Barnsley will be aiming to continue their scintillating early season form when they travel to Blackpool in the Carabao Cup first round on Tuesday evening.
The Reds have adapted well to life in Sky Bet League One with a blistering 4-0 opening day victory at home to Oxford United, before following that up with a routine 2-0 win over Bradford City in the Yorkshire derby on Saturday.
This will be the 101st meeting between the two sides, with Barnsley winning 44 of those previous encounters while Blackpool have emerged victorious on 31 occasions.
Our last meeting with the Tangerines in this competition was back in August 2006. Robbie Williams’ 53rd minute spot-kick had given Andy Ritchie’s side the lead at Bloomfield Road, before Scott Vernon’s equaliser sent the tie to extra-time. Martin Devaney’s goal with three minutes remaining appeared to have sent the Reds through to the next round, but Vernon’s last-gasp leveller forced a penalty shoot-out.
Michael McIndoe, Devaney, Paul Hayes and Bobby Hassell all converted from 12-yards to book Barnsley’s place in the second round, where they would go on to lose 2-1 at home to MK Dons.
The last time the two sides went head-to-head was in January 2017 when Blackpool ran out 2-1 winners at Oakwell in an FA Cup third round replay. Following a 0-0 draw on the Lancashire coast, Kelvin Miller had given the visitors a first half lead before Angus MacDonald levelled the scores four minutes after half-time. But substitute Bright Osayi-Samuel scored a 120th minute winner to send the Tangerines into the fourth round.
It has been a rather turbulent start to the new campaign for Blackpool, who have parted company with Gary Bowyer and are yet to register a win after two games. A 0-0 draw at newly promoted Wycombe Wanderers on the opening day was followed by a 2-1 defeat at home to Portsmouth.
Terence McPhillips is likely to be in the home dugout for the visit of Barnsley. The interim boss was previously the Seasiders chief scout before being appointed assistant manager in October 2017.
Blackpool fell at this hurdle last season as they lost 2-1 to Wigan Athletic, and the Tangerines have only made it past this stage once in the past seven campaigns – a second round exit to Crystal Palace in 2016/17. In fact, the Lancashire outfit have only been past the fifth round on one occasion when they reached the semi-finals in 1961/62, losing to eventual winners Norwich City 4-3 on aggregate in just the second ever League Cup tournament.
However, Barnsley’s best run in this competition was during the 1981/82 season when they were knocked out at the quarter-final stage – after a replay – by eventual winners Liverpool.
