Simon Grayson not too disheartened despite Blackpool's Carabao Cup defeat to Macclesfield

The Seasiders crashed out of the competition at the first-round stage, their League Two opponents winning the tie 4-2 on penalties.

Pool had dominated the affair but were reliant on a 91st-minute penalty from Armand Gnanduillet to send the game to spot kicks.

Ollie Turton had earlier given Grayson's men the led but Macclesfield turned the game on its head via a Rocky Bushiri own goal and a second half strike from Virgil Gomis.

Macclesfield keeper Owen Evans was the hero for the visitors, saving from Sullay Kaikai and Jordan Thompson during the shootout before converting the winning penalty.

Despite Pool's exit, Grayson remained pleased with his side's dominant display, the Seasiders producing 27 attempts on goal to Macclesfield's five.

“I was pleased," the Pool boss said.

"If the attitude, desire and quality was poor then I’d be disappointed with the players.

“I said to them before the game if we’re going to go out of the competition make sure we go out with good spirit, good attitude and a decent performance. I think we got all those things.

“They scored two goals from the only two mistakes we made all game, but we showed good character and desire to get back in the game in the latter stages.

“Once it goes to a penalty shootout it’s obviously a lottery, so congratulations to them, but I was still pleased with how the players played.

"We were knocking on the door all the time, we were asking questions but we weren’t quite as clinical in front of goal as we have been this season.

“We showed a lot of good characteristics that you’re going to need over the course of the season.

“Despite going into the break on level terms I thought we were comfortable in the first half, and it was a similar story in the second half too.

“Their lad gets down the side for their second and smashes it home and it’s a good strike from their perspective.

“But we’ve given two goals away that are avoidable but we still asked a lot of questions, got a lot of balls into their box.

“It wasn’t as if we have gone out of the cup with a lack of attitude and a lack of professionalism.”