Blackpool miss out on Manchester United tie after FA Youth Cup defeat to Stoke City

The Under-18s were handed a tricky third round clash against Category One academy side Stoke City, with a home tie against the current holders in the next round the prize on offer for the winners.

The young Seasiders had the Potters held at 1-1 for long periods but the home side ran away with the game in the final stages to win 5-1 – with Stoke’s last three goals all coming in the final 13 minutes at the bet365 Stadium.

“It’s a tough one to take,” Under-18s boss Neal Eardley told the club’s official website.

“I thought in the first-half we were okay, we were in the game. Having said that, we didn’t have good enough spells with the ball and we weren’t good enough on the transition.

“There were times where we got the press right off the back of our shape but then our ball retention wasn’t there afterwards.

“Against good teams, you get punished and that’s the way it went in the second-half.

“After the second goal went in, there were too many of our lads that went under if I’m being honest.

“That’s when you need to have characters in your team. There were one or two that kept going and fair play to them, but there were too many that went under.

“We struggled in the second-half to cause them any problems. So it’s disappointing.”