Blackpool Play-Off Legends ran out 6-5 victors over the North-West All Stars in an end of season charity match at Bloomfield Road.
The BFC Play-Off Legends led midway through the first-half with former midfielder David Vaughan firing home. The North-West All Stars levelled the game through Marc Pugh later in the half but the BFC team responded quickly after thanks to a Nathan Delfouneso close range effort.
It was goals galore in the second-half with Mark Cullen, Rickie Lambert and Pugh bagging braces. The match entered the final few minutes with the teams locked at 5-5, but a brilliant 90th minute winner by Andy Morrell secured the victory for the BFC Play-Off Legends.
Gary Taylor-Fletcher showed off his skills early, turning away from his man on the edge of the box before firing straight at Nick Culkin in the All Stars net.
Coaching staff duo Neal Eardley and Stephen Dobbie nearly created the first goal as Eardley pinged it into Dobbie on the edge of the area, who’s venomous shot tested Culkin.
Matt Gilks at the other end rolled back the years in the 18th minute, getting high up to his left corner to keep out a curled effort from Rickie Lambert.
The BFC Play-Off Legends took the lead in the 21st minute when Alex Baptiste left the ball over for Eardley, who picked out Delfouneso in the middle, but after he was denied by a last-ditch block, Vaughan followed in to bag the first goal of the charity match.
Eardley, who had a brilliant opening to the match, nearly marked his start with a goal as he exchanged a lovely one two with Delfouneso to get in behind down the left, but his low driven effort was well saved by Culkin.
Pugh levelled the game up for the All Stars in the 29th minute, cutting inside of Baptiste before having a curling effort deflect into the bottom corner, wrongfooting Gilks in the Pool goal.
Delfouneso put the Pool side back ahead as he volleyed home after Culkin fumbled a chipped delivery by Taylor-Fletcher into his path, and he had the easy task of firing home from a few yards out.
The goal scorer had to help out at the back shortly after, clearing a goal bound effort by David Lee off the line.
HT: BFC Play-Off Legends 2-1 North-West All Stars
Lambert equalised for the North-West All Stars shortly after the interval with the number nine firing into the corner after Pugh had pulled it back to him.
Half-time substitute Keigan Parker threatened to put the BFC team back ahead a minute later, but his curling effort from the left went just over the bar.
Peter Clarke dribbled past three players on his way to goal just near the hour mark, but he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet, with his finish easy pickings for Paul Rachubka.
Newly appointed Southport manager Danns showed his quality in the 63rd minute as he dribbled in from the right before curling a beautiful effort into the far bottom corner to put the BFC team back ahead at Bloomfield Road.
Jamie Milligan showed great energy to hunt down a long ball down the left channel before playing it inside to Claus Jorgensen, who’s curled delivery found Scott Vernon at the back post. Vernon nodded the ball down to Morrell, who had his effort cleared off the line by Stephen Sama, but 2017 Play-Off Final goal scorer Cullen was there to add a fourth from close range.
Rachubka pulled off a miraculous fingertip save to prevent Lambert from adding another to his tally. Lambert wasn’t to be denied his second, scoring from the next phase of play to reduce the deficit to one goal.
Cullen added to his tally in the 76th minute finishing into the bottom corner after a good reverse ball from Danns.
Pugh, who was a class above on the day, scored his second of the day in the 80th minute to make the final ten minutes of the match interesting.
Ross Wallace thundered in the equaliser shortly after to level the game up once again. The winger fired one in from the left hand side in brilliant fashion.
Morrell thought he had scored the Legends sixth goal of the game, but his effort was once again cleared off the line after Parker’s effort was parried into his path.
The BFC Play-Off Legends weren’t to be denied victory as Morrell fired into the far corner in the final minute of the match to secure bragging rights for Steve Thompson’s side.
FT: BFC Play-Off Legends 6-5 North-West All Stars
BFC Play-Off Legends Starting XI: Gilks, Eardley, Evatt, Baptiste, Eyres, Delfouneso, Vaughan, Southern, Ormerod, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Dobbie
Subs: Rachubka, Coid, Parker, McPhee, Cullen, Gouck, Joseph, Vernon, Morrell, Jorgensen, Milligan, Danns
North-West All Stars Starting XI: Culkin, Hunt, Lydiate, Clarke, Croft, McCann, Feeney, Wallace, Lee, Pugh, R.Lambert
Subs: C.Lambert, Daggett, Howard, Caton, Howard, Pugh, Sama