The Newcastle United loanee, who enjoyed a successful stint at Hartlepool United last term, is spending the entire 2021/22 campaign with Darrell Clarke’s side.

And he started for the League Two side as James Wilson’s hat-trick put them 3-0 up against League One’s Accy.

After Ethan Hamilton pulled one back for the visitors at Vale Park, the full back got in on the act with just five minutes remaining, thumping home a first senior strike – which went in off the crossbar – in fine style to give the hosts a 4-1 advantage in the first round tie.

George Lloyd’s late effort added extra gloss to the scoreline in what was 21-year-old Cass’ 14th outing of the season, adding to the 35 he made on loan at Victoria Park last season as he helped Pools to promotion through the National League play-offs.

It wasn’t as memorable a weekend for some of United other young loanees, though, with Kell Watts suffering an injury after 20 minutes of Wigan Athletic’s 0-0 FA Cup draw with Solihull Moors.

Rodrigo Vilca wasn’t part of the Doncaster Rovers squad which beat Scunthorpe 1-0 to book their place in the second round, while goalkeeper Jake Turner was an unused substitute in Colchester United’s 4-0 win over FC Sudbury.

And in Scotland, Oisin McEntee helped Greenock Morton earn a 3-1 win at Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Championship.

The Irish centre half played the full game, but teammate Tom Allan was confined to the bench.

Matty Longstaff, meanwhile, also had to settle for a place on the bench for Aberdeen’s 2-0 home defeat to Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership and, like Allan, wasn’t called upon to enter the fray.

Photo credit: Tom Green/PVFC