Everton's miserable start to the new season continued as they were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Southampton, who experienced spot-kick joy after their penalty pain against Manchester United.

Sean Dyche's Toffees have lost their past two Premier League matches despite leading 2-0 in each, and they let slip another lead on Tuesday.

Abdoulaye Doucoure's opener was cancelled out by Saints' Taylor Harwood-Bellis, with a 1-1 draw taking the third-round tie to penalties at Goodison Park.

Southampton, like Everton, are pointless in the league after Cameron Archer's spot-kick miss in their latest defeat at home to United on Saturday proved costly.

But this time Saints succeeded from 12 yards, advancing after a 6-5 shoot-out win, with Ashley Young the only man to fail from the spot when Alex McCarthy saved the final kick.

That was one of three shoot-outs among Tuesday's cup matches, with Preston North End remarkably winning a marathon contest against Fulham.

Following another 1-1 draw, Preston were 16-15 victors on penalties as Timothy Castagne blazed the decisive effort over the crossbar after 17 attempts apiece.

Stoke City and Fleetwood Town also drew 1-1, before the Potters triumphed.

Elsewhere, Eberechi Eze netted the winner against former club Queens Park Rangers, with Eddie Nketiah also on target for the first time for Crystal Palace in a 2-1 victory.

Brentford came from behind to beat Leyton Orient 3-1, while Sheffield United defeated former boss Steve Bruce and Blackpool 1-0.

Neil Critchley hailed a brave Blackpool performance as the Seasiders beat promotion rivals Barnsley 3-2 to boost their League One play-off chances.

Goals from Sonny Carey, James Husband and Hayden Coulson put the hosts 3-0 up but John McAtee pulled one back for Barnsley, before Adam Phillips’ late strike set up a nervy finish.

Blackpool need to win their final game of the season away to Reading, and hope that both Lincoln and Oxford drop points in order to secure a place in the top six.

Blackpool are bang in form and have now won their last four games, with Critchley proud of their battling display.

“We don’t do things easy, but I thought we were outstanding up until they scored their first goal. Even when they scored their first goal, we had chances to make it 4-1,” he said.

“We looked a really good team. Our mentality was excellent, we played with confidence and took the game to the opposition. I’m not sure how it ended 3-2, but we won and we take it down to a very exciting and interesting last day.

“It was on par with our best of the season the first hour. We played with a calmness in possession and with an intensity without the ball. We were dangerous.

“I didn’t enjoy the end to the game, but I’m grateful we got the three points.

“We had to win this game, so we took the handbrake off and went for it. The only blot on the copybook today was the goals we conceded.”

Carey gave Blackpool the lead on 12 minutes with a curling shot from 25 yards out that found the corner, while Husband headed in Karamoko Dembele’s pinpoint free-kick before Coulson smashed one into the roof of the net just after the restart.

McAtee pulled one back for Barnsley to give them a glimmer of hope midway through the second half, steering into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Phillips then set up a nervy finish in added time when he fired into the corner, but Critchley’s side held on.

Barnsley know a win on the final day will secure them a play-off place but manager Neil Collins knows they can not relax.

“I think we just got overwhelmed at the start of the game and we created our own problems right from the start – poor clearances, poor in tackles, poor defending,” he said.

“We came out second half, and again we made poor decisions and went 3-0 down. It would have been very easy for the players to feel sorry for themselves, and were it not for some of the officiating we should be standing here with a point.

“Performance wise, it wasn’t up to standard. But the spirit the players showed was really good, and again we were on the wrong side of a couple of decisions.”

Blackpool kept their play-off hopes alive with a 3-2 win over fellow promotion chasers Barnsley.

Sonny Carey gave Blackpool the lead on 12 minutes with a curling shot from 25 yards out that found the corner.

A James Husband header from Karamoko Dembele’s pinpoint free-kick put Blackpool 2-0 up on the stroke of half-time, while Hayden Coulson smashed one into the roof of the net just after the restart.

John McAtee pulled one back for Barnsley to give them a glimmer of hope midway through the second half, steering into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Adam Phillips then set up a nervy finish in added time when he fired into the corner, but Neil Critchley’s side held on.

The Seasiders need to win their final game of the season away to Reading, and hope that both Lincoln and Oxford drop points in order to secure a place in the top six, while fifth-place Barnsley know a win will be enough.

Neil Critchley stressed his Blackpool side need to be perfect to sneak into the play-off spots after a 1-0 victory at relegated Carlisle.

