Brighton’s quality was enough to push past League One Blackpool in the FA Cup

A stunning first half opener and deflected effort were enough to see Brighton through against League One Blackpool to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Yves Bissouma’s wonder strike opened the scoring for the hosts, before a well worked Blackpool move ended with Gary Madine touching home to bring things level before the break. A deflected Alexis Mac Allister effort was enough to put Graham Potter’s side into the next round.

Percy Tau showed his threat in behind early in the proceedings for Brighton, using his pace to breeze past Blackpool centre half James Husband. Moments later a strong header from Lewis Dunk skimmed over the bar after a fine delivery from Alexis Mac Allister within the first five minutes.

Brighton had most of the possession in the opening stages, with Blackpool content to stay compact and look for the counter through Gary Madine after a sloppy pass from their opponents. This showed when Yves Bissouma snatched at a shot from the edge of the box after some positive build up play for the hosts, albeit the shot travelled harmlessly wide.

Brighton were getting a lot of joy from corners as Blackpool struggled to pick up runners, leaving two free headers that they failed to capitalise on. For the Seasiders, Madine’s hold up play was causing all worlds of trouble for Brighton’s backline, winning a free kick in a dangerous area that Luke Garbutt placed in the top right corner, only for Christian Walton to palm away for a corner.

Then out of absolutely nothing in the middle of the park, Bissouma took the ball out of his feet in the middle third, cut inside and fired the ball straight into the left top corner, leaving Chris Maxwell with no chance in goal to put Brighton ahead on the 25 minute mark.

After the goal, Blackpool struggled to get the ball into the forward areas after initial success, with Brighton beginning to push the Seasiders further back into their half, although key chances were few and far between.

The early tempo of Neil Critchley’s sides’ play began to drop off in the latter stages of the first half, with the press that worked well beginning to fade as they looked to stay in the game until half time.

That was until a fine move from Blackpool right on the stroke of half time showed their ability to create good opportunities, Yates back heeled to Garbutt who swung the ball across the face and Madine touched home to bring the Seasiders level.

Into the second half and Marvin Ekpiteta’s poor pass across to Jordan Thorniley almost let Brighton in, with Mac Allister unable to find the target as Blackpool recovered well to block his effort.

The Lancashire club’s threat on the counter attack in the wide areas nearly paid dividends again as James Husband forced down the left flank before delivering another ball across the face of goal that Madine was inches away from touching home.

Mac Allister continued to be the home sides’ main attacking outlet as he shifted the ball well on the edge of the area and a smart save from Chris Maxwell stopped his shot finding the bottom right corner.

The aforementioned Argentinian remained a key figure from set pieces, causing danger in the Seaside back line as he sought to find Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster from deliveries, although their efforts didn’t trouble Maxwell in goal.

The effort that did cause issues from Mac Allister came just before the hour mark as he looked for space outside the box to shoot, with a large deflection completely wrong footing the Welshman in Blackpool’s goal and trickling into the left corner to give the Premier League side a 2-1 lead.

Following that goal, the home side evidently were looking to kill the game off with Mac Allister, Alzate and Tau being replaced by Neil Maupay, Leandro Trossard and Solly March. The away side responded by making a straight forward swap as debutant Ellis Simms replaced Jerry Yates.

The game began to slow in pace and chances after the substitutions with Brighton being patient in their probing play hoping to weave an opening against a stern Blackpool backline. The Seasiders were struggling to find an opening in an attacking sense and that brought a triple change for them as Oliver Sarkic, Bez Lubala and Sullay Kaikai came on for Matty Virtue, Thorniley and goal scorer Madine.

Neil Critchley’s team looked increasingly tired as the game reached the latter stages and the flow of their play was disrupted by the number of changes and a switch to a 4-3-3. And their fatigue showed as Trossard raced away on the counter playing the ball into the middle with the goal gaping for Maupay but he fired straight at Maxwell who collected at the second opportunity.

As time ticked away it was Brighton who looked likeliest to score another with Trossard and Davy Propper both missing good opportunities to extend their lead, with Maxwell keeping the visitors in it.

And that’s how it finished. A fine display from the League One side in the first-half made a game of it, but Brighton showed their quality in the second and will be frustrated to not have won by more as Blackpool tired. They will head to Brentford or Leicester in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

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