Goals from Karamoko Dembele and Hayden Coulson secured Blackpool a 2-0 victory at Shrewsbury to keep their League One play-off hopes alive.

Just before the 20-minute mark, Tom Bloxham sent a first-time cross into the box for Shrewsbury, which found Dan Udoh but his diving header was kept out by Dan Grimshaw.

Blackpool was awarded a free-kick in the 40th minute, which reached George Byers on the edge of the box. His headed effort looped over the Shrewsbury backline but it found the hands of Harry Burgoyne.

Three minutes later, the Tangerines opened the scoring after Coulson received a pass in the box and cut the ball across goal for Dembele, who fired past Burgoyne at the back post.

Shrewsbury went close just before the hour mark when Udoh sent a low cross into Jordan Shipley, who fired over from just inside the box.

Blackpool doubled their advantage in the 84th minute when Dembele’s cross found an unmarked Coulson in the box and he headed home.

Richie Wellens heaped praise on his Leyton Orient squad after a 1-0 home win against Blackpool.

The victory allowed Orient to leapfrog their opponents and move into eighth position in Sky Bet League One, although they remain five points adrift of a play-off place.

Ollie O’Neill, who scored in the win at Oxford on Saturday, was again on target when he struck in the second half to record his third goal for the club since signing from Fulham in January.

The goal was sufficient to earn the London outfit their seventh win in their last 10 matches.

“We had a brilliant win in terms of we beat Oxford on Saturday by playing really good football and moving the ball smoothly and rotation,” said Wellens.

“Tonight wasn’t about that, credit to Blackpool because they stopped us playing as they were well set-up defensively.

“So we then decided to miss midfield and pick up second balls. We knew that was the way to try and win the game.

“I thought the best player on the pitch was Ruel Sotiriou, although there were a lot of good performances from elsewhere. Ruel set the tempo for everything we did.”

Recent signing O’Neill also attracted individual praise from his manager.

“Sometimes recruitment is really hard and a player can look brilliant with attributes, but (with) Ollie we had a real look and straight away we knew he was strong.

“He doesn’t look like he’s running quick, but then you look at defenders chasing him and they’re not catching him.

“He has two good feet, he scored with his right foot (on) Saturday and he scored with his left today so I’m delighted.”

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley admitted his side cannot afford to slip up in their bid to reach the play-offs after slipping down to ninth after the defeat.

“I thought it was a tight game with very little between both teams,” Critchley said.

“It was always likely to be settled decided by a moment of quality or a mistake and unfortunately it was ourselves who made that mistake and they capitalised, and that was the difference.

“Neither goalkeeper has really had anything to do and even through Orient had territory, they didn’t really cause us many problems.

“They are a really hard team to play against here. They don’t concede many goals and we huffed and puffed when we went 1-0 down, but missing Jordan Rhodes and Shane Lavery was obviously difficult and overall we didn’t do enough.

“I said to the players can we try and scrap and get a 1-0 win in these type of games or worst case dig it out and get a 0-0 to earn a point.

“Nothing is decided yet. We’re still in there, but we can’t have too many nights like this and afford to have games where we don’t pick up points.”

Leyton Orient kept their Sky Bet League One play-off hopes alive as Ollie O’Neill scored the only goal in the 1-0 victory over Blackpool.

Both teams battled hard in the opening half in a vain attempt to gain supremacy without managing to break down resilient defences.

The visitors almost nosed ahead after 11 minutes when Karamoko Dembele raided down the right side and delivered a cross into the box that just eluded Jake Beesley.

At the opposite end, Orient striker Shaq Forde raced clear but instead of shooting for goal, he opted to overhit a pass which gave the Tangerines chance to retreat.

The second half was just seven minutes old when O’Neill opened the scoring. Collecting a pass from Ruel Sotiriou he drilled a left-footed shot into the far corner to record his third goal since joining from Fulham in January.

