Shear joy for Grey
By IAN MURTAGH at the Suit Direct Stadium
FROM Cramlington Juniors through Wallsend Boys Club to fully-fledged FA Cup hero – Hartlepool’s Joe Grey boasts the career route of a goalscoring legend.
And now he’s writing scripts just like Alan Shearer.
Moments after coming off the bench, the 18-year-old (above) smashed home a 61st-minute winner with his first touch for a goal the former Newcastle and England skipper would have been proud of.
It capped a stunning comeback by the League Two side.
Manager Graeme Lee, who only took charge last month, said: “I asked Joe to make an impact when I sent him on. I didn’t expect it to happen that quickly!
“We’re all on a real high and now I’d love my hometown club Middlesbrough in the next round.”
Hartlepool are hardy cup fighters this term. They’ve faced higher-tier sides six times and won five.
The Tangerines should have been out of sight by half-time, Keshi Anderson’s eighth-minute goal scant reward for their superiority.
Anderson found the bottom corner after keeper Ben Killip foiled Gary Madine.
Madine had an effort hacked off the line and Shayne Lavery volleyed over from eight yards.
It was 1-1 in the 48th minute when David Ferguson cut in from the left to unleash a right-foot shot which took a deflection.
Then, taking Tom Crawford’s pass in his stride, Grey drove forward and hammered a 15-yard shot past Daniel Grimshaw.
“We had a 15 to 20 minute period when we were totally unrecognisable from the Blackpool team I have been in charge of,” said Tangerines boss Neil Critchley.
“This is a real low.”
HARTLEPOOL: Killip 6, Sterry 6, Byrne 6, Liddle 7, Odusina 7, Ferguson 7, Featherstone 6, Crawford 7, Holohan 6, Cullen 6 (Grey 59, 8), Molyneux 7 (Fondop 90).
Subs not used: Boyes, Ogle, Francis-angol, Shelton, Daly, Smith, Olomola.
BLACKPOOL: Grimshaw 6, Sterling 5, Keogh 6, Ekpiteta 6 (Yates 79), Husband 6 (Garbutt 42, 6), Anderson 7 (Hamilton 33, 7), Dougall 6, Connolly 5, Bowler 6 (Mitchell79), Madine 7, Lavery 7.
Subs not used: Gabriel, Moore, Casey, Martiette, Monks.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Joe Grey. Roy of the Rovers stuff from teenage supersub .
REFEREE: Matthew Donohue 7.