August 23 2016

Connor Wickham (Photo: Ramzi Musallam)

Crystal Palace secured their passage into the third round of the EFL Cup with a 2-0 success over Blackpool.

Palace's £27m record signing Christian Benteke made his first appearance and completed 45 minutes as the Eagles claimed their first win of the season.

Fellow new buys goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and centre-back James Tomkins also made full debuts against the Pool.

Skipper Scott Dann fired Palace into the lead on 25 minutes when he drove home Andros Townsend's cross which deflected in off Blackpool defender Clark Robertson.

Eagles midfielder James McArthur – also making his first start of the campaign – then cleared Jim McAlister's effort off the line.

Connor Wickham came on for Benteke at the break and increased the advantage two minutes into the second half with a first-time shot from Jason Puncheon's 47th-minute cross.

Townsend then struck the bar as Palace claimed a confidence-boosting victory, albeit over League Two opposition.

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