Hartlepool United 2-1 Blackpool: League Two side stun Seasiders in FA Cup

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FA Cup highlights: Hartlepool United 2-1 Blackpool

Teenager Joe Grey was the hero as League Two Hartlepool came from a goal down to stun Championship side Blackpool in the FA Cup third round.

Keshi Anderson gave the visitors an early lead with a composed finish after miscuing his initial shot.

The home side levelled after the break when David Ferguson's shot took a heavy deflection and flew past Seasiders' goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw.

Substitute Grey won it with a tidy effort into the bottom corner.

There was little sign of what was to come after Blackpool dominated the opening 45 minutes.

Gary Madine saw a header cleared off the line and Shayne Lavery missed a good opportunity to make it 2-0 before the break.

Pools improved after the interval and after Ferguson's fortuitous goal made it 1-1 the tie turned on its head through 18-year-old Grey's neat finish from inside the area just two minutes after coming on.

CJ Hamilton ought to have equalised for Blackpool shortly afterwards but blazed over from close range and, despite late pressure, the second-tier side could not find a second goal.

Hartlepool will be in the fourth-round draw for the first time since 2009 when it takes place at 16:50 GMT on Sunday.

Hartlepool manager Graeme Lee:

"Joe [Grey] was very close to starting the game but I went with experience rather than physicality.

"I told him he will come on and stretch it. I told him to go and get the winner, but I didn't expect him to do it in the first couple of minutes.

"I had to give them a gee-up at half-time, because I could see we weren't where we should have been. I wanted more belief and bravery to get back into the game."

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley:

"At 1-0 we were in control of the game and we missed some big opportunities to go 2-0 and 3-0 up.

"What's cost us is what happened at the start of the second half. We had a 15 to 20-minute period where we weren't at it - we were totally unrecognisable from a Blackpool team that I've been in charge of.

"Unfortunately, these days can happen, we're not the first and we won't be the last. We had our success last year against West Brom and today we are on the receiving end of it. It's not a nice feeling I can assure you."

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Watch five third-round ties live across the BBC including Manchester United v Aston Villa - plus highlights from every match (UK only). Read the full details here.

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