Blackpool’s woes continued when, shortly afterwards, substitute Andrew Lyons pulled up whilst chasing the ball and was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

The visitors failed to manage a shot on target in the second period as Orient’s defence, superbly marshalled by Brandon Cooper, comfortably protected their lead.

Darren Ferguson challenged his Peterborough side to show more conviction as they need to “ride out the storm” having fallen to another damaging defeat.

Blackpool grabbed all three points thanks to a second-half comeback started by a Shayne Lavery penalty and completed in stoppage time by a deflected Karamoko Dembele strike.

Hector Kyprianou had given Posh the lead after 38 minutes with a near-post header from a Harrison Burrows corner but Posh fell to a fourth consecutive defeat.

“The decision-making in both boxes is not good enough,” said Ferguson.

“It’s a disappointment to lose another game and in the manner we lost it.

“We were in complete control until the goal, totally dominant in the first half but missed too many chances again and their equaliser changed the game.

“We had started the second half really well. We lost conviction and belief after that and started doing things we’d never normally do. We lost all composure for 10 or 15 minutes and didn’t create much at 1-1. They got on top of us.

“We’ve got to ride the storm now, stick together and try and get that belief and conviction back into the squad.

“The penalty incident was certainly right on the edge, it was a bad decision from Jed (Steer). That’s always the key to winning and losing.

“The finishing is not good enough, we’ve had three one-on-ones today, it’s just not good enough and we’re losing poor goals. The second one you can’t do much about but the first is a poor, poor decision.”

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley hailed his side as deserved winners, even if he was disappointed to concede another set-piece goal.

He said: “It was a terrific game, we were excellent. We got what we deserved.

“There wasn’t a lot in the first half, their best opportunities came from us giving the ball away.

“I’m really disappointed with the goal, we’ve shown a vulnerability at set-pieces recently. We wobbled a bit after that but the response in the second half was outstanding.

“We showed real character to come from behind and create the opportunities we did at a really tough place to come against a really good team.

“Kyle Joseph committing himself to get in there for the penalty epitomises the second-half performance. We were much more on the front foot, getting to the ball first and being much more aggressive.

“Him and Shayne were a real handful in the second half, really relentless with their running and work ethic.

“Shayne was the first to put his hand up when we were practising penalties in training yesterday so I was not surprised when he tucked it away very well.”

Peterborough’s promotion push faltered yet further as Karamoko Dembele’s stoppage-time winner consigned them to a fourth consecutive defeat at home to Blackpool.

Dembele, the younger brother of former Posh hero Siriki, fired in just three minutes from time to give Blackpool a 2-1 win, just their fourth away from home this season.

The hosts had led at the break thanks to Hector Kyprianou’s clever near-post header from Harrison Burrows’ corner that took goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw by surprise.

The hosts were in control until the 56th minute, when keeper Jed Steer conceded a penalty having rushed from his line to attempt a punch but fouled Kyle Joseph in the process.

Shayne Lavery stepped up and smashed his effort into the corner as Steer correctly dived to his right.

The Tangerines were in control from that moment on and claimed the three points in the 91st minute when Dembele saw a powerful effort from just outside the box deflected by Posh defender Romoney Crichlow to wrong-foot Steer.

Darrell Clarke praised midfielder Elliot Bonds after his brace earned Cheltenham a comfortable 2-0 home win over Blackpool.

The midfielder scored the first double of his career on his 100th appearance for the club, finding the net in each half to give the Robins’ survival chances a huge lift.

“He’s taken his goals well, run up and down the pitch and defended well so it was a top all-round performance from Elliot Bonds,” Clarke said.

“He had a bit of a breather on Saturday, came back in and scored a couple, which is great.

“They have good players and if we allowed them too much possession they could have hurt us so we played two eights, with Kins (Liam Kinsella) and Bondsy ready to jump and they did that job brilliantly.

“I’d probably go as far as to say that’s our best performance since I have been at the club.”

Sean Long’s 31st-minute corner from the right fell to Bonds after a scramble and he found the net with a low left-footed finish.

