U18s REPORT: BURNLEY 2 - 2 BLACKPOOL (3-4 ON PENS)

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Clarets miss out on regional final with shootout defeat to Tangerines

2022-04-06T18:00:00.000Z

U18s REPORT: BURNLEY 2 - 2 BLACKPOOL (3-4 ON PENS)

Clarets miss out on regional final with shootout defeat to Tangerines

2022-04-06T18:00:00.000Z

Forest claim the win at Gawthorpe

Tony Philliskirk’s youth team lost out 4-3 on penalties to Blackpool after drawing 2-2 in 90 minutes in the semi-final of the Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup on Wednesday night (April 6).

Nathan James had put the Clarets back on level terms midway through the second half, with Joe Smyth-Ferguson scoring late on but a last-gasp Tangerines equaliser took the last-four tie to penalties with them going onto prevail.

Losing 6-1 at Leeds United last weekend with a more than youthful side, boss Philliskirk welcomed some more experience into his side for the cup meeting with Blackpool.

Striker Smyth-Ferguson, who came off the bench to score at Leeds, earned a place in the starting 11 while Dane McCullough also returned to the backline and Brad Grant featured from the off.

First Half

In a solid start at the County Ground, centre back James went close with a header on 10 minutes while Smyth-Ferguson brought Blackpool ‘keeper Alec McLachlan into action with a good save not long after.

McCullough also hit the woodwork with a header of his own while James had to react well at the other end to block Jake Daniels’ effort, though the first half ended goalless.

Second Half

Without much action early on, the contest became frantic at the restart with both sides searching for the upper hand.

Blackpool eventually got it on 56 minutes with Daniels heading home the opener in space though just seven minutes later, James popped up with his head at the other end to level things up meeting an in-swinging corner to do so.

Joe Bauress then saw a free-kick saved while Trevon Bryan saw a shot go just wide having won the ball high up the pitch.

Boss Philliskirk introduced 16-year-old Lucas Wane from the bench, and on 87 minutes the forward had a key role in a goal which most present in Leyland thought was the winner.

Surging forward, Sean Etaluku poked through to Wane who curled at goal and saw McLachlan spill the ball to the feet of Smyth-Ferguson who duly swept home.

Two minutes later though, Blackpool struck back with James Harrison’s header to level again and send the last-four tie to penalties.

Ruairi Behan and Dane McCullough both converted their spot kicks, but McLachlan proved the match winner as he saved three efforts from 12 yards out as the Tangerines progressed to face Rochdale in the final.

Burnley: Casper, Grant (Wane ’75), McCullough, James, Olopade, Bauress, Behan, Ratchford (Tioffo ’81), Bryan, Smyth-Ferguson, Etaluku

Unused Subs: Vilar Robinson, Adekoya

Blackpool: McLachlan, Donkor, Fitzgerald, Squires, Findlow (Nyame ’69), Francis, Trusty, Strawn, Parkinson (Harrison ’81), Matshazi, Daniels

Unused Subs: Cunningham, Byron, Oliver

Goals: Daniels, ’56, James, ’63, Smyth-Ferguson, ’87, Harrison, ‘89