League One Milton Keynes Dons ousted Blackpool from the Carling Cup on Tuesday with an amazing 4-3 win after extra-time.
Sub Lewis Guy hit the winner for the hosts at Stadium MK after Charlie Adam’s penalty had secured extra-time for the top flight team. Jermaine Easter had earlier scored a brace to add to Sam Baldock’s goal for the Dons, while Brett Ormerod and Ludovic Sylvestre hit the other Blackpool goals.
The League One side were in front in just the first minute as they caught an almost completely-changed Blackpool side cold. Sean O’Hanlon fed Baldock and, from 18 yards, he fired Karl Robinson’s men in front against the Premier League’s newest addition.
The remaining 44 minutes of the half brought no further changes to the scoreline as Angelo Balanta twice missed the target for the Dons, while Ishmel Demontagnac tried his luck a couple of times but found no joy for the Seasiders.
Baldock then missed a sitter for the Dons on the half hour mark as he failed to knock home Dean Lewington’s cross from six yards, meaning his side led by just one at the break.
And seven minutes after the restart they were punished as old stager Ormerod levelled the game, having already had a goal disallowed in the second half for offside. Neal Eardley sent in a cross from the right channel and the 33-year-old headed the ball home from close range.
However, Easter then struck twice in two minutes. Firstly he rounded Mark Halstead and blasted home from 18 yards after receiving the ball from Balanta in the 55th minute, before the 57th saw him put the ball past the goalkeeper from a similar distance from Baldock’s set-up.
Back came Blackpool, who were within one again within a minute after receiving a free-kick on the left of the area. Sylvestre sent it in hoping for a touch from a team-mate. He did not need one as the ball went all the way in at the far post for 3-2.
Eardley then shot wide before Guy and Adam replaced Dietmar Hamann and Stephen Husband respectively to have the final says for each side - after another Ormerod goal was ruled out for offside.
Ian Holloway’s men were fortunate enough to earn their penalty with eight minutes left, referee Tony Bates ruling that Lewington had fouled Ormerod after a melee and Scotland international Adam found the net from 12 yards.
So an additional 30 minutes was needed and with just ten minutes to play Guy turned home the winner from the excellent Easter's cross to the chagrin of the absent Holloway – who was not at the game as he was reportedly watching a transfer target at another game.