“It was a tough game in the end, but it’s never easy”: Ian Evatt’s thoughts on Blackpool’s FA Cup victory
Ian Evatt’s response after watching his Blackpool players reach round two of the FA Cup.
Blackpool head coach Ian Evatt’s decision to hold back Josh Bowler proved an inspired move as they reached round two of the FA Cup with victory on Saturday, writes IVAN SPECK.
The Seasiders were in a position where they could have headlined the weekend for the wrong reasons at half-time of their tie at Hornchurch.
However, Evatt’s introduction of Bowler in the second half paid off in their 2-1 win.
Bowler had a role in Jordan Brown’s equaliser, ensured that Blackpool’s National League opponents were reduced to 10 men and then scored the 118th-minute winner.
Evatt said: “I’m pleased with the character we showed because the last thing I wanted for myself, for the club and for the players, was to be plastered all over the news and papers because we were on the wrong end of a shock.
“I thought we played with that fear and worrying about that in the first half. In the second half and extra time, I thought it was much more like it.
“It’s an FA Cup tie. We knew it was going to be intense and scrappy, and we needed the game to settle before we used Josh because we need to get him the ball in the right areas.
“In the second half when we introduced him, we were a lot calmer, we found him in a lot of good spaces - and he just did what Josh does.
“We were unsure before the game what impact he could make because we were unsure of the surface and the stadium.
“Josh is a dribbler and to be a dribbler, you need the right surface, but Josh is a top player and when he’s in that mood, he’s hard to stop.
“He’s an exciting player and he had some great moments before he scored the winner.”
Evatt praised his side’s attitude after an insipid first-half display handed Hornchurch the initiative and a lead at the interval through Henry Hearn.
He added: “It was a tough game in the end, but it’s never easy.
“I have coached and managed in the National League, so I know about the level. You underestimate it at your peril.
“It's a good league, there are good players in that league and Hornchurch is a club which is on the up.
“We probably gave them too much respect in the first half.
“We didn’t settle with the ball, went too direct at times and we got embroiled in an FA Cup occasion really.
“Winning matches is a good habit to get into regardless of the circumstances or the competition.”
Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Seasiders coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. click here
Hornchurch manager Daryl McMahon was left frustrated that his side just fell short of forcing a penalty shootout.
His side were reduced to 10 men when Henry Sandat was sent off for pulling back Bowler just minutes before Blackpool’s winner.
McMahon said: “I thought we put on a sterling performance.
“We knew that Blackpool would come back into the game but we competed well throughout.
“There were spells in the game when we were really good and you couldn’t tell the difference in levels between the sides.
“A lot of our players have League One and League Two experience, while our younger players can use it in hopefully long careers ahead of them.”