A late Michael Jackson strike in the second half of extra time saw Pool through to the fourth round of the Carling Cup with a 2-1 win over Southend.

The game had looked set for penalties after the game went into extra time at 1-1 but a Jackson goal three minutes from time ensured Pool a passage through to the draw on Saturday.

Simon Grayson decided to start with Keigan Parker and Scott Vernon in attack - the same combination that started up front at Derby County in the last round of the competition. But before the game even kicked the manager was forced into an early change to the starting XI with Stephen Crainey pulling up in the warm so John Hills was put in the side.

Despite a low-key start to the match it was Southend who took the lead inside of six minutes. A through ball was chased on by Charlie MacDonald in the box and the referee adjudged that keeper Rhys Evans who came out off his line had brought down the striker while attempting to get to the ball. It was Matt Harrold who duly stepped up to slot the ball past Evans (7) to make it BLACKPOOL 0 SOUTHEND 1.

Pool looked to hit back suddenly when Gary Taylor-Fletcher poked the ball through the defence to chase through before a defensive scramble emerged with the ball rebounding back off Taylor-Fletcher only to be cleared off the line.

The game then was mainly played out in midfield as both sides failed to create any clear opportunities before Keigan Parker put over a delightful ball from the left that came inches within the head of Scott Vernon for what surely would have been the equaliser.

Parker was then guilty of missing the best chance of the game when Andy Welsh fed the ball across the box following a neat one-two with Scott Vernon only for Parker to blaze the ball over the bar from three yards out.

Andy Welsh nearly brought Pool back level but his volley went just wide of the right hand post. Michael Flynn later had a go from distance minutes before half time but his effort flew just over the crossbar.

HALF TIME BLACKPOOL 0 SOUTHEND 1

The second half started pretty much in the same vain as the first with very little goalmouth action. The lack of chances and creativity forced Simon Grayson into throwing on Wes Hoolahan and Andy Morrell in a double substitution as The Seasiders pushed for the equaliser.

Pool looked to create some sort of impetus as Hoolahan was given what looked to be a free role behind strikers Andy Morrell and Scott Vernon with the Irish midfielder roaming around the field looking to dictate play.

Simon Francis was introduced by Southend and it he nearly made his first touches into a shot on goal but for a great sliding tackle from Kaspars Gorkss on the edge of the box.

Nick Bailey then looked to curl an effort into the top left corner of Rhys Evans' goal only for the head of Danny Coid preventing the ball from going in and conceding the corner.

A short worked corner then saw David Fox strike wide as Pool continued to try and find some way of opening up the Shrimps.

Then Wes Hoolahan weaved in and out turning defender after defender before striking past the keeper the ball was cleared only to be crossed back in missed by Gary Taylor-Fletcher but there was SCOTT VERNON at the back post to equalise (81). BLACKPOOL 1 SOUTHEND 1.

With neither side managing to create any clear chances thereafter the game entered EXTRA TIME.

The first clear chance to score in that period came from Andy Morrell who's rasping curler was tipped out for a corner by Collis.

Then in what was a half where not many chances were created, Andy Welsh bent a free-kick around the all only for the stretching Collis to save on the half-time whistle.

Right from the start of the second half of extra time an inswinging corner found the head of the diving Michael Jackson but somehow his header went narrowly past the post when it looked odds on to hit the back of the net.

As the game got ever closer to penalties Frank Moussa went close as his effort went just over the bar.

Then just as penalties looked ominous, MICHAEL JACKSON  turned home a side footed half volley after he got on the end of a corner in the box (117) to make it BLACKPOOL 2 SOUTHEND 1 AFTER EXTRA TIME.

Teams:

Blackpool: Evans, Coid, Barker, Gorkss, Hills (Morrell 62), Taylor-Fletcher (Jackson 84), Flynn, Fox, Welsh, Vernon, Parker (Hoolahan 62)

Subs not used: Southern, Doughty

Southend United: Collis, Hunt, Clarke, Barrett, Maher, Richards, Bailey, McCormick, Black (Francis 73), MacDonald (Foran 58), Harrold (Moussa 105)

Subs not used: Flahavan, Wilson,

Attendance: 5,022 (205 visitors)