'We took liberties': Simon Grayson slams his players after Blackpool's EFL Trophy defeat to Carlisle

Much-changed Carlisle, who made nine changes in total, came from a goal down to inflict defeat on the Seasiders in their second EFL Trophy group game.

Calum Macdonald had put Grayson's side ahead thanks to a goalkeeping error, only for Pool to be pegged back in first-half stoppage time.

The Seasiders produced a dreadful second-half display and were eventually punished three minutes from time, Canice Carroll winning the game for the home side with a swerving long-range effort.

Pool can have no complaints about the result given their display, which Grayson described as "unacceptable".

He said: “With the players we had out there, we should be winning that game. But we took liberties.

“When you take liberties against any football team in the world and allow teams to play and basically do things you’re not supposed to be doing, you’ll get punished. That was the case.

“We were too sloppy in the first half and too many people were thinking we would just win the game.

“We didn’t stick to our gameplan, everything in the first half was just too inept, too slow.

“We dominated the ball and got the early goal from the mistake from their goalkeeper, but people got bored of it and started doing things we didn’t want them to do.

“Even back passes to people, they were coming short and the players were taking liberties.

“It was unacceptable. At half time I had a right go at them.

“It’s a good strike from the lad for their winner, but we should do better.

“We get the ball and we give it away so cheaply and then we’ve been caught in positions we don’t need to find ourselves.”