Report and pics of Wolves 2 Northampton 3

The alarm bells were already ringing when the Northampton team coach pulled up at Molineux.

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A fire alarm had turfed staff and early arrivals out of the ground at 6pm, as the Cobblers came aiming for a shock.

And they left with one of the results of the round, stunning Wolves to dump them out of the League Cup at the third time of asking.

Previous games in 2011 and 2012 saw comfortable Wolves wins and, while Kenny Jackett's men dominated for long spells last night, the Cobblers finally ended their stranglehold.

Two-goal debutant Lawson D'Ath and Ivan Toney sent the League Two side through to the second round.

Nouha Dicko and Sam Ricketts had briefly levelled in a breathless nine-minute period which saw Wolves fight back from 2-0 down.

But it was the kiss of D'Ath for Wolves when the midfielder headed in the winner with 18 minutes left.

Northampton's victory at Liverpool in 2010 – where they won at Anfield on penalties – underlined their recent cup pedigree.

And Wolves had right to be wary with last season's 1-0 Capital One Cup defeat at Morecambe in the early days of Kenny Jackett's rebuilding process was still lodged in the memory.

Northampton boss Chris Wilder is also leading his own revival to plot.

He has now only lost five of his 22 games in charge after taking the Cobblers off the bottom of League Two in January to Football League survival on the final day of last season.

Tough to beat, an opening day 1-0 win over Mansfield continued their rebuilding process and there were signs they will do well in League Two.

Wolves mirrored Northampton's result with their victory over Norwich on Sunday to announce their own arrival back in the Championship.

Eight changes from that game meant only Matt Doherty, Richard Stearman and Lee Evans kept their places.

Kenny Jackett wanted to give those who didn't start the chance to prove themselves but there will be food for thought after defeat.

Competition is high at Molineux, captain Ricketts being left out testifies to that, but the skipper made his own goalscoring return.

It will be of little consolation and Jackett will be expected to shuffle his pack again at Rotherham on Saturday.

And just like against Norwich, Wolves started well with McAlinden shooting straight at Matt Duke.

Ian Morris did likewise for Northampton but the raft of changes did not affect the hosts' rhythm, even if the visitors began to settle.

Sunday's intensity was missing but the control remained with Wolves content to probe for the openings against the League Two side.

Former Northampton winger Jacbos – who played in their Anfield victory – jinked his way through only for his shot to deflect wide with Duke wrong-footed and a minute later Doherty's drive flew wide.

The Cobblers' defence were accommodating to Wolves' runs, opening up too easily to allow the hosts chances.

And they continued to live dangerously on 36 minutes when Clarke nodded in, only to be pulled back for offside.

It sparked a frantic and bizarre six minutes as Wolves had another two goals ruled out for offside.

First, Clarke slid in McAlinden's cross before McAlinden's tap in was also chalked off after he'd latched onto Jacobs' ball.

Between the 'goals' Kaid Mohamed's shot deflected wide during a brief Northampton raid but McCarey remained, largely, untroubled.

He gathered Ricky Ravenhill's low effort just before the break and there was little change in the game's complexion after the interval.

Wolves continued to press, with Henry and Jacobs revelling in space out wide, and the Cobblers relied on sporadic breaks.

McCarey gathered O'Toole's strike and Ravenhill shot over as the visitors threatened – before they stunned Molineux on 58 minutes.

O'Toole's flick found Toney and when his shot was saved by McCarey debutant D'Ath, who had only been on the pitch two minutes, followed up to net with his first touch.

And it got worse four minutes later when Toney rose to glance in a corner to make it 2-0.

Bakary Sako and Dicko immediately replaced Clarke and Henry and Dicko made an instant impact when he smashed in from close range on 66 minutes.

And just two minutes later Ricketts curled in the equaliser from 18-yards to make it four goals in a barnstorming nine minutes.

Northampton weren't finished though and D'Ath nodded them back into the lead with 18 minutes remaining when his header looped over the despairing McCarey.

It was a shock and perhaps one Wolves did not deserve but they had failed to heed the warning signs.