Harrogate Town 2-2 Blackpool: Seasiders come from behind to progress in the EFL Trophy
Blackpool have progressed to the next round of the EFL Trophy after coming from two-goals down to draw 2-2 with Harrogate Town.
Just hours on from signing for the League Two outfit, Eno Nto opened the scoring at The Exercise Stadium, before Warren Burrell doubled the lead for Simon Weaver’s side ahead of the break.
After clawing a goal back through Jordan Rhodes, the Seasiders pulled themselves level through a superb hit from Ryan Finnigan.
With things finishing level after 90 minutes, the game went to penalties to decide who got a bonus point.
A 5-4 victory on spot kicks put Steve Bruce’s side through top of Group E, ahead of Crewe Alexandra in second.
Jordan Gabriel had the first real chance of the evening, with the fullback seeing a shot blocked off the line ahead of the 20-minute mark.
Moments later, Mark Oxley was called into action for the first time. Ashley Fletcher did well to flick a long ball into the path of Jordan Rhodes - who fired an attempt from the edge of the box straight at the Harrogate goalkeeper.
The opening goal of the evening came down the other end soon after, with debutant Nto putting the home side ahead. The former Derby County academy player lost Gabriel on the edge of the box, after cutting outside onto his left foot, before shooting across the face of goal to find the bottom corner.
Finnigan came close to swiftly pulling the Seasiders back level, but saw his attempt from the edge of the box saved by Oxley.
On the rebound, the ball was kicked into Fletcher, but the deflection off the striker landed safely into the keeper’s grasp.
Ahead of the break, Harrogate doubled their lead. A ball into the box by Toby Sims was bundled across the line by Burrell at the back post.
Embleton almost pulled one with the last kick of the half, but placed his free kick just wide of the target.
Not too many clear chances came Blackpool’s way immediately after the restart, prompting four changes from Bruce on the hour mark.
Two of the substitutes almost made an instant impact, with Terry Bondo heading wide a good cross from Rob Apter.
James Husband was also among the alterations, with the Blackpool captain making his return from injury, while CJ Hamilton was also introduced.
Some good work down the left side led to an opportunity for Rhodes - who was denied in the box by a superb last-ditch block.
There proved to be no stopping the striker’s next attempt, with the ex-Huddersfield Town man beating Oxley with a header after a cross into the box from Apter.
Harrogate substitute Josh March came close to re-extending the Yorkshire outfit’s lead, but was denied by the post.
This proved costly for Weaver’s side, as moments later Finnigan hit a superb volley from the edge of the box to pull Blackpool level.
With the game going to spot kicks, Jack Muldoon’s miss on the first penalty proved to be the difference, as the Seasiders converted all five of theirs.
Blackpool FC: Harry Tyrer, Jordan Gabriel, Matthew Pennington, Zac Ashworth, Dominic Thompson (61’), Elliot Embleton, Ryan Finnigan, Josh Onomah (61’), Hayden Coulson (61’), Jordan Rhodes, Ashley Fletcher (61’).
Substitutes: Richard O’Donnell, James Husband (61’), CJ Hamilton (61’), Rob Apter (61’), Terry Bondo (61’), Spencer Knight, Takudzwa Gwanzuru.