Blackpool overcame a scare to take their place in the FA Cup second round draw.

Josh Bowler curled Blackpool into the second round of the FA Cup with a winning goal two minutes from the end of extra time against a defiant Hornchurch side, writes IVAN SPECK.

Left out of the starting line-up by manager Ian Evatt, Bowler was the catalyst of a comeback victory that needs to be used as a stepping stone to better results in League One.

It was Bowler’s cross that was volleyed home by Jordan Brown to cancel out Henry Hearn’s first-half goal for National League Hornchurch.

Then, deep into extra time, Bowler was pulled back by defender Henry Sandat as he bore down on the home goal.

Sandat was sent off before Finley Munroe crashed the resulting free-kick off the Hornchurch bar.

Just as penalties were looming, Bowler latched onto a Tom Bloxham pass and found the bottom corner.

If the tie itself offered the threat of a traditional shock threat, the ground was anything but hostile.

Surrounded by an athletics track with a pole vault run-up and bed at one end of the pitch while a hammer circle net dwarfed the goal at the other, meaning the players had an exclusion zone between them and the fans.

A predictably frenetic opening 10 minutes was notable only for an Albie Morgan shot that was so high, it cleared the hammer circle netting.

Striker Ryan Loft’s afternoon for the hosts ended after only 11 minutes, pulling up and falling to the ground in stretching to win a ball on the break.

Blackpool’s problem was that whenever they had the opportunity to attack at pace, they almost invariably chose to retain possession, check back and try to unpick a Hornchurch defence that was by then set.

Hornchurch began to go forward, not by launching long balls but finding players in space on the flanks and allowing them to run directly at the Blackpool defenders.

Josh Walker gave Evatt’s team a warning of what was to come after 25 minutes when he ran at Brown, checked neatly back inside, but then mistimed his shot which was easily beaten away by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Myles Weston then had a cross charged down, but Hornchurch would not be denied a third time.

Again, the non-league side attacked the left side of the Blackpool defence.

Having created a clear view of the goal, Angelo Balanta intelligently chose to slide a diagonal pass towards the far post where Hearn tapped home gleefully.

For Blackpool, the response was almost non-existent.

They created nothing apart from a couple of strong runs by Andy Lyons and Dion Charles offering a muscular threat to the Hornchurch defenders.

Evatt’s response was to bring on Bowler for Jordan Williams at the interval.

The greater change stemmed from what was clearly a stinging half-time team talk from the manager.

Blackpool emerged with a fire that was immediately evident after the break.

Charles and Jerry Yates were forceful up front while Bowler added width and the ability to go either side of his defender.

Ten minutes of pressure saw Charles lash a shot wildly over before the equaliser arrived on 55 minutes.

More wing play by Bowler forced a corner and after that was cleared, he crossed again and Brown connected with a sweet volley that found the bottom corner.

It seemed that another goal for the Tangerines would quickly follow with an Ilmari Niskanen shot blocked on the line by Tom Wraight.

Bowler was running the game for a golden 20 minutes, terrifying every Hornchurch defender who faced up to him.

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Another mazy dribble ended with a vicious left-foot shot that was shovelled away by Hornchurch keeper Arthur Nesta.

However, the Blackpool storm gradually abated and, in the final 20 minutes, it was the home side who created the better chances.

A Dom Poleon shot was beaten away at the near post by Peacock-Farrell before Alfie Massey sent a low shot just wide.

Central defender Theo Adelusi also went close with a diving header which missed the same upright before extra time eventually saw the Seasiders progress.

Hornchurch: Nasta, Taylor, Dallison-Lisbon (Edwards 90), Adelusi, Weston (Rowe 62), Massey, Wraight, Pegrum (Sandat 72), Walker (Poleon 72), Loft (Hearn 13), Balanta (Bracking 72). Subs not used: Byrne, Ferguson, Powell.

Blackpool: Peacock-Farrell, Lyons (Munroe 53), Casey, Ashworth, Williams (Bowler 46), Anderson, Brown, Morgan (Clarkson 90), Niskanen, Yates (Bloxham 66), Charles (Taylor 66). Subs not used: Southwood, Hunter, Coulson.

Referee: Harrison Blair.