Blackpool 4 Aldershot 2

Vernon netted his 12th goal after 4 minutes

The Shots never recovered from conceding two goals in the opening seven minutes. Classy Blackpool tore the visitors defence apart in the fourth minute with a move which ended with Scott Vernon side-footing home his 12th goal of the season.

Two minutes later the shell-shocked Shots were two behind when Andy Morrell flighted a lovely header past Nikki Bull.

Blackpool piled on the pressure and it took three fine saves from Bull to keep his side in the game as the Seasiders threatened a goal rout.

Bull's side gradually regained their composure and began to use the flanks to good effect.

Winger Ryan Williams found he had the beating of his defender Paul Tierney and he produced a string of crosses for veteran striker Marcus Gayle. On another day Gayle would surely have scored but three times he planted headers wide of the goal.

In the 26th minute Gayle brushed aside some weak defensive challenges and brought a good save out of Rhys Evans. Fellow striker John Grant followed up and he tapped in his 14th goal of the season.

League One manager of the month Simon Grayson decided to try and quell the menace of Williams, taking off Tierney and replacing him with Latvia international Kaspars Gorkss for his debut. Gorkss showed some excellent touches and settled down what had been a shaky Blackpool back four.

Morrell brace helped pool into 4th round

The Seasiders then began to find their feet and in the 72nd minute Bull could only parry a shot from substitute Ben Burgess. Morrell followed up to score his second.

In the 78th minute, Burgess scored his first goal for Blackpool when he was flattened in the box by Darren Barnard and the ex-Hull City striker scored himself from the penalty spot.

The Shots were not to be outdone completely and, with three minutes to go, sub Mark Pritchard ghosted in behind the Blackpool defence to score a well-taken goal from Gayle's cross.