'He'll have a big future at this football club:' Blackpool boss makes prediction on attacker following his return from injury

Neither team were able to find the back of the net during the 90 minutes as the game finished 0-0- with spot kicks required to separate the two at Bloomfield Road. In the shootout, it was the Seasiders who held their nerve, as Zac Ashworth missed the deciding penalty to give Neil Critchley’s side a 5-4 win.

Blackpool were on the back foot during the first half, but stepped up after the break, with the introduction of Kouassi 69th minute providing an extra boost heading into the latter stages. The game marked the striker’s return to action after being absent since November due to a hamstring problem. Since making the move to the Fylde Coast in the summer, the 20-year-old has scored five times all competitions.

"It was nice to see him back on the pitch,” Critchley said.

"He must’ve been out for 10 or 11 weeks, and he’s worked really hard physically to get into good condition. Our sports science team has done a great job with him. I thought he came on and made a difference. He won some aerial duals and held the ball up.

"I know when we signed him some of the supporters weren’t aware of him and maybe questioned why we were signing someone from League Two, but we saw his potential and what he could be. We want to be a club that gives opportunities to young players and help them to develop if they’ve got the right qualities and the right personal characteristics- Kylian has those, he’s a great kid and is well liked in the dressing room. I think he’ll have a big future at this club.

“We’ve missed him in some of the games we’ve played, with his physical presence up front. He’s got a good touch and good awareness of what’s around him; he doesn’t just hold it up and flick it on merchant- there’s much more to his game.

"The amount of starts he’s had in league football is minimal, so we can’t expect too much too soon, but let’s enjoy watching him.”

Alongside Kouassi, CJ Hamilton was also introduced by Critchley for the final 20 minutes of the tie, with the wing-back stepping up to convert the first penalty of the shootout.

"He was a threat down the right side, he stretched the game and got in behind,” the Blackpool boss added.

"He’s a big threat in big spaces. You want your subs to come on and make a difference, and CJ and Kylian did that, but sometimes they’re the beneficiaries of the hard work that has gone on previously. The players who come off run the opposition into the ground and make them tired- I felt they did that.”