George Lloyd was tripped in the box by Jordan Gabriel but Daniel Grimshaw dived low to his right to push away Aidan Keena’s well-struck spot kick in the 75th minute.

Bonds then made sure of the points five minutes from the end, beating Grimshaw after a neat turn and finish.

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley felt his side were second best on the night.

“We got what we deserved because we weren’t good enough from start to finish,” he said.

“I’ve praised the players recently for their spirit and fight but we were well off it.

“The better team won and that’s hard to take.

“That’s not a performance I’d associate with a Blackpool team while I’ve been in charge. We had a vulnerability about us all night which isn’t like us.

“The performances in the last few games have deserved more – not tonight.

“There are still games to go and I’d have said before tonight we could go on a run. Tonight makes that look less likely.

“Cheltenham thoroughly deserved their win and we respect them.”

Elliot Bonds’ double ensured Cheltenham gave their Sky Bet League One survival chances a lift with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Blackpool.

The midfielder scored the first brace of his career on his 100th Robins appearance, finding the net in each half.

Cheltenham were on top for much of the first half, with George Lloyd heading over from close range in the 27th minute.

And four minutes later, Sean Long’s corner from the right fell to Bonds after a scramble and he found the net with a low left-footed finish.

Daniel Grimshaw parried a powerful strike from Will Ferry over the bar before half-time.

The Blackpool goalkeeper also denied Lloyd, who was played in one-on-one by Bonds in the 54th minute.

Kylian Kouassi saw a close-range header caught by Luke Southwood at the other end for Blackpool’s first effort on goal.

Lloyd was then tripped in the box by Jordan Gabriel but Grimshaw dived low to his right to push away Aidan Keena’s well-struck spot-kick in the 75th minute.

Bonds then made sure of the points five minutes from the end, beating Grimshaw after a neat turn and finish.

Neil Critchley believes Blackpool did not switch on quickly enough in their 1-1 draw with League One play-off rivals Oxford at Bloomfield Road.

Blackpool led the game after an 18th-minute goal from Matt Pennington but conceded just three minutes later to Oxford’s Mark Harris.

The result did little for either team, with Oxford sitting seventh, a point off the top six after a five-match winless run, and Blackpool – three without a victory themselves – a further five points adrift.

Critchley said: “We’re disappointed we didn’t take the three points if I’m honest, I thought we started the game well and scored from a well-worked set piece.

“The disappointment is the goal we conceded so soon after and the manner in which we conceded it, that knocked us a little bit.

“After our goal, we didn’t switch on quickly enough, we lost ourselves for a minute or two. It’s uncharacteristic of us in set pieces this season.

“It’s hugely frustrating, Oxford are a good team with good players but we dominated the second half and pushed them back. In the last few games, we’ve not got the points that we deserve.

“We can go anywhere and win, home or away doesn’t matter to me, they’re all tough games in this league.

“I thought the game was a good standard for League One, it was two good teams on show.”

Critchley also confirmed that Jordan Rhodes is unlikely to be ready for Tuesday’s game with Cheltenham after sustaining a rib injury against Charlton.

Oxford were bolstered by returnees as Billy Bodin and Josh Murphy came from the bench to combine for a golden chance in the closing stages.

But the U’s were unable to find a winner which would have moved them into the top six.

Manager Des Buckingham said: “We had a chance at the end of the game, it was an excellent cross by Josh Murphy into Billy Bodin but somehow it’s come off the post.

“To come here, it’s a very tough place, there are not many teams that have left here this season with anything.

“The second half was a bit scrappy for both teams, it was a bit of a fight and they worked with determination.

“Overall, we did enough to have taken three but pleased equally that it was one – Jamie Cumming made a world-class save to make sure we leave here with a point.

“We’re not going to hide behind excuses or the reality of what it is, we’ve been stretched extremely thin over the last two months.

“There’s plenty to come, we are sticking in and around where we want to be because, as you’ve seen today, we are stronger.”

