Kyle Vassell returns with a bang as Blackpool beat Hartlepool
Kyle Vassell came off the bench to score a late winner as Blackpool moved into the Sky Bet League Two play-off places with a 2-1 victory over Hartlepool.
It looked as though Blackpool, unbeaten in eight games heading into this clash, would have to settle for a point after Bright Osayi-Samuel's fifth of the season cancelled out Lewis Alessandra's opener for the visitors.
But with 10 minutes left Vassell, returning from a broken foot, struck to hand the Seasiders a third successive win and propel them to fifth in the table.
The visitors led after 18 minutes when Alessandra capitalised on some hesitant Blackpool defending and fired home from 15 yards.
Blackpool midfielder Osayi-Samuel quickly levelled things up with a cool finish moments later.
The hosts had Dean Lyness to thank for keeping Hartlepool at bay before half-time, denying first Lewis Hawkins and then Padraig Amond after 29 minutes and then acrobatically tipping Alessandra's shot over on 41 minutes.
Lyness denied Amond again after the break before substitute Vassell's cross-shot looped over Joe Fryer and into the far corner from the tightest of angles.
Source : PA
Source: PA