AFC Liverpool progressed into the third round of the Carlsberg FA Vase thanks to a 2-0 away win against AFC Blackpool.  Shuan Chart won and converted a penalty after sixty minutes and Steven Jones wrapped up the victory in injury time in a match that the Reds were never in danger of losing.

From the off the Reds were in control of the match and commanded the majority of the possession in the first half, though clear cut chances were difficult to come by against a well organised AFC Blackpool back four. Chart was the main threat to the home side, constantly probing down the right and it was he who provided the Reds with their best chances. After breaking to the bye-line and pulling back for Jack Sinnott, who shot wide, Chart merrily danced his way through a series of challenges before shooting wide. Kieran Quinn, who’s earlier snap shot flashed wide of the upright, almost profited from another Chart thrust but his looping effort came back off the bar and Karl Gornell’s follow up was deflected behind.

Having not registered on the threat level, AFC Blackpool were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty two minutes before the interval. Stephen McCluskie’s challenge on Martin Baird saw the Blackpool man tumble but despite strong protestations, the referee remained unmoved and simply awarded the hosts a corner.

The opening of the second half followed the same pattern as the first. Jones fired in a shot on the turn which was comfortable for Andrew Speight and a burst down the left from Gornell was hampered by a bobbling ball, though the Reds’ winger still managed a shot on target.

Almost inevitably it was Chart who provided the breakthrough. Latching onto a Quinn pass, he broke into the box and not for the first time in the match, turned James Walker inside out, causing the Blackpool defender to stuck out a leg, bringing the Reds’ winger down. Chart then fired past Speight into the bottom corner to give the Reds the lead their dominance deserved.

A goal down, the hosts simply couldn’t find a way back into the match and could have fallen further behind when Sinnott got onto the end of a Jones cross but the Reds’ striker couldn’t keep his header down.

With the match drawing towards a conclusion, the home side made changes and pushed men forward in a vain attempt to search for an equaliser which only presented the Reds with more opportunities, all of which fell to Jones.

Firstly he fired wide after Gornell’s pull back had set him up and then a neat turn on the halfway line allowed him to charge into the AFC Blackpool box before blasting goalwards. Fortunately for Speight the effort was straight at him and he was able to beat it away.

However, Jones wasn’t to be denied and in the dying moments, Gornell set him free before he turned one way, then the other, past both Paul Carroll and Speight before knocking the ball into the empty net to cue wild celebrations.

AFC Blackpool 0-2 AFC Liverpool
Chart (p) 60′, Jones 90′

Attendance: 135
AFC Liverpool: 1.Jack Baker 2.Phil Stafford (C) 3.Darren Torpey 4.River Humphreys 5.Stephen McCluskie 6.Shaun Chart 7.Karl Gornell 8.Kieran Quinn 9.Steven Jones 10.Jack Sinnott 11.David Mather (15.Sean Ferguson 26′)
Unused Subs: 12.Ben Fletcher 14.Neil Jones 16. Paddy O’Driscoll 17.Mark Toohey

AFC Blackpool: 1.Andrew Speight 2.Paul Carroll 3.James Walker 4.Lee Baker 5.Kevan Ford 6.Martin Baird 7.Grant Dell (16.Alan Hughes 71′) 8.Matthew Muscroft (C) 9.Niall Cummins 10.Benjamin Waddington 11.Gareth Fawcett (12.David McEvoy 78′)
Unused Subs: 14. Jake Darnell 15. Conor McGough 16. Alan Hughes GK.Mark Thornley