Karamoko Dembele scored the only goal of the game after just 22 seconds to keep Blackpool in the hunt for an unlikely play-off spot.

The Seasiders are three points off the top-six pace, having played a game more than incumbents Oxford.

And boss Critchley said: “I thought we were good first half. We got off to a great start, it was a fantastic goal. It was a brilliant break and well taken.

“We were saying we had to score again and we had the opportunities to score again.

“We had a few moments in the second half. It was the same pattern as the last few games and the longer it’s 1-0 you are susceptible to conceding.

“It was a tough game due to the conditions. At this stage we’ll take a 1-0 win.

“We thought we could hurt them in transition moments and we did that. Shayne (Lavery) had a lovely touch and Kade’s broke forward into space. It was a great start and settled us down.

“Sometimes scoring so early can give you a false sense of security in the game.

“We were in control, but our decision making and quality let us down. We have to improve that side of our game.”

Carlisle are already relegated, but fought hard to try and salvage a point.

And boss Paul Simpson said: “It was a horrific start to the game, conceding after 22 seconds, a goal like that.

“It was a tough, tough first half. The conditions were really tricky.

“Credit to the players, they stuck at it and hung in there in the first half when we were struggling against the wind.

“We just tried to contain it with the way they were playing. We had a real good go second half.

“There was some fantastic defending on the line from their lad to deny Luke Armstrong on the line.

“Apart from that we haven’t created a lot. It’s a frustrating game. Another game where we have conceded and lost by a single goal.

“I’m really disappointed. We had a lot that went against us with injuries and knocks in the game.

“There’s lot of disappointment, but we have to give credit to the players at how they stuck at it despite the quality not being there.”

Blackpool kept up the pace in the League One play-off race with a slender 1-0 victory over relegated Carlisle.

Karamoko Dembele scored one of the quickest goals this season as he bagged the only goal of the game inside the first minute at Brunton Park.

It was a third win in a row for Neil Critchley’s chasers, who are three points off the pace having played a game more than incumbents Oxford.

The midfielder needed just 22 seconds to fire the visitors in front as he took Shayne Lavery’s ball into his stride before curling home.

Harry Lewis produced a good save to keep out Lavery and stop Blackpool going two ahead inside 10 minutes.

Luke Armstrong saw his header cleared off the line on the hour mark for the hosts.

Down the other end, Lewis produced a good stop to deny Sonny Carey.

Paul Simpson’s side slipped to a third defeat in four as they look towards life back in League Two.

Blackpool manager Neil Critchley insists the Seasiders are poised to capitalise on any League One slip-ups following a 1-0 win over their relegation-threatened local rivals Fleetwood.

The Seasiders snatched Fylde Coast derby bragging rights thanks to Jake Beesley’s first-half header at Bloomfield Road.

Jay Lynch kept Fleetwood in the game with his superb save from Shayne Lavery’s penalty in the 77th minute.

Victory marked Blackpool’s first win over the Cod Army since December 2020 as they closed the gap between themselves and the play-off spots to three points.

Critchley said: “It’s a big win for us for a lot of reasons. We know how much this fixture means to the fans.

“We knew [to reach the play-offs] that we would probably have to win all four of our remaining matches and that’s the first one out of the way.

“It’s out of our hands at the moment and our aim going into each game is to win and get three points. If we can do that then we can hopefully capitalise on any slip-ups from the teams above us.”

The Blackpool boss defended Lavery for his penalty miss and switched the focus to their next clash against Carlisle at the weekend.

“Look, everybody misses penalties,” he said. “Nobody misses them on purpose. Shayne, unfortunately, missed his. But thankfully it didn’t come back to cost us.

“Derbies are always intense, scrappy affairs. They’re nervy. We’re pleased to get the three points and we move onto Saturday now.

“All we can do is focus on ourselves.”

Fleetwood’s Tommy Lonergan thought he had found a crucial equaliser at the death but celebrations were cut short when his goal was ruled offside.

Manager Charlie Adam stood firm that his side will not give with Fleetwood six points off safety with just four games remaining.

He said: “It’s a disappointing result and we’re disappointed we’ve come away with nothing.

“We came here with a game plan and I thought we stuck to that very well. It’s a game that we came into thinking we could win.

“I’m proud of them, really proud of them. I’m proud that they have come here and shown some personality.

“I said to them before the game that we needed personality and bravery on the ball and they’ve shown that.