Manager Steve Evans dedicated Stevenage’s 1-0 win over Blackpool to teenage supporter Ollie Gatfield, who died in a car accident on his way home from a match last month.

Saturday’s match was the club’s first home game since the 19-year-old died as he travelled home from Stevenage’s win at Shrewsbury three weeks ago. His friend Liam Sharpe remains in a coma and a minute’s applause was held for the pair before the game.

Jake Forster-Caskey’s deflected 85th-minute strike settled a scrappy contest as Stevenage lifted themselves back into the League One play-off places.

Evans said: “We’ve been backed at home by an absolutely brilliant support and, if we ever needed someone above us, I’m sure he dived and headed it as it came across the goal and he flicked it in.

“That’s for Ollie and for Liam – come on, Liam, fight that battle, son.”

Blackpool began the brighter and were denied by fine saves by Craig MacGillivray to keep out Marvin Ekpiteta’s header and Ollie Norburn’s rasping drive, while Daniel Grimshaw tipped over Jamie Reid’s effort.

But the hosts won it when Jordan Roberts laid the ball off for substitute Forster-Caskey, whose shot was deflected past a helpless Grimshaw.

Evans said: “It’s not the best football game in the world for any football purist.

“In many respects there was a cancellation of both teams and it was either going to take a bit of magic or a little bit of luck and I think it was a bit of both.

“Forster-Caskey moves the ball, shifts it and there’s a great strike – some of the lads think it was going into the far corner, but it goes in the other side from the defender trying to block it.”

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley was incensed with the build-up to the winner, saying: “(It was) a definite foul right in front of us.

“You could see it, Hayden (Coulson) gets a touch to the ball, the lad quite clearly falls on top of him, he was nowhere near the ball.

“It was right in front of us, the fourth official’s there, he (the referee) plays on and that’s what happens.

“They build moments and momentum in the game and that moment doesn’t happen if the referee does his job properly.

“I said to the fourth official, ‘That is a clear foul,’ and she says to me, ‘I know, I’ve told him.’ Brilliant, thanks very much.

“They fall over at every opportunity looking for a free-kick because they want to put the ball into the box, so they kid the referee and they played him better than he’s played the game today.”

Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor questioned referee Gavin Ward as his Pirates lost at home for only the second time in Sky Bet League One this season.

Blackpool came out of the blocks quickest to score twice in the first 20 minutes at the Memorial Stadium en route to a 2-1 victory.

Kyle Joseph twice crossed low, initially for CJ Hamilton to shoot into the top corner of the Rovers net in the fifth minute before midfielder Karamoko Dembele then converted from another Joseph cross 14 minutes later.

Rovers responded through Chris Martin’s deft flick, following a long throw, and Taylor argued that his side should have had a free-kick at least – if not a penalty – when Aaron Collins was brought down with just a minute of the game left to play.

“It’s definitely a foul,” said Taylor. “You’ll probably freeze frame it to see if it was in the box or not but it was definitely a foul.

“Just like the handball in the wall in the first half was definitely that.

“The biggest one for me is their second goal. I need to get clarity from the officials for that in relation to what I need to instruct Connor Taylor to do in that situation.

“Jordan Rhodes is in an offside position and Taylor is stretching and back-pedalling. He heads it into a dangerous area and their player picks it up.

“One pass and it’s in the back of the net. Does he leave it? For me it’s still offside.”

Taylor added that he didn’t think referee Ward had controlled the game, with eight yellow cards handed out in the match, explaining that he would be unlikely to be asked by the media about the referee if the official had produced a good performance.

The former Exeter boss did hint after the game that striker Martin is set to extend his contract through to the end of the season.

Blackpool head coach Neil Critchley dismissed talk that his team might have conceded a late penalty when Collins was caught by two Seasiders defenders as he burst into the penalty area in stoppage time.

“It’s outside the box,” he said. “He falls in the box but it’s outside the box.

