Courtney Mole lashed home an astonishing injury-time winner as Moors continued their brilliant FA Cup run with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on Sunday.
The midfielder’s deflected strike flew into the net off the inside of the post midway through four minutes of stoppage time to set off scenes of wild celebration among the large travelling support.
It was a spectacular way to settle an often-scrappy encounter played out in rainy conditions as Billy S Shackleton’s side found a way to make progress despite not being at their best.
A young Blackpool outfit belied their lowly position in NWRFL Premier Division by producing some good football and they could have gone in front on 11 minutes after a scramble inside the Moors box but the shot flashed wide.
Caitlin Bates shot just off target before Autumn Colledge nodded an effort straight at the Blackpool keeper as Moors began to settle but the hosts continued to look a threat and Sophie Miller had to make a tidy save on the half hour to keep things level.
Bates then had the best chance of the half when she escaped through on goal, but her well-struck shot was blocked superbly by the home keeper.
Courtney Mole fired just over the bar before Coral Colledge drew another save from the keeper but as the second half wore on, the prospect of extra time began to loom large.
Miller made another important save seven minutes from time to deny Blackpool a potential winner, while Alice Welch-Davison headed wide from a Bates corner at the other end as the tension grew.
Then Courtney Mole stepped forward. As the ball was played into her on the edge of the box, it sat up well to strike and as it picked up a deflection off a defender, it flashed past the keeper and in off the woodwork to cue delirium on the pitch, in the dugout and in the stand.
Moors will find out their opponents in Round Two when the draw is made at lunchtime on Monday.
Full Time: Blackpool 0 Moors 1
Moors: Miller, C Colledge, O Mole, Welch-Davison, C Mole, Reed, A Colledge, Bates, Foster, Knox, McGovern.
Subs: Enguita, Grayson, Middleton, L Jackson, Hemmingway, Drinkald, Saunders.
