THE Tangerines executed a textbook smash and grab raid at Stockport to proceed to the LDV Vans Trophy Northern area semi-finals.

The home side had created a host of chances but deep in injury time, Matthew Blinkhorn nodded the only goal just ten minutes after coming on.

The 18-year-old striker stole the thunder before a sizeable Pool contingent but it was Mike Flynn and Brad Jones who had weathered the storm before his 107th minute winner.

Flynn was a colossus in the centre of defence, blocking shot after shot and winning header after header.

Similarly, Jones was superb in continually keeping Stockport's Aaron Wilbraham and Chris Williams at bay. Steve Elliott justified his selection ahead of Steve Davis with a towering display before Davis entered the fray late on for a vital contribution in helping to repel the home attack.

Such a nail-biting finale would not have been needed if Blackpool had built on their early openings. Jamie Burns latched onto a deflected pass by Mike Sheron but shot weakly at Stockport's keeper, Boaz Myhill, and Sheron himself shot too close to Myhill when released in the left channel. Stockport's Andy Welsh curled a shot narrowly wide and it looked like an end-to-end tie would unfold when Sheron shot a yard over on the half-hour but a spell of Stockport pressure followed.

The introduction of Stephen McMahon added grit and ball retention to the midfield but the Tangerines were unable to threaten upfield.

County's best chance came when a long throw was flicked on after 72 minutes. Williams miskicked a volley from six yards and Wilbraham amazingly did the same before the danger was averted from the Blackpool line.

Even so, Pool should still have made the breakthrough when Martin Bullock broke clear on 96 minutes. Sheron then set up goal-machine Scott Taylor but Myhill blocked a one-on-one and collected his follow-up from 18 yards.