Blackpool 1 City 2
After a battling display at the Walkers the previous week against the table-topping Geordies, the City fans traveled up North to the Seaside in Lancashire, hoping for the team’s first League win of the New Year and to get back on to winning ways. Also, do the double over the Foxes previous Manager, Ian Holloway, who is doing a good job at the Seasiders on limited resources and crowds and are above us in the table.
Sunshine on the Motorway near Preston, but as we got nearer the seaside, the mist and gloom descended with the old Tower shrouded in fog at the top. Looks like a nice ground from the adjacent car park with a new stand evident, then looking at our tickets – Unreserved Uncovered Seating! Phew, no rain or snow.
Into the ground and food from a kiosk, but at least the hot drinks were far cheaper than at home! Their new “Armfield” stand behind a goal is almost finished with its’ orange seats, but the City fans filed in and yet again filled the temporary stand that ran the whole length of the pitch. Standing at the rear seemingly allowed which made a change and kept the feet warm…..
The pitch looked like Victoria Park after a foot of snow had melted and was sure to cut up further after the pre-match warm up. One area in the corner looked particularly bad so full concentration required when passing along the grass, sorry mud.
Suspended Richie Wellens made way for Danny N’Guessan with Paul Gallagher starting in the centre of mid-field, Martin Waghorn and goal seeking Matty Fryatt up front. New signing Alex Bruce was on the bench with another new face Aman Verma alongside.
Kicking towards the Blackpool “Kop”, the Foxes started well with N’Guessan forcing an early corner. Then quick thinking by Matt Oakley with a throw in over Crainey put Fryatt away and as he cut in at a narrow angle on goal, his close range shot was saved low by Blackpool’s Keeper Matt Gilks.
After 9 minutes, the impressive Stephen Dobbie cut in on the right and his 20 yard drive from an angle bought an excellent tip on to the City’s cross bar by Chris Weale for the first of many memorable saves. Warning signs were there.
Blackpool’s little winger Bannan, looking more like an Under 14 player, started to give Morrison some problems and twice his crosses into the box had to be dealt with by Wayne Brown. It was now end to end as Waghorn seemed to be struggling to get into the game, but after 15 minutes he did with an angled pass over the Blackpool defenders to find N’Guessan who ran on to beat the advancing Gilks with an angled shot that found the far corner of the net.
The City fans were ecstatic and N’Guessan was now Weale’s target for all of his kicks and he was doing well in the air and causing the Blackpool’s defence a few problems. Blackpool move the ball around well and King and Oakley were having a difficult time against Adam and Dobbie, with Adam testing Weale with a fierce shot.
The Foxes nearly increased their lead when Andy King shot from the edge of the box, but as the City Fans raised their arms, Gilks made another fine save. From the resulting corner, a Berner header from 2 yards was blocked and as Fryatt tried to slot the rebound home, the effort was scrambled wide of the post.
As the game swung from end to end, Weale had to save well again from Keith Southern and the home side were trying everything to obtain the equaliser and they exerted a lot of pressure on the City goal. The tall, physical Burgess came on for Bannan on 43 minutes but half-time came with the lead intact. So far, a good game on a difficult pitch.
The Foxes restarted the second half the more strongly and N’Guessan was proving a real handful especially for full-back Eardley, and a fine run down the left found Fryatt who headed over when well placed.
The scoreboard should have read 0-2 as another run by N’Guessan found Waghorn on his own, 6 yards out with only the keeper to beat, but somehow he managed to let Gilks save and clear. Would it prove costly?
Blackpool kept attacking and Brown and Hobbs had to clear several balls floated into the box aimed for Burgess. Gallagher showed some good touches as both mid-fields were trying their hardest to impress. Both Dobbie and Adam had shots saved by Weale who was having one of his best games for the City.
Lloyd Dyer replaced Waghorn after 58 minutes as we guessed Pearson was going for even more pace upfront with Fryatt, Dyer and N’Guessan out-pacing the Blackpool defenders. Then after 76 minutes, City increased their lead when Gallagher received the ball just outside the City box. As he ran forward, he found Fryatt on the right who zoomed in on the Blackpool box. Fryatt, for once, looked up and found Dyer in the box and he fired home into the roof of the net. A great goal on the break.
City were now on top and several attacks on the break caused the home side to defend desparately at times. N’Guessan found Dyer but his header was caught under the bar by Gilks. Howard came on for Gallagher with 5 minutes to go as the home side went all out for a goal to reduce the arrears.
Blackpool did pull a goal back after 89 minutes when Dobbie received the ball 20 yards out, he turned and his low shot found the finger tips of a full length Weale dive but the ball ran on into the corner of the net. The home fans went wild and urged their side on for the equaliser.
The Referee gave 5 minutes of added time, probably to punish the Foxes over the long time it took them to take throw-ins and corners. Then drama. As Adam received the ball on the City right, he ran into the penalty area chased by N’Guessan, who pulled Adam’s shoulder, and as Adam went down like a sack of spuds, the referee waved his arms and as the ball went out, walked over to Adam and showed him his 10th Yellow Card of the season (2 game ban).
The home crowd went wild and the chant of “You don’t know what you’re doing” rung around the ground. Phew, relief for the City fans. Pearson removed N’Guessan from the action with Bruce making his debut. Blackpool went all out for another goal but finally the whistle blew and the chants from the home crowd started again, referee Haines not being invited for an after match drink in the home bar!
The 3 points were in the bag and City move back into the top 6 with games in hand, and if the next 2 games at home to Doncaster and Scunthorpe bring victories, the play-offs will surely be made. But don’t count on it.
A good open game that swung from end to end and it could have been 5-4 either way if it wasn’t for the saves of Keepers Gilks and Weale. If it wasn’t for the City faithful, the crowd may have struggled to get to 6,000 although it did look a lot more.
City: Weale, Morrison, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, Oakley, King, Gallagher, N’Guessan, Waghorn, Fryatt. Subs: Dyer (for Waghorn), Howard (for Gallagher), Bruce (for N’Guessan), Logan, McGivern, Neilson, Verma.
Blackpool: Gilks, Craney, Eardley, Southern, Evatt, Vaughn, Taylor-Fletcher, Baptiste, Dobbie, Adam, Bannan. Subs: Rachubka, Burgess (for Bannan), Euell, Edwards, Demontagnac (for Evatt), Husband, Butler.
Crowd: 8,484 Referee: A. Haines
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