Blackpool boss won't downplay the FA Cup's significance

The Seasiders head to Yorkshire to take on Simon Weaver’s League Two newcomers with a spot in the third round at stake.

It comes after Blackpool eased into the second round earlier this month with a 3-0 win against National League South side Eastbourne Borough.

Passage through to the third round throws up the potential to draw one of the Premier League big boys, something Critchley is keen to secure if possible.

“Financially it’s important for the club because of the situation we’re in, but for the players and staff it’s about that feeling and excitement of getting to the third round and possibly getting a big team,” he said.

“We’ve got history in this competition, it’s an important competition for us and I think we showed that in the last round. We aim to show it again in the next round at Harrogate.”

Blackpool will be looking to get back to winning ways after a 3-2 defeat at Doncaster Rovers in midweek.

Critchley’s side held a two-goal lead at the break courtesy of goals from Jerry Yates and CJ Hamilton, only for Darren Moore’s side to fight back and claim the points.

“We were excellent in the first half but no game is won in the first 45 minutes,” Critchley said.

“I don’t want to keep repeating myself, but we know in this division there’s not a lot between the two teams. Doncaster are a strong team at home and they’ve got good players as they proved.

“You’re never safe at any point in any game. At 2-0 we knew the third goal in the game would be decisive.

“How that came about was very questionable from where I was standing and that changed the game.

“At no point do we think the game is won. If there was any sense of complacency then we’d stamp it out straight away.

“There wasn’t any of it from our players and I have to say, over the 90 minutes, we were very unfortunate to come away with nothing.

“It should have been at least a point, and in my opinion, it should have been three points.

“To come away with nothing was very hard to take.”

Critchley was especially surprised to concede three goals, having kept things tight since the 4-1 defeat to Ipswich Town by conceding just five goals in nine games.

“If you look at the goals Doncaster are capable of scoring or the amount of shots they’ve had in previous games, they didn’t have a shot on target in the first half,” Critchley said.

“In the second half, the first goal – we’ve done our job properly from the corner and we were let down by the officials. That created the first goal and that should never have happened.

“The second goal I have to say is a fantastic goal. Sometimes you have to give credit to the opposition, it was a really high quality goal.

“After that, I never felt we were under any pressure and I wasn’t standing there thinking ‘they’re going to score again here’.

“Our goal was not under any real threat. Maxi’s (Chris Maxwell) not had a shot to save in the entire game, they didn’t really create a chance in open play.

“So for us to concede three goals and lose the game left me scratching my head at the end of the game.

“We’ve got to do better though. We were 2-0 at half-time so we had to find a way of seeing that game out and getting points on the board.

“If we want to be successful this season then we have to turn that 2-0 scoreline into a victory and we didn’t do that.”

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