West Brom 2-1 Blackpool: Late sickener condemns Neil Critchley's side to cruel last-gasp defeat

The Seasiders looked to be heading for a second successive 1-1 draw thanks to Marvin Ekpiteta’s second goal in as many games.

But Grant steered home in the second minute of three added on to keep West Brom’s faint play-off hopes alive.

In truth, it was a relatively poor game which neither side deserved to win, but the Seasiders are now left to reflect on a run of five games without a victory.

Critchley opted to make two changes from last weekend’s draw against Blackburn Rovers, but stuck with the 4-4-2 system.

The two wingers were swapped, with Josh Bowler and Keshi Anderson returning to the starting line-up after surprisingly starting on the bench at Ewood Park last week.

Charlie Kirk and CJ Hamilton dropped down to the bench, with the former left out of the match-day squad altogether.

The Gazette understands Richard Keogh was down to start, but he missed out through illness.

Ethan Robson and Jake Beesley were also left out of the squad, while Dan Grimshaw, Luke Garbutt, Dujon Sterling, Kevin Stewart, Grant Ward and Sonny Carey all remain sidelined.

The Baggies, who are eight points adrift of the play-offs, dropped England international goalkeeper Sam Johnstone as one of six changes from a 3-1 home defeat to Stoke City.

Manager Steve Bruce revealed during the week the Preston-born shot stopper is likely to leave the club at the end of the season as he’s out of contract.

Despite having little to play for, the Seasiders didn’t lack for intent or purpose from the off as they looked bright from the first whistle.

Keshi Anderson had a dipping free-kick pushed over the bar, before Gary Madine came inches away from reaching Shayne Lavery’s teasing ball across the face of the six-yard box.

The home side had briefly threatened before that as a ball was threaded through to Adam Reach, but Jordan Gabriel did well to make an excellent recovery tackle.

Chris Maxwell had to be alert to get down to his left to make an important save, tipping Jayson Molumby’s curling effort around the post.

The intensity of the game soon dropped off, reflecting a fixture between two sides that have very little to play.

Blackpool were pressing well though and forced themselves into some cracking positions high up the pitch as a result. But too often their decision-making let them down.

The Seasiders had the chance to break when Gabriel slipped in Josh Bowler down the right, but the winger could only play a wasteful ball into the centre straight to a Baggies defender.

It was the same story a couple of minutes later when Pool again did well to win the ball back high up the pitch, freeing up Keshi Anderson in the box only for the winger to stumble - and the opportunity passed.

Pool were dealt a blow 10 minutes before the break when Gabriel was forced to hobble off with what looked to be a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

With Dujon Sterling already out, the Seasiders had to move Callum Connolly to right-back and bring Matty Virtue off the bench to partner Kenny Dougall in midfield.

Five minutes before the break, Maxwell stood tall to save with his feet from Callum Robinson after the West Brom player was found in space in the box.

There was nothing much Maxwell could do to deny Andy Carroll though in the 41st minute, as the striker was allowed to sprint unopposed into Pool’s six-yard box to get on the end of a ball in from the left.

Carroll did the rest to give the home side the lead, picking out the top corner using his knee.

One could easily have become two a moment later when Robinson’s shot deflected wide after the Seasiders had only partially cleared another cross into their box.

West Brom also started the second-half on top, forcing an early corner within the opening seconds before Jake Livermore fired over from outside the box.

Blackpool’s decision-making let them down once again when Anderson was given space to run into but, with runners either side of him, delayed and delayed and delayed - before his eventual pass was cut out.

Kenny Dougall caused the home defence plenty of problems with a teasing free-kick which reached the unmarked Jordan Thorniley at the back post. The defender did well to keep the ball alive and fire towards goal, but David Button did well to push the ball away.

Eight minutes later, Button was well beaten as Marvin Ekpiteta equalised for the Seasiders with his second goal in as many games.

The defender did superbly well to hook a bouncing ball into the top corner after another Dougall cross had caused havoc inside the Baggies’ box.

The momentum was with the Seasiders at this point and they pressed ahead for a quick second, which they could have got when Gary Madine and James Husband combined superbly to set up the winger, who dragged his shot wide.

Critchley turned to his bench just after the hour-mark to provide another impetus, replacing Anderson with Owen Dale.

The game was there to be won for Blackpool, just as it was at Ewood Park last week, they just needed that one final push to get them over the line.

With 20 minutes remaining, Husband was a little fortunate only to receive a yellow card for a late and cynical challenge on Darnell Furlong.

The home side came within a whisker of restoring their lead when substitute Taylor Gardner-Hickman deceived Maxwell with a swerving long-range effort which clipped the top of the crossbar.

It came a few minutes after the West Brom man had replaced Robinson, who was sarcastically cheered off by his own fans as he left the field.

The game finally began to open up towards the final 15 minutes, with both sides exchanging good chances.

Husband recovered well to make a vital interception to deny Carroll, just as the Baggies striker looked all set to grab a second.

Merely seconds later, Pool worked the ball over to Bowler on the right who tested Button at his near post with a low, drilled effort which the keeper did well to hold onto.

It proved to be Bowler’s final action of the game as he was replaced by CJ Hamilton shortly afterwards in Pool’s third and final change.

The game appeared to be drifting, but out of nowhere the home side snatched the three points when Karlan Grant stabbed home deep into stoppage-time following a spot of pinball in the Blackpool box - breaking their hearts in the process.

Despite the late sickener, it was the away fans you could hear singing at the full-time whistle as they applauded their players off the pitch.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Maxwell, Gabriel (Virtue), Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Husband, Connolly, Dougall, Bowler (Hamilton), Anderson (Dale), Lavery, Madine

Subs not used: Moore, James, Yates, Beesley

West Brom: Button, Clarke, O’Shea, Ajayi, Reach, Livermore (Phillips), Molumby, Robinson (Gardner-Hickman), Furlong (Diangana), Carroll, Grant

Subs not used: Palmer, Townsend, Bartley, Kipre

Referee: Jeremy Simpson