“They fought for this jersey, fought for this football club right until the very end and sadly it wasn’t to be tonight.

“It will be the same Saturday and it will be the same for the last four games, we won’t give in.

“We will be here until the end and we will keep fighting. There is absolutely no doubt about that.”

Blackpool secured bragging rights over relegation-threatened Fylde Coast neighbours Fleetwood with a 1-0 victory.

The Seasiders boosted their hopes of a play-off place thanks to Jake Beesley’s first-half effort and a missed Shayne Lavery penalty at Bloomfield Road.

Neil Critchley’s side are three points off the top six.

Beesley nodded home the only goal of the game in the 22nd minute as he got on the end of CJ Hamilton’s fine cross.

Jay Lynch denied the hosts two minutes later when he kept out George Byers’ stinging strike.

After the break, Byers squandered a great chance when he fired wide before Beesley also fluffed his lines.

Lavery, who was brought down inside the box, saw his 77th-minute penalty superbly saved by Lynch.

Charlie Adam’s side failed to take advantage to rescue a point in their survival fight as Fleetwood sit six points off safety with just four games left.

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley hailed match-winner Sonny Carey as his side kept their outside hopes of a play-off finish alive with a 1-0 win over Cambridge.

Carey scored the game’s only goal with a superb curled finish after half an hour to leave the Seasiders six points off sixth-placed Oxford with four games remaining.

The home side passed up a number of other chances to make it more comfortable but Critchley was pleased with the way his side broke down a resolute Cambridge defence, with United scrapping for survival in League One.

“I thought we were good in the first half against a team who are defensive,” he said. “That’s how they’ve got their results lately, by defending deep.

“You have to be patient, work your openings, work the play and we did that. We produced quality that we haven’t produced in games recently.

“It was nice to see Sonny pass it into the bottom corner. That’s the quality he’s got.

“In the second half, we deteriorated, got a bit edgy and we needed the second goal to calm us down. We didn’t get it.

“They had a moment where they hit the post on the break, but we got over the line so I’ll take that.

“In the second half, we had loads of situations where we win the ball back and we failed in that final pass. Maybe we were lacking a bit of confidence or there was a bit of anxiety.”

Blackpool welcome neighbours Fleetwood to Bloomfield Road on Tuesday before travelling to already-relegated Carlisle, results which could have big implications for Garry Monk’s Cambridge.

The U’s sit five points above the drop zone with five games left to play but Monk was encouraged by his side’s second-half performance, which saw Gassan Ahadme and Elias Kachunga both go close to rescuing a precious point on the road.

He said: “In the first half they made it difficult for us. We weren’t quite dealing with wide areas where they were moving their central players out wide. They overloaded us there and it pinned us back a little bit, but we still defended well.

“At half-time, we spoke about that and needing to show a bit more composure on the ball. There were moments where we could have shown more composure, but in the second half we did just that.

“The second-half performance I was really proud of, we were so close to getting our just rewards. I was really pleased with the second half, I thought it was a good response to going a goal behind and we were unlucky not to come away with a point.

“In the second half, I thought we were the better team. We built attacks better, and nearly came away with a point.”

Ebou Adams scored his first goal for Derby to boost their automatic promotion hopes with a 1-0 win over Blackpool.

Derby went with an attacking formation but the first clear chance fell to Blackpool in the 29th minute, with George Byers scuffing a shot wide from 15 yards.

It brought an instant response from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, whose curling shot was touched behind by Daniel Grimshaw and the corner was almost forced in at the near post.

But Grimshaw could do nothing in the 40th minute when a cross was half cleared to Adams, who scored with a first-time shot from the edge of the area.

Derby should have added a second in the 55th minute when Mendez-Laing put Conor Washington through on the right but he failed to beat Grimshaw.

Blackpool almost took advantage in the 71st minute through a Sonny Carey free-kick which Rams keeper Joe Wildsmith clawed away.

There was another late scare for Derby when Kyle Joseph twice had goalbound shots blocked by Curtis Nelson and Eiran Cashin.

Neil Critchley felt his Blackpool side deserved a point at Wigan after suffering a 1-0 defeat that dented their Sky Bet League One play-off aspirations.

An away win would have seen Blackpool climb to sixth in the table on goal difference ahead of the international break.

But Scott Smith’s 26th-minute goal – his first in senior football – proved to be the difference at the DW Stadium, as Wigan climbed to the 50-point mark.

