Millwall 2 Blackpool 1: Jake Cooper breaks Seasiders' hearts with last-gasp winner

Blackpool came within seconds of earning another excellent point away from home but were finally broken down by Jake Cooper's stoppage-time winner and were beaten 2-1 by Millwall at The Den.
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Neil Critchley's men have already drawn with Bristol City and Bournemouth on their travels and looked good to continue their unbeaten run on their travels before conceding bang on 90 minutes.

Blackpool were forced to play more than 75 minutes with 10 men after Callum Connolly was sent off for pulling back Benik Afobe.

A red card for Blackpool's Callum ConnollyA red card for Blackpool's Callum Connolly
A red card for Blackpool's Callum Connolly
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But the red card didn't stop the Seasiders in their tracks, and they took the lead 11 minutes into the second-half when Shayne Lavery broke the deadlock, although the visitors were pegged back just seven minutes later when Jed Wallace thumped home from distance.

And moments after Chris Maxwell looked to have earned the away side a share of the spoils with an excellent save, Cooper broke Blackpool hearts.

It means Pool head into the international break sitting inside the relegation-zone after collecting just two points from their opening five matches.

But Blackpool didn't start like a team that had gone almost seven years without winning at this level, though, and they should have taken the lead inside the opening five minutes.

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Jake Cooper's awful back-pass was capitalised on by Lavery, who lifted his shot over Bartosz Bialkowski and towards goal, but his effort dropped agonisingly wide of the far post before Luke Garbutt's long-range piledriver was easily gathered by the Lions goalkeeper moments later.

Garbutt then saw his thunderous effort blocked by the Millwall defence as the Seasiders looked to take the lead in a league game for the first time this season.

However, their afternoon soon turned sour when they were reduced to 10 men in the 14th minute.

Matt Smith flicked on into the path of Afobe, which forced Connolly to haul him down when he was through on goal and the Seasiders defender was given his marching orders.

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Despite their numerical disadvantage, Blackpool were continuing to hold firm, although they were fortunate that Afobe's acrobatic effort was deflected wide just before the break and even more relieved that George Saville's header was ruled out for a foul minutes into the second-half.

However, totally against the run of play, Neil Critchley's men took the lead on 56 minutes.

Josh Bowler broke away from a corner and drove at the Millwall defence before sliding in Lavery, whose first effort was saved by Bialkowski, but he regained his footing to make no mistake with the second to slot home his fourth of the campaign.

But Blackpool's joy was shortlived because less than seven minutes later Wallace curled home an expertly-taken free-kick from 25-yards to draw the hosts level.

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The Seasiders defended brilliantly throughout the second period and Maxwell's late save from George Evans appeared to have earned Critchley's side a fantastic point.

However, as the clock struck 90 minutes, Wallace crossed for Cooper to send a bullet header in the top corner and finally break Blackpool's resistance.

Millwall: Bialkowski, Ballard, M Wallace, Cooper, Mitchell (Mahoney 58), Saville, Afobe, Kieftenbeld (Evans 84), Malone, J Wallace, Smith (Thompson 90); Subs not used: Long, Thompson, Bradhaw, Pearce.

Blackpool: Maxwell, Connolly, Ekpiteta, Keogh, Garbutt, Bowler (John-Jules 88), James, Dougall, Anderson, Yates (Hamilton 77) Lavery (Stewart 67); Subs not used: Grimshaw, Carey, Casey, Gretarsson.

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