City 1 Blackpool 0
Report by Eddie Blount
A gritty performance by City saw them halt Blackpool's 100% start to the season by grinding out a 1-0 victory against a side who always threatened to get something from the match. This was an important win after Tuesday's humiliation against a side two leagues below us and was well received by a crowd adversely affected by the late kick off due to Sky televising the game.
The initial omens were not good as City lost de Laet in the warm-up and a shortage of full-back cover meant that St Ledger – why is he so incredibly unenthusiastic, almost disinterested – was drafted in to play out of position at right back. Apart from that enforced change this was Pearson's current preferred line-up.
City began brightly, attacking down both flanks but all too often the final ball was poor. Dyer found it impossible to pick out a colleague in a usually crowded penalty area and Marshall continually failed to clear the first defender. He really should try to whip some crosses in between the back four and the keeper if only as a variation to attempted flighted balls to the far post.
He did however provide a telling pass to the ever-willing Vardy who was through on goal from an angle but Gilks saved smartly with his legs. Marshall was also involved in our closest effort in the first half with a beautiful free kick from 20+ yards which was brilliantly saved by Gilks plunging yards to his left to push the ball round the post.
Blackpool had much less possession in the final third than City but were well organised in defence and lively on the counterattack. Indeed in the last five minutes of the half they could have scored twice! First a superb ball by Taylor-Fletcher put Ince through on goal, only for him to delay his shot allowing Schmeichel to close in for the block.
Shortly afterwards another fine pass by Taylor-Fletcher was well controlled by Ferguson who shot immediately only for the ball to strike City's left post and rebound to safety. This was obviously going to be a close match as indeed it turned out to be. The only surprise at half-time was that it was goalless as both sides showed clear attacking intent in an open, entertaining game.
The second half was very similar to the first for over half an hour. The nearest we came to breaking the deadlock was a major penalty area scramble which resulted in King, who had a good match, firing past Gilks only for Nugent standing on the line to deflect the ball home. He was clearly offside but had no chance of getting out of the way.
The match eventually turned on the referee's decisions as close games often do. It really was a tale of three penalties – or were they? First Vardy went tumbling in the box as he tried to thrust past two defenders. The Kop howled ritually for a spot-kick but the referee, rightly in my view, turned down the appeals.
It wasn't long before the referee was tested again. City attacked down the right and the cross led to not one penalty appeal but two as Vardy and a defender went down in a heap -again no penalty I thought – only for the ball to run to Dyer who was tackled from behind and brought down in the act of shooting from 10 yards dead centre of the goal. This was a penalty but again not given. Cue derogatory comments about the sort of refs we get! Pity really as the ref had up to then done a more than competent job.
However justice was – belatedly – to be done. Before we could get our breath back City pushed forward down the left and Vardy was checked wide out just inside the box. He responded with a jump (some might say dive) of Olympic proportions to escape the defender's clutches and crashed theatrically to the ground. The ref pointed to the spot.
This was a classic case of a conscientious official believing he had made the wrong call previously trying to make up for it! In truth this was a terrible decision of the type a team down on its luck often gets. So we could expect to be on the wrong end of it but not the Tangerines. They were incensed and the ref noted their dissent in the usual way! Ben Marshall further improved his already cult status with City supporters by powering the penalty past Gilks who got a hand to the ball but never looked like stopping it.
Unfortunately City had to cope with the loss of St Ledger within minutes of taking the lead and this prompted a major reshuffle by Pearson. Schlupp came on – as left back! – and Konchesky moved to left centre-back with the impressive Moore going to right back.
We never looked quite as comfortable in defence after this though Schlupp did well with some good tackles and headers and was clearly not going to be beaten for pace. Other substitutions had the effect of boosting our forward power at a time when we were under the cosh for the first time in the game. This seemed unwise as Blackpool camped in our half for virtually the entire last 15 minutes. Fortunately they were unimpressive in the finishing department and our goal survived intact,
Schmeichel making one good save clawing away a decent header from Baptiste. Indeed we might have added to our tally. Dyer had a great chance from well inside the box but his thumping shot poleaxed a defender and bounced away. On another occasion we had a 4-on-1 break which was given offside though I gather Sky's cameras showed this to be incorrect.
For some reason we played 5 minutes added time but City were not to be denied. Opinion afterwards was divided over whether we deserved to win or not but all agreed we did not deserve to lose. Blackpool are a useful outfit and we did well to take the points. Blackpool's manager, Ian Holloway of course, took a dim view of Vardy's leap and took the 'we wuz robbed' line. In all honesty they were but Dyer and 18 000 City fans might beg to differ.
City: Scmeichel, St Ledger (Schlupp 63), Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Drinkwater, King, Marshall (Knockaert 68), Nugent, Vardy, Dyer (Beckford 77)
Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Eardly, Cathcart, Crainey, Gomes (M Phillips 57), Ferguson (K Phillips 71), Osbourne, Ince, Taylor-Fletcher, Dicko (Eccleston 66)
Referee; Michael Jones (Cheshire) Attendance: 18,655 (558 away)
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation