Blackpool head coach Ian Evatt tipped the Blues to win promotion back to the Premier League this season following his side’s 2-1 FA Cup third round defeat at Portman Road.

Jaden Philogene and Jacob Greaves netted for Town before Ashley Fletcher bagged a late penalty for the League One team.

Evatt, who when Bolton manager inflicted Town boss Kieran McKenna’s first defeat in management in his third game in charge, said there were pluses and minuses to be taken from the match from his perspective.

“Mixed really, obviously disappointed to go out but proud of the way the players have tried to execute a different performance today,” he said.

“It’s not something that we want to do in our division, we want to be front-footed, aggressive with or without the ball and today we had to give respect to the opposition and play in more of a block and frustrate them and wait for transitions.

“I thought we did that really well. We switched off probably once in the first half, didn’t close the middle of the pitch fast enough and we got punished, but that’s what you get facing quality players.

“We had chances. At 1-0 CJ Hamilton has a big chance and Ashley Fletcher has a big chance deflected wide. Didn’t quite take those moments when we needed to and just as we threw the game open a little bit more, we conceded a corner [from which Town scored their second goal].

“But we reacted the right way when we were playing against a really, really good team, so disappointed to be out, but not disheartened, there was a lot to like about what we did today.”

Quizzed on whether he felt keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell was fouled by Greaves as he headed the second goal from an Ashley Young corner, he said: “I think the lad’s jumped early and put his arm against Bailey, which probably prevents Bailey getting to the ball and jumping early enough.

“But those things go for and against you sometimes and possibly the penalty went for us at the end to even it up, that’s what happens in football.

“Not too disappointed with that, just part of the game. It would be interesting to see if VAR was here what would have happened then.”

Reflecting on Town and their significantly bigger budget, Evatt, who was one of two Blackpool players red-carded the only other time the teams met in the FA Cup, also in the third round at Bloomfield Road in 2010, believes the Blues will go up this season.

“It’s a huge gap, this is a Premier League team with a Premier League coach,” he said. “Obviously I know Kieran from when we faced him before in League One when I was at Bolton.

“I admire him a lot, I admire what he’s doing here. I think they’ve strengthened, I think they’re better than when they were [in the Premier League], obviously a different kind of team but definitely a more talented one.

“And I think they’ll go on to be promoted this season. I think time will show what a good team they are. I think they’ve recruited really well.

“But a great experience for us to come and try and do something different and concentrate and frustrate, and in large parts I think we did that really well.”

Photo: TWTD