Blackpool 2-3 Sunderland
An Aiden O’Brien hat-trick downed Blackpool and sent Sunderland into round three of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
The Tangerines struck first at Bloomfield Road, but the lead didn’t last long as Aiden O’Brien’s finessed strike cancelled out Shayne Lavery’s opener.
Lee Johnson’s side enjoyed plenty of the ball and Broadhead was denied his first goal for the club on 35 minutes, as an offside flag brought a premature end to his celebrations.
O’Brien also went close before the break and his second arrived following the restart, with a deflected back-post effort whistling into the bottom corner.
Josh Bowler levelled in the 87th minute, but O’Brien had the final say and he completed his hat-trick in added time to send the Lads into round three.
Lee Johnson made a host of changes from the side that defeated AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, as Frederik Alves and Niall Huggins made their debuts for the club.
Broadhead also made his first start, with academy graduates Patterson, Dan Neil and Jack Diamond also lining up at Bloomfield Road.
Blackpool led with 10 minutes on the clock, as Tyreece John-Jules squared to Lavery and the striker steered a low finish into the corner.
But the lead didn’t last long.
Just two minutes after falling behind, a sumptuous through ball from Neil sent O’Brien through one on one and the forward’s calm finish levelled the tie.
Neil, who was featuring in central midfield after an impressive league stint at left-back, continued to pull the strings, with Broadhead finding Dan Grimshaw’s gloves on 25 minutes.
The on-loan Evertonian found a way past the Tangerines stopper 10 minutes later, but after taking down Alex Pritchard’s clipped past and finding the top corner, an offside flag dashed his celebrations.
O’Brien could, and perhaps should, have added to his tally before the break, with his scuffed finish rolling wide after excellent play from Bailey Wright.
12 minutes after the restart, O’Brien did grab his second of the night, picking up a deep corner and rifling a deflected effort into the bottom corner.
Changes followed ahead of the final 15 minutes, as Elliot Embleton returned to Bloomfield Road and Ross Stewart and Callum Doyle also entered the fray.
Blackpool introduced reinforcements of their own and Jerry Yates thought he had scored when he pulled the trigger at the back post, but an incredible one-handed save from Patterson ensured the win.
The Lads looked like they had been denied at the final hurdle when Bowler netted three minutes from time, but a stoppage-time winner from O’Brien to seal his hat-trick clinched a place in round three.
Blackpool: Grimshaw, James, Carey, Lavery (Yates 78), Casey, Hamilton (Anderson 78), Gretarsson, Antwi (Bowler 69), Keough, John-Jules, Garbutt.
Subs not used: Moore, Husband, Ekpiteta, Holmes.
Sunderland AFC: Patterson, Huggins, Alves (Doyle 75), Wright, Cirkin, Neil, Winchester, Diamond, Pritchard (Embleton 73), Broadhead (Stewart 73), O’Brien.
Subs not used: Bond, Doyle, Gooch, Taylor, Hawkes.