H.T: 2-1
K.O: 3.00 Saturday 27th Octoberr 2018
Referee: John Brooks
Fleetwood Manager: Joey Barton
Stadium: Highbury
Form: DLL-DWW
Well, this day was always going to come, wasn’t it? Years of Tangerine domination have led to this moment, Pool even won once without a single shot on target back in the McDonald era, and all this time both owners contrasted one another dramatically. It certainly has played on the minds of Fleetwood fan a plenty and this will be a huge relief for all of them.
The first 20 minutes were an absolute nightmare for Blackpool as they were quickly shot down by heavy artillery, but before all that there was a chance that Blackpool would squander. Ben Heneghan should have finished off a dangerous Spearing freekick when Tilt headed into his path but, as with much of the day, it was destined to fail as Heneghan could not quite do enough.
How pivotal that would prove to be as suddenly Fleetwood found themselves one up out of nowhere. Wesley Burns worked a little bit of space and hit it from distance and the ball would skid on the surface and smash into the back of the net, out of Howard’s reach. A great start for Town and the confidence boosting injection they needed.
But this wouldn’t be it just yet as things would quite literally go from bad to worse. Ross Wallace would, similarly to Burns, pull something really special out of the bag as he would strike into the bottom corner from distance. It was completely unprecedented as Fleetwood were presented with a 2 goal head start, and that is something absolutely no one could have predicted.
But all truth be told, Blackpool were not good enough. For sure, their performance didn’t merit the score line, but it was poor. In the 17th minute, whilst they still recovered from the shock of conceding 2, the ball once again broke kindly for Burns, this time it would be saved down low by Howard’s legs.
Blackpool had been completely mauled and were almost down and out, but this is a Blackpool side with such belief and commitment to the cause. In the 35th minute this commitment would be translated into a goal as a well worked team move led to Delfouneso crossing to a grateful Thompson who would clip into the roof of the net. A lifeline, and one that was needed if Blackpool were to get back into this one.
But Fleetwood were always a threat on the counter and this proved in the 42nd minute when Hunter found Holt who shot narrowly wide. Blackpool were really vulnerable and, despite having the majority of the play, could have easily conceded another. The deficit would remain at one going into the break though.
Blackpool had the possession, but Fleetwood were better going forward in the second half. In the 47th minute a quality Hunter cross eluded everyone and then in the 56th minute Eastham would head over a corner. Their attacking superiority was proven though when Madden would scream a strike into the top corner after a Hunter pull back.
But, as proven so many times before, Blackpool have belief amongst the squad and Nathan Delfouneso would provide a pathway back into the match once more. A long ball would find its way through to the striker and he would make no mistake, slotting into the bottom corner.
This time though Blackpool would keep going as Bola would be at the centre of the action. First, he would deliver a cross that would just drift by Gnanduillet and then he would fire over after a freekick was played into the path of the left back.
But for all their momentum this would dissipate after Blackpool’s double substitution as Delfouneso and Guy left the action in the 73rd minute. Blackpool’s frustration in the final minutes was displayed through Gnanduillet who tried to forcefully pick up a Fleetwood player following a foul. His red card doesn’t only show pure stupidity, although it was a little harsh, it also means that he misses what would have been the biggest game of his professional life against The Arsenal.
It is a great shame the match had to end like it did, but the question is will this encourage or discourage the Seasiders for Arsenal? It is a reality check and brings Blackpool down to earth for sure, but will it be to hard of a hit to recover from. That result against Arsenal becomes even harder to predict now, but hopefully it can be a night to remember rather than one to forget.
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