Barnsley’s Carabao Cup adventure was ended at the first hurdle as they were knocked out by Blackpool on Tuesday evening.
George Moncur’s stunning volley had given Daniel Stendel’s side a deserved first half lead, but the hosts hit back after the interval with goals from Michael Nottingham, Harry Pritchard and Armand Gnanduillet.
It was a cliché game of two halves, with the Reds dictating the tempo of the first 45 minutes but they were often restricted to long range efforts by a stubborn Tangerines’ backline.
Moncur and Dani Pinillos both tried their luck from distance before Blackpool came close through Jordan Thompson, whose thunderous effort whistled narrowly past the upright.
But Barnsley would eventually be rewarded for their fluid, high-pressing football when Dimitri Cavaré’s cross was only half-cleared as far as Moncur, who struck a sweet volley from the edge of the box into the far corner to put Stendel’s men ahead.
Ethan Pinnock came close to doubling the Reds’ lead just after the half hour mark, but his header rattled the frame of the goal before Adam Jackson fired over from the rebound.
HALF TIME: Blackpool 0-1 Barnsley
However, after the restart, the hosts came out firing on all cylinders. Jack Walton, making his first appearance of the season, made a brilliant save to deny Gnanduillet but, from the resulting corner, Terry McPhillips’ side scrambled home an equaliser.
Curtis Tilt’s initial header was well-saved by Walton, the rebound fell to Mark Cullen who somehow hit the crossbar from two-yards out, but Nottingham was on hand to rifle in at the third attempt to pull Blackpool level.
The wind was now firmly in the Seasiders’ sails, and they were soon ahead when Pritchard bent a delightful shot into the far top corner from the edge of the box, leaving Walton stranded.
Barnsley looked for a foothold in the game and Cavaré, impressive all evening with his lung-busting runs down the right flank, bulldozed his way past Nick Anderton before pulling the ball back for Bradshaw who saw his effort deflect wide.
Then came the game’s major talking point as Walton - who had confidently claimed a looping cross - looked to launch a Reds’ counter-attack and was seemingly tripped, resulting in him stumbling outside the area with the ball still in his hands.
Referee Mark Heywood adjudged the young goalkeeper to be at fault for the incident and awarded Blackpool a free-kick, from which Gnanduillet duly crashed home to all but end the tie as a contest.
Stendel’s side continued to probe in order to find some way back into the tie, but Moncur and Bradshaw both fired wide with late chances as the hosts progressed to the next round.
FULL TIME: Blackpool 3-1 Barnsley
REDS XI: Walton, Cavaré, Jackson, Pinnock, Pinillos, McGeehan (Mowatt, 80), Dougall (Potts, 72), Moncur, Isgrove (Thiam, 63), Adeboyejo, Bradshaw.
Unused subs: Davies, Lindsay, B. Williams, J. Williams.
BLACKPOOL: Howard, Daniels (Bola, 82), Anderton, Spearing, Cullen (Delfouneso, 61), Nottingham, Pritchard (O’Connor, 75), Thompson, Tilt, O'Sullivan, Gnandvillet.
Unused subs: Sims, Dodoo, Turton, Sinclair-Smith.
