Elliott Grandin and substitute Billy Clarke scored two expertly-taken goals to defeat a youthful Hibernian side, although the team in green produced an encouraging display.

Grandin struck with a well-placed volley following a left-wing cross from Stephen Crainey on 33 minutes while Clarke finished off a neat move in the closing stages.

But overall Hibernian applied themselves well and put Blackpool under pressure during an evenly-contested game.

Nevertheless that pressure did not translate into any decent clear-cut chances for Hibernian, who brought on three under-19 players in the second half, David Gold, Ross Caldwell and Danny Handling.

Goalkeeper Mark Brown produced a handful of top-class saves to deny Gary Taylor-Fletcher (twice) and Kevin Phillips as the home side piled on the pressure.

But Hibernian's defence coped well throughout the majority of a game that was played at a frenetic tempo throughout.

Blackpool: Matt Gilks, Craig Cathcart, Ian Evatt, Alex Baptiste, Stephen Crainey, Barry Ferguson, Elliott Grandin, Keith Southern, Brett Ormerod, Kevin Phillips, Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

Subs: Matt Hill, Billy Clarke, Craig Sutherland, Mark Halstead, Gerardo Bruna, Bob Harris, Paul Bignot, Ashley Eastham, Stephen Husband, Bojan Djordjic, Neal Eardley.

Hibernian: Mark Brown, Michael Hart, David Stephens (Murray 79), Paul Hanlon (Palsson 59), Scott Smith (Booth 59); Scott Taggart (Wotherspoon), Edwin de Graaf (Gold 79), Martin Scott (Horner 32), Lewis Stevenson (Thornhill 59), Danny Galbraith (Handling 79); David Crawford (Caldwell 59).

Subs: Graham Stack, Victor Palsson, Callum Booth, Ian Murray, David Wotherspoon, Matthew Thornhill, Lewis Horner, Ross Caldwell, Danny Handling, David Gold

Referee: Anthony Taylor