YOU’RE MAX ’D OUT! MAX ’D OUT!
Big Sam can’t buy a win ...and blasts his Baggies flops as ’Pool hero Chris saves THREE from spot
FURIOUS Sam Allardyce slammed his misfiring West Brom players as they were sensationally sunk by the Seasiders.
The Premier League strugglers were forced to twice battle back from behind just to force extra time against their League One hosts.
But the jubilant Lancashire outfit dumped them out in a dramatic penalty-shootout giant-killing.
“I’m hugely disappointed in the penalty takers that missed,” blasted Baggies boss Allardyce, after the nightmare start to his reign hit a new low.
“It was a great FA Cup battle, but we gave the ball away cheaply. Their two goals were far too easy from our point of view.
“I did expect us to play better than we did but I’m looking at bringing new players in. We need to get out in the market and find two frontmen.
“I was disappointed with our quality in the final third, so I’m expecting to be extremely busy in this transfer window.”
Jerry Yates fired the hosts ahead before Semi Ajayi levelled for West Brom seven minutes after the break.
Striker Gary Madine restored the Seasiders’ lead but Matheus Pereira’s 80th-minute penalty strike – his first goal for nearly four months – after Ollie Turton was penalised for a handball, forced the extra period.
And when the contest went to penalties, Seasiders keeper Chris Maxwell made three fine saves – from Pereira and substitutes Kyle Edwards and Darnell Furlong – for a famous cup victory.
Delighted Pool boss Neil Critchley said: “It was a top performance from our players. We were outstanding.
“We more than matched a Premier League team, it was a deserved victory.
“We had players who stood up to be counted in the penalty shootout, but it was Maxxy’s day. He was the hero. I was delighted for him, he’s pulled off three really good saves.”
The Tangerines had started brightly but Yates blasted well wide with an ambitious long-range strike. At the other end Conor Gallagher dragged a left-foot shot just wide.
Arsenal loan defender Dan Ballard rifled over with a close-range scissor-kick, before lone hitman Pereira saw his free- kick from distance athletically saved by Maxwell.
Benfica loan recruit Filip Krovinovic had a powerful drive blocked and the Croatian winger blasted a long-range effort just over the bar as the Baggies threatened again.
Krovinovic had another chance moments later but skipper Maxwell produced a fine save to thwart him.
The save proved pivotal as Bez Lubala whipped in a dangerous low cross from the left wing and an unmarked Yates couldn’t miss from close range for his seventh goal of the season.
Ajayi levelled for the Baggies with his bullet header from Kamil Grosicki’s pinpoint cross. Allardyce’s charges could have
I’m hugely disappointed at the players who missed penalties... I expect it’s going to be an extremely busy transfer window
been in front less than a minute later as Maxwell denied Grosicki from close in.
Grosicki teed-up Gallagher moments later, but the midfielder blazed over with a wild left-foot strike.
Yates should have restored the Tangerines’ lead shortly after the hour, but the goalscorer inexplicably poked wide from Ollie Turton’s low delivery.
But the miss mattered not when Madine rifled into the bottom left corner to stun the shell-shocked Baggies.
Pereira went close to levelling but his right- foot curler flew inches over, before Turton was controversially adjudged to have handballed in the hosts’ penalty box.
Pereira made no mistake from the spot. Turton shot over from edge of the box and then sub Matty Virtue fired a shot just wide of the left upright at the death.
Extra time saw Madine denied by a fine close- range save from keeper David Button after two minutes.
Krovinovic had another excellent chance but he blasted over. Virtue wasted a similar opportunity for the hosts. Maxwell pulled- off a superb save to block sub Kyle Edwards’ powerful low drive.
And it was Maxwell who proved to be the match-winner after a calamitous shootout from the Baggies which ended with Pereira’s crucial spot-kick being saved and their winless run extended to eight games.