CONNOR Hall scored his first Accrington Stanley goals as they ended their Checkatrade Trophy group stage campaign with a 3-2 defeat at Blackpool.

The Reds had already qualified for the knockout stage but lost from being in front in an entertaining game at Bloomfield Road.

Stanley made a bright start and might have led inside three minutes. Hall’s drilled cross from the left found Piero Mingoia on the right and his fierce shot beat Myles Boney and bounced down off the bar with the officials deciding the ball hadn’t crossed the line.

Moments later Scott Brown whistled a low strike wide of the left post as John Coleman’s side made all of the early running.

Their pressure was rewarded after 17 minutes when Brown evaded Ryan McLaughlin on the left and cut the ball back to Seamus Conneely, whose strike came back off the post with the ball dropping to Hall, who smashed home to open his account.

The home side were soon level though and in spectacular style. Liam Feeney’s cross from the left was headed on by ex-Red John O’Sullivan and Joe Dodoo took a touch to control before scoring with a stunning overhead kick.

And the Seasiders hit the front before half-time, with Callum Guy counter-attacking and threading in Dodoo, who raced away from the Stanley defence, rounded Jonny Maxted and slotted home his and his team’s second.

After the break the Reds looked to get themselves back on terms but clear chances were few and far between as the Seasiders’ defence stood firm.

Instead they found themselves further behind when sub Steven Davies held up the ball well and found Armand Gnanduillet who beat Maxted to make it 3-1.

Stanley were inches from getting back in the game when substitute Sam Finley’s effort looked to have been deflected into the top corner only for Myles Boney to claw it out from under his bar.

At the other end Maxted was forced into two quick saves to deny Harry Pritchard and then Davies.

Joe Bunney’s tackle from behind in the box on Jordan Clark brought a late Stanley penalty which Hall dispatched to set up a nervy stoppage time.

There wasn’t time for the Reds to find another and force the penalty shootout. However, they did still progress by winning the group.

Stanley: Maxted, Platt, Sykes, Richards-Everton, Ihiekwe, Mingoia, Conneely, Brown, Clark, Charman, Hall