“It could have been given but we could have been given one against Nottingham Forest the other night.

“These things happen. I’ve got a list to go through of penalties that we should have had this season. But yes, maybe it was a free-kick.

“We’ve had to do it in a different way today. Certain aspects of our game away have been questioned this season. I think that answers some of them today.

“It wasn’t a pretty game of football but I thought we battled and competed and we had to against a really good team at home.”

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo admitted Blackpool forced his side to dig deep as they scraped into the FA Cup fourth round after extra-time on Wednesday.

The Premier League side needed a Chris Wood winner in the 110th minute to prevail 3-2 after the third-tier hosts had fought back from two goals down to force an extra half-hour at a freezing Bloomfield Road.

That came after the two sides had also played out a 2-2 draw in their first encounter at the City Ground.

Nuno said: “This is the FA Cup. That’s why this competition is so special – it allows every team to play and to fight the way Blackpool did.

“We cannot take credit away from them. We had our problems but a lot of credit goes to Blackpool.

“This is the magic of the FA Cup. That’s why I love it, because it is one chance for everybody.

“It was tough, but we did the job. We could have done better and we made mistakes that allowed Blackpool to get back in the game but in extra time we showed that we deserved the victory.”

Forest had seemed in control when Andrew Omobamidele marked his belated debut with the opener and Danilo doubled the lead but the hosts hit back with an Albie Morgan stunner and header from substitute Kyle Joseph.

Omobamidele celebrated the opener by lifting a shirt bearing a message for team-mate Cheikhou Kouyate.

The Senegal international has left his team’s camp at the Africa Cup of Nations following the death of his father.

Nuno said: “We had the news before the game and it’s a shock. Our thoughts are with him and the boys did well showing his shirt because he’s a very important guy in the dressing room and on the pitch.”

Blackpool manager Neil Critchley, whose side are eighth in League One, was proud of the effort of his team.

He said: “To go all that way and not to have anything to show for it is hard to take because I thought over the course of the 120 minutes, you couldn’t really tell the difference between the two teams.

“I thought we were brilliant. I thought we went and had a real go and made it a real exciting cup tie.

“To come from 2-0 down and show spirit and with the quality of the goals as well – I’m just bitterly disappointed that we didn’t take it to penalties and make it maybe even more exciting than it already was.”

Critchley felt Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel might have had a penalty in the second half and thought Wood’s winner was “borderline offside”.

He said: “We had VAR in the first game, but we hadn’t got VAR tonight.

“We might have had a penalty, we might have had an offside decision. The integrity of the competition has to be in question.”

Chris Wood struck an extra-time winner as Nottingham Forest avoided an FA Cup shock at Blackpool amid a troubled week.

The Premier League club were charged with breaching the top flight’s financial regulations on Monday and third-tier Blackpool almost added to their woe as they fought back from 2-0 down at Bloomfield Road.

A penalty shoot-out was looming in an eventful replay when Wood turned in from close range to secure a 3-2 win and a fourth-round date with Bristol City.

Forest had seemed in little trouble when Andrew Omobamidele marked his belated debut with the opener and Danilo doubled the lead but the hosts hit back with an Albie Morgan stunner and header from substitute Kyle Joseph.

All that drama occurred in the final half hour after Forest seemed to have taken firm control.

There was little to excite in the opening quarter of an hour aside from a header from Murillo which was clawed away by Blackpool goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw.

Forest took control of the game in the 16th minute as Republic of Ireland defender Omobamidele, finally making his first appearance after his move from Norwich last summer, struck.

Omobamidele went forward for a corner and firmly volleyed home after Nicolas Dominguez’s cross was flicked on by Ryan Yates.

After celebrating he ran to the Forest bench and picked up a shirt which displayed a message to team-mate Cheikhou Kouyate, who is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations and whose father recently died.

Blackpool were limited to half-chances as Forest retained the upper hand without any great urgency to kill off the game.

