of the right-hand post. The ball rebounded fortuitously for Stead, who had the simple task of slotting into a gaping goal.

Boro almost claimed an immediate equaliser, but more good work down the left-hand side from Johnson, who also hit the post in the closing stages, went unrewarded as Walker somehow missed the ball entirely as he attempted to slot home from inside the area.

Not to worry. To his credit, Walker did not allow the error to affect him, and when he teed up Fletcher on the corner of the area three minutes later, Boro were level for a third time. Fletcher was a threat all night, and he opened up his body adeptly before curling into the far corner.