Blackpool's second half capitulation and an inspired performance from Clark Robertson leaves Blackpool teetering on the edge of the playoffs, as the struggle for form drags on for the Seasiders.
Both sides were really asserting themselves early on, but were organised defensively. This resulted in a lively start that failed to produce many clear openings at a sun-drenched Bloomfield Road. The closest either side got was when Gnanduillet was released down the middle, but good defending pushed him wide as he failed to get a shot off quick enough.
It was clearly a tight exchange, but Virtue would almost give Pool the lead when the ball broke for him and his low left footed effort was turned around the post by Iversen’s fingertips. Blackpool looked energised by this opening and really ought to have taken the lead with what followed. In the 21st minute Iverson once again got a hand to a powerful drive, this time from Scannell, and when Blackpool kept the chance alive, Virtue hit the bar from close range. Blackpool were looking creative, but they just could not find that final touch of class.
Blackpool would go in at half time clearly the better side, but they could have easily found themselves behind. In the dying moments of the half Iheikwe’s glanced header almost dropped into the corner. Fortunately however, his effort only clipped the top of the bar with Alnwick rooted to the spot.
Blackpool predictably, having had such control in the first half, conceded early in to the second. It took Rotherham just 6 minutes to find this breakthrough and it was from a set piece. Clark Robertson headed the ball back across the goal after some poor marking from Husband, and the ball would be bundled over the line by Michael Smith, in a calamitous start. Rotherham had the lead and Blackpool, who have been struggling for goals recently, had a tough challenge to overcome.
They initially responded in ideal fashion, winning a number of corners before Husband drilled wide on 54 minutes from distance. An injury would slow things down though and the match would lose much of its life, especially from a Blackpool perspective. The half would from this point was a collection of injuries, time wasting tactics and poor decision making by Blackpool.
Blackpool could have maybe equalised on 75 minutes when Gnanduillet laid off to Virtue, but his blocked shot was the best fight Blackpool could conjure, as they looked completely buried when they went two down.
In the 87th minute Clark Roberson completed a superb personal performance by slamming into the corner and confirming the three points for Rotherham. It left Alnwick no chance and sent Blackpool fans flooding out of the ground, and who could blame them?
Blackpool were figured out over the course of the match with their rigid tactics and inability to have the spark or quality to find a breakthrough. They were rightly punished by a ruthless Rotherham, despite finding a late consolation from the penalty spot through Gnanduillet.
When Spearing went off Blackpool’s midfield looked exposed and tired beyond belief, and the solitary Gnanduillet up front is not going to work with the current formation. Perhaps Blackpool’s defence can be criticised, with it appearing frantic at times, but this is virtually the same defence that was simply brilliant last year. Perhaps then, more than anything else, it is Grayson’s tactics that are limiting Blackpool, which allows sides to stay in games before taking it by the scruff of the neck. Rotherham were and are not the best side in League One, but they had a game plan today, and Blackpool allowed them to execute it to perfection.
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