It seemed Blackpool’s best opportunity had passed when they surrendered a two-goal lead at the City Ground in the sides’ first meeting as Forest doubled their advantage soon after the break.

The hosts got into a mess trying to play out from the back and Morgan’s underhit backpass invited in Dominguez.

The Argentinian collided with the outrushing Grimshaw as he raced into the box but the loose ball rolled to Danilo, who fired in despite the efforts of Marvin Ekpiteta on the line.

To compound matters for Blackpool, Grimshaw was forced off after his knock but, from seemingly nowhere, the hosts roused themselves.

The game came alive on the hour as Forest failed to clear a home attack and Morgan, atoning for his earlier error, pulled one back with a superb strike from distance.

Forest almost responded immediately as Neco Williams forced a save from substitute keeper Richard O’Donnell but Blackpool began to sense a chance.

Joseph levelled matters just seven minutes after coming off the bench when he nodded in a high cross from Andy Lyons at the back post.

With the home crowd at their most raucous, Blackpool appealed for a penalty when Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel went down under a challenge from Murillo but nothing was given.

Karamoko Dembele almost snatched victory for Blackpool in stoppage time when he burst clear and rounded Odysseas Vlachodimos but Orel Mangala blocked on the line.

Shayne Lavery had an effort deflected over for Blackpool in the first period of extra-time, which ended with an apparent medical emergency among the Forest supporters but, after a brief flurry of activity, the game was not delayed.

Wood notched what proved to be the winner when he diverted in a Yates cross in the 110th minute.

Neil Critchley praised the patience of his Blackpool side as their impressive home form continued with a 2-0 win over Exeter.

Long-range Albie Morgan strikes either side of half time earned the Tangerines their 10th home league win of the season – the most of any side in Sky Bet League One.

Critchley’s side remain within four points of the play-offs and the 45-year-old hailed the mentality of his players in the face of increased expectations.

“We can’t expect to just turn up and win,” he said. “That applies to all of us.

“Due to our home record, there’s an expectation that we turn up and win, but it’s not like that. It’s a total shift in mentality from my previous time here and last season as well.

“It takes a different mindset to understand, it’s not easy to beat opponents with everyone behind the ball, it takes time and patience.

“You have to work for those opportunities. In my opinion, we were the deserved winners.

“They obviously came with a plan to frustrate us and wait for us to make a mistake and counter, but we made very few errors.

“Albie (Morgan) showed what he’s capable of, and then the second goal was a great strike as well.

“We were a little bit wasteful and not clinical enough. It nearly became a game it should never have been, at 3-0 the game would’ve been completely dead and buried.”

Jordan Rhodes saw a 25th-minute penalty saved by Viljami Sinisalo, but it did not prove overly costly as Morgan slammed home from long range six minutes before the break.

The 23-year-old doubled his tally with an equally-stylish finish early in the second half to seal the outcome against an Exeter side who remain just three points above the relegation zone following a ninth successive away league match without a win.

“They [Blackpool] are the best team at home in the league for a reason, they have good players all over the park and they cause you a lot of problems,” said Grecians boss Gary Caldwell.

“We restricted them to few chances and they scored two good goals from outside the box.

“We caused ourselves too many problems, but we were better in the second half and even at 2-0, I thought there was something there for us.”

Ben Purrington made his debut for the visitors at Bloomfield Road and Caldwell hopes more reinforcements will arrive to boost his side’s survival bid.

“We are speaking to agents, clubs and players and come the end of the window I’m sure we’ll bring more players in,” he said.

“But they have to be the right players. I know it’s frustrating for the fans but we have to be patient.”

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo said his side’s winter break plans were in disarray after they were forced to an FA Cup third-round replay by Blackpool at the City Ground.

Forest needed to come from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with the League One side, who beat them 4-1 at this stage last season, meaning the tie will be decided at Bloomfield Road in the week commencing January 15.

The Premier League side were not due to play again until January 20 and were set to spend time together at St George’s Park, but plans will now change, as Nuno became the latest top-flight boss to bemoan third-round replays.

