BLACKPOOL 2

Yates (41), Madine (66) WEST BROM 2

Ajayi (52), Pereira 80 (pen) Blackpool win 3-2 on pens

Sam Allardyce’s wait for a first win in charge of West Brom will continue after the Baggies were dumped out of the Cup by Sky Bet League One Blackpool, losing a penalty shoot-out 3-2.

Seasiders captain Chris Maxwell, playing his first game since December 19 after testing positive for Covid-19, saved spot-kicks from Kyle Edwards, Darnell Furlong and Matheus Pereira to give Blackpool their first FA Cup win over top-flight opposition since they beat Burnley 1-0 45 years ago.

The match had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, with West Brom needing a slightly fortuitous penalty from Pereira with 10 minutes left to extend the contest after Jerry Yates and Gary Madine struck either side of Semi Ajayi’s equaliser.

Though Yates missed the opening penalty to hand West Brom the advantage, they could not take it as Maxwell saw his side through to the fourth round.

It is nearly 25 years since Allardyce was sacked by the Seasiders after narrowly missing promotion, and he will have felt little better on his way out of Bloomfield Road this time around.

Blackpool did not look overawed, enjoying the better of the opening exchanges.

West Brom were playing without a recognised striker, asking Filip Krovinovic to lead the line, but struggled to test Maxwell as the hosts created more. He proved more of a threat when he shifted out wide midway through the half, twice cutting inside as his first attempt went narrowly over before a second was palmed clear by Maxwell.

But Blackpool struck five minutes before the break, Yates stepping in to sidefoot home an inviting low ball from Bez Lubula.

The Baggies needed a little over five minutes to draw level as Ajayi headed in Kamil Grosicki’s cross from a short corner.

Yates should have had his second when he turned Ollie Turton’s cross wide from close range, but the Seasiders led with 66 minutes gone as they hit West Brom on the counter-attack, Madine’s sweeping finish capping a fine move.

Albion were gifted an equaliser as Grosicki’s cross struck the arm of Ollie Turton and John Brooks, after a pause, pointed to the spot from where Pereira brought them level.

Both sides had chances in extratime, with David Button denying Madine early on, but the extra half an hour could not separate the sides. It would take Maxwell to do that instead.