KNOCKED OUT KNOCKOUT TO
Blackpool hero keeper Maxwell: I was hit so hard by Covid over Christmas... so it feels great to play my part in a fantastic giant- killing like this
KEEPER Chris Maxwell revealed how he put his Covid nightmare behind him to inspire Blackpool to a giant- killing.
Ma x w e l l s p e n t mo s t o f Christmas bed- ridden with the virus but timed his return to perfection as the sensational Seasiders stunned misfiring West Bromwich Albion.
Hi s t h r e e s up e r b p e na l t y s h o o t o u t s av e s p r o v e d t h e difference, with the League One si de deser vedly sending their Premier League visitors crashing out of the FA Cup.
“It hit me hard, the Covid I had o v e r Chri st mas was aw f ul ,” revealed Maxwell, who had not played for nearly a month before his match- winning heroics.
“I saw how serious it i s, but thankfully I ’ve come through it.
“I was lying in bed for three d ay s a n d f e l t r e a l l y, r e a l l y lethargic. My wife was ill as well from it, so seeing how it affected my family as well was hard.
“Not only was I feeling terrible for about eight days, but it was also hard missing out on football, games and training.
“It’s been tough, but it’s been nice to have been back in training t he l ast week or s o. And t o contribute like I did.”
The Seasiders showed no signs of nerves against opponents ts 38 places above them in the football otball pyramid.
Stri ker Jerr y Yates f i red d them ahead f ive minutes s before the break, with Semi
Aj ay i l e v e l l i n g f o r t h e Baggies with a cli nical header early in the second half.
Gary Madine, who was a constant threat, powered home shortly after the hour ( below) and the Baggies needed a penalty to force extra- time.
Defender Olli e Turton was p e nal i s e d f or hand bal l a nd Matheus Pereira slotted home from the spot for his first goal for nearly four months.
The Baggies had t he early advantage in the shootout when Yates’ kick was saved by David Button.
But Maxwell produced f i ne stops to deny substitutes Kyle Edwards and Darnell Furlong, t hen di d the same to
Pereira to put Blackpool into the fourth round.
“I enjoy penalties and penalty shootouts,” said Maxwell, who al so produced good saves i n normal and extra- time to thwart Sam Allardyce’s struggling side.
“I ’m just gutted the fans were not here. Bloomfield Road would have been bouncing.
“We proved our character. Hopefully this is springboard for us for the rest of the season.
“We’ll back ourselves whoever we play in the next round and enjoy the occasion. But it’s no mo more than we deserved, I thought we were excellent throughout the wh whole game.”
B Blackpool boss Neil Critchley salu saluted his battlers and singled ou out Maxwell f or his matchw winning heroics.
“Our record on penalties hasn’t been good , but we more than matched a very good Premier League team,” said Critchley. “We scored two fantastic goals and deserved
our win. Maxy is really good on penalties, he’s very good at anticipating where the player is going to put the ball. I always fancy him to make saves.
“He’s pulled off three really good saves, but he makes them look easy. He’s won the game for us on penalties, but to a man I t hought we were terrific.” BLACKPOOL: Maxwell well 8, Husband 7, Gretarsson son 7 ( Mitchell 99), Ballard rd 7 ( Ekpiteta 90), Turton on 7, Lubala 7 ( Kaikai 75), ), Dougall 8, Ward 7 ( Robson 115), Kemp 7 ( Virtue 82), Madine e 9, Yates 8 WEST BROM: Button on 6, Gibbs 5 ( Furlong 46, 6, 6), Ivanovic 5 ( Kipre e 72, 5), Bartley 5 ( Sawyers 61, 5), Peltier 5 ( O’shea 96), Ajayi 6, Grosicki 6, Gallagher 6 ( Edwards 61, 6), Livermore ermore 6, Krovinovic 6, Pereira ra 6