Blackpool had chances to go home with a point, but England Under-21 goalkeeper Sam Tickle denied Shayne Lavery in the first half, before Wigan Academy product Kyle Joseph headed just wide for the visitors after the break.

“Yes, it was a fine line today, and we knew it was going to be like that,” said Critchley. “Looking at some of their recent results, most of them have been low-scoring games, and we knew the first goal would be decisive.

“They got it, from a really great cross but, from our point of view, a poor goal to concede.

“In the second half we were by far the more dominant team, we pinned them back, and it’s not easy to break down 11 men, but we created some decent chances.

“When you do that, you have to take one of them, and we couldn’t do that.

“You’re not going to come here and dominate for 90 minutes, they’re a good team with some good players.

“They play a really good brand of possession football, they overload the middle of the pitch, and they make it really difficult for you.

“I’ve watched a lot of them this season, and they cause a lot of teams a lot of problems with how they play.

“But there was nothing in the game…they got the first goal, and we dominated the second half.

“Overall I thought we deserved to get a point from the game, but it wasn’t to be.”

Wigan boss Shaun Maloney said: “It was two very different halves.

“Blackpool are one of the better teams in the league without the ball, and when you don’t get your build-up play right, they can quickly create chances.

“I really enjoyed the first half, but the second half was the complete opposite.

“We had to defend, and they had a couple of good chances, one a header and one that hit the side-netting.

“But I get just as much pleasure from watching that second-half performance as the first half.

“In the first half, we went very aggressive with the line-up, but we had to play under great pressure – and we did.

“Blackpool are a very good side, they’re going for the play-offs, and the more attacking they went in the second half, the more we had to defend.

“We’ve had to rely on Sam Tickle a lot in these kinds of matches, but I thought we defended pretty well.

“We gave up two chances in that second half, but in other matches we’ve given up a few more.

“In that sense, it was pleasing that we restricted them to that number of chances.”

Scott Smith’s first goal in senior football was enough to send Wigan into the top half of Sky Bet League One thanks to a 1-0 victory over play-off chasing Blackpool.

After a keenly contested opening 20 minutes, Wigan came closer to opening the scoring when Jordan Jones’ left-wing cross was headed just wide by Thelo Aasgaard.

But the home side did hit the front after 26 minutes, with Jones again crossing from the left and this time 23-year-old Smith popping up from right wing-back to force the ball over the line.

Blackpool’s immediate attempts at a leveller were foiled when George Byers’ shot was comfortably saved by Sam Tickle, who then made a brilliant stop to deny substitute Shayne Lavery – who had replaced the injured Jordan Rhodes.

The visitors showed they had not given up the fight early in the second half when Matt Pennington went right through the back of Stephen Humphrys, only to escape with a yellow card.

Indeed, Wigan boss Shaun Maloney was so angered he was shown a yellow card by referee James Linington.

Blackpool sent on Kyle Joseph in search of an equaliser, and the Wigan Academy graduate almost found a leveller when he nodded a deep cross just wide of the far post.

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley hailed a job well done by his side after their 1-0 victory at Northampton on Tuesday.

A cagey first half at Sixfields yielded little in the way of clear-cut chances but Blackpool took control after the break, with Matt Pennington making the crucial breakthrough.

The visitors then defended well and limited Northampton to very few opportunities as they moved to within one point of the play-off places.

“I thought we played well and we looked like a good team,” said Critchley. “We played with belief and a bit of arrogance.

“They changed their shape and they changed their team and paid us a bit of respect but we had good control of the game and we said at half-time to be patient and keep doing the right things.

“If we kept passing it, they’ll tire, and to score from a set-piece was really nice because that’s something we have worked on and it’s something we highlighted that we needed to improve.

“Their goalkeeper made an unbelievable save from Marvin Ekpiteta in the first half but we felt the ball crossed the line, so to score from another set-piece in the second half was pleasing.

“After we scored, without the ball, we looked really assured and it was a composed and controlled performance.

“We’ve only lost one in six and that’s now three consecutive clean sheets so we’re in good form and we feel we’re building momentum.

“Tonight’s gone, we have eight games to go this season and now we’re focused on Wigan on Saturday.”

Northampton boss Jon Brady was not too downhearted despite his side’s toothless performance.

He said: “In my opinion it shows how far we’ve come because we feel a little bit disappointed and the fans are a little bit disappointed and we’re playing against Blackpool.

“They were tipped for automatic promotion this season and they are a team going for the play-offs and they have some very good players, but possession-wise I felt we went toe-to-toe with them.