“We have to reorganise that,” Nuno said of the bonding trip to Burton. “When we decided that, we looked at what was best for the team. Now what is best for the team is to start preparing for the replay in Blackpool. That is the priority.

“It changes the plan. Now we have to reorganise and we won’t get a break because now the priority is the replay. We have to reorganise our plans.

“It is a reality. Everybody is aware there is a big congestion of games, fixtures are every day. It is something we have to look at.

“If you ask me personally, I think it should be finished on the day, extra time, penalties, and allow the players to have a little bit more time to recover.

“Premier League teams are suffering with that. You know the issues with injuries and one of the things is the amount of fixtures.

“Now the best for team is to start preparing for the replay.”

Forest could consider themselves lucky to get a second chance after conceding two goals in three first-half minutes through Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel and Albie Morgan.

Nicolas Dominguez and Morgan Gibbs-White scored either side of half-time but Forest could not find a winner, condemning them to a trip to the Fylde coast, where they were well beaten last term.

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley suggested Premier League managers who have spoken out against replays, including Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and Brentford’s Thomas Frank, should “get on with it” as his side completed their 35th game of the season.

“I can’t go against Jurgen Klopp, he’s the boss!” the former Liverpool academy manager quipped. “But I can’t wait – replay at Bloomfield Road.

“I don’t think they should be scrapped at all. It is so important for football in general. The level now between the Premier League and the rest is getting wider and wider – it is harder to cause an upset.

“It is such an achievement to cause an upset. So if you get a second chance to do it, we’d rip your hand off for that. We are delighted we have got a replay. Yeah it’s a busy schedule, but so what, get on with it.

“This was our 35th game of the season. The Premier League teams haven’t played that. They get international breaks, time off. We don’t. I remember going when there was third games and fourth games – brilliant.

“Get on with it. Look at the resources, the finance, the staffing… we don’t have that. It’s tough, get on with it, let’s play football.”

Nottingham Forest had to come from two goals down to avoid FA Cup third-round history repeating itself as they earned a 2-2 draw with League One Blackpool.

Forest looked like heading out to the Seasiders at this stage for a second straight year when they conceded twice in three first-half minutes, with Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel and Albie Morgan getting the goals.

But the Premier League outfit hit back with goals from Nicolas Dominguez and Morgan Gibbs-White either side of the break.

They could not find a winner, though, meaning the tie will be settled with a replay at Bloomfield Road, where Forest were beaten 4-1 last season.

After a flat opening 20 minutes, the game burst into life as Forest had their first sight of goal when Chris Wood latched onto Gibbs-White’s excellent pass but could not keep his effort down.

And it hurt Forest as before they knew it they were 2-0 down, with Blackpool hitting them with a double salvo.

In the 25th minute Gonzalo Montiel’s poor clearance fell straight to Lawrence-Gabriel, who expertly headed home from 12 yards against his former club and was almost apologetic in his celebration.

Two minutes and 46 seconds later Blackpool were in dreamland as Morgan was left unmarked at the far post and he squeezed home CJ Hamilton’s cross.

Forest needed to improve and got themselves back in it in the 39th minute as Dominguez powered home Montiel’s cross with a well-placed header.

They should have gone in level as Gibbs-White slipped in Wood but the in-form New Zealand striker clipped just wide.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo sent the hosts back out early for the second half and they drew themselves level in the 56th minute with the goal of the game as Gibbs-White received the ball on the edge of the area from Callum Hudson-Odoi and arrowed an unstoppable drive into the corner.

Forest ramped up the pressure and should have taken the lead but Ryan Yates headed Danilo’s cross straight at Daniel Grimshaw, with the Blackpool goalkeeper also saving Hudson-Odoi’s late shot.

But they could not find the winner, Wood’s failure to connect with Hudson-Odoi’s cross ensuring it ended all square, with a replay scheduled to take place the week commencing January 15.