Barnsley 1, Blackpool 2: Reds tumble out of FA Cup after late extra-time winner

Fifty places stood between the two sides in the pyramid ahead of play, but Gary Bowyer’s Seasiders sealed their fourth round trip to Blackburn on Saturday week thanks to Bright Osayi-Samuel’s late, late winner.

The Blackpool sub curled home an exquisite strike to fire the visitors to a massive shock victory.

The Reds never really got going in the first period and Blackpool deserved their single-goal lead at the interval.

The Seasiders took the lead bang on the half-hour mark in what was a sloppy goal to concede from a Reds point of view.

A throw-in wasn’t cleared and as the ball bounced around in the Reds box, full-back Kelvin Mellor reacted quickest to fire home a sweet volley past a stunned Adam Davies. There were few other chances for either side in the early stages.

Tom Bradshaw saw a glancing effort saved by Sam Slocombe, while at the other end Davies had to be alert to keep out Danny Pugh’s strike.

Adam Hammill was looking liveliest for Paul Heckingbottom’s men, and after he whipped in a super cross that had the Blackpool defence back-pedalling, both Bradshaw and the recalled Adam Armstrong failed to find the target with scuffed efforts.

After the goal the Reds rallied briefly. Ryan Kent looked on frustrated as his well-struck shot was deflected wide for a corner, while skipper Conor Hourihane forced another decent stop out of the agile Slocombe.

The Reds emerged for the second period with renewed vigour. Bradshaw was unlucky when his drive was parried wide by Slocombe, before the Reds did grab a leveller just four minutes after the restart.

And that equaliser was defender Angus MacDonald’s first Reds goal as he superbly glanced home a near-post header from Hourihane’s corner. The hosts almost went in front shortly after as Hourihane created some space for himself inside the Seasiders’ box, only to see his shot saved by the overworked Slocombe.

The visitors’ number one was soon called upon again, this time to palm away Armstrong’s well-directed header as he charged in to meet another trademark delivery from Hourihane. As the midway point in the second period came and went, the Reds just couldn’t find a way through. Into the final 10 minutes and defender Will Aimson almost headed Hammill’s whipped-in cross into his own net.

The game drifted into extra-time, and in the first period Hourihane went closest to a goal, forcing Slocombe into a smart stop at his near post.

Bradshaw and Hammill also went close, before the Seasiders’ snatched their dramatic late winner.

Barnsley (4-4-2): Davies; Bree, Roberts (Jackson, 29), MacDonald, White; Hammill, Scowen, Hourihane, Kent (Williams, 75); Armstrong (Watkins, 75), Bradshaw.

Subs not used: Townsend, Evans, Moncur, Payne.

Blackpool (4-4-2): Slocombe; Mellor, Aimson, Aldred, Robertson; Taylor (Philliskirk, 46), Payne (Yeates, 60), McAlister, Pugh; Cullen, Vassell (Osayi-Samuel, 40).

Subs not used: Lyness, Des Pres, Matt, Gnaduillet.

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).

Att: 5,558

Star man: Adam Hammill