“We couldn’t find the solutions in attack because they dropped back into shape in the second half and they were very hard to break down. They are a very good side and have destroyed a lot of good teams recently.

“I thought there were spells where we played well but they score a goal from a set-piece, a scrappy goal, and that’s disappointing because we should defend that better and it’s the key moment in the game.”

Blackpool moved to within a point of the League One play-offs with a 1-0 victory at Northampton on Tuesday.

Matt Pennington’s scrappy second-half strike was the difference as the Seasiders closed the gap on the teams above them.

The Cobblers were first to threaten at Sixfields when Kieron Bowie set his sights from the edge of the box but his shot was straight down the throat of Dan Grimshaw.

Chances were at a premium in the first half but Blackpool thought they had opened the scoring through Marvin Ekpiteta, whose effort hit the underside of the crossbar and seemingly bounced over the line only for the officials not to award a goal.

Pennington headed another chance over for the visitors but it was not until the second half when the game opened up.

After Jordan Rhodes shot into the side-netting, Blackpool made the breakthrough 10 minutes after the restart when Karamoko Dembele’s free-kick led to an almighty scramble in the box with Pennington stabbing in the loose ball.

Northampton had struggled to create anything of note all game and that continued after the goal, with the visitors comfortably seeing out victory.

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho refused to be too downbeat despite his side being forced to settle for a goalless draw against 10-man Blackpool.

Pompey’s lead at the top of Sky Bet League One was cut to five points as they failed to get past the Seasiders, who were forced to dig in after Jordan Rhodes was dismissed just before half-time.

But Mousinho took plenty of encouragement from the way his side played even though they were unable to break down a resolute Blackpool side, who extend their unbeaten home league run to eight games.

“We’re disappointed with the point,” said Mousinho. “We wanted to come here and win the game regardless of whether we were playing 10 or 11 men.

“The context that we played against 10 men for the best part of 50-55 minutes and created plenty of chances as well, we’re gutted that we didn’t win it.

“There were a lot of pleasing points. We created quite a few openings. When you create as many chances as we have and their goalkeeper comes away with man of the match, I can’t complain too much.

“Blackpool have one of the best home records in the league. They beat Bolton here. They sit in and defend really well.”

Mousinho felt the red card shown to Rhodes for a raised arm on defender Joe Rafferty was harsh, but believed Blackpool still deserved to be reduced to 10.

“I thought the red card was harsh. Jordan Rhodes leads with his arm. We’d have been aggrieved if it was us,” Mousinho added.

“I thought the challenge on Callum Lang is far worse and that’s a straight red. That was the worse challenge of the two.”

That was a view echoed by opposite number Neil Critchley, who was delighted with a point given his side’s numerical disadvantage.

“I’m really pleased we’ve picked up a point,” he said. “You’d be pleased before the game with where they are in the league, but obviously we’ve gone down to 10 men quite early on.

“I think it’s a harsh sending-off. It really puts you behind the game and gives you a mountain to climb.

“I’m really pleased of the way the boys have dug deep to get something out of the game. We showed great character, especially after having a man sent off.

“We had some chances and, on another day, could have nicked it, but we take the point. They had their chances, of course they did. We had to defend well. They are one of the best teams in the league for a reason.

“The crowd were fantastic and really got behind us when we needed them. You fill the crowd with passion and it really helps. When everyone’s together it’s brilliant.”

Jordan Rhodes was sent off for the first time in his 17-year professional career as battling 10-man Blackpool clung on for a precious point in a goalless home draw with Portsmouth.

The Huddersfield loan star was controversially dismissed two minutes before the break by referee Edward Duckworth for leading with his left arm in an aerial challenge with defender Joe Rafferty.

The decision looked incredibly harsh on the Seasiders’ 15-goal leading scorer but, to their credit, the hosts dug deep for a hard-fought draw at Bloomfield Road and extend their impressive home unbeaten league run to eight games.

Midfielder Hayden Coulson rifled wide for the home side early on, while Rhodes shot wide from a tight angle.

Rhodes was dismissed just before half-time and the visitors came within a whisker of going ahead when midfielder Abu Kamara’s fierce strike struck a post.

Blackpool goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw thwarted Jack Sparkes with a fine save shortly after the hour mark, before saving from midfielder Owen Moxon in the 80th minute.

Grimshaw denied substitute Kusini Yengi in the dying stages as the hosts showed real character to ensure they maintained their long unbeaten run at home in the league.