A mid-table team, an average atmosphere and a decent game made for a good outing for the Seasiders as it was an assured away performance that manifested into the eventual 3 points. Blackpool now sit just outside the playoffs and with one game still in hand on the majority, McPhillips will hope that they can surpass that playoff membrane and cement a position inside it.
As a side note; Owen Oyston was once again an absentee from the game so, whatever this may mean I don’t know, but hopefully it means something.
It took Blackpool a while to settle at Roots Hall, a small pitch with everyone in close proximity meant that Blackpool could adopt their normal passing style and went a little more direct. An early penalty shout seemed to rattle the cage, but Blackpool got going five minutes in.
In the sixth minute Dodoo did well to manufacture a cross to the back post, but Gnanduillet would fail to finish at the the move. But for all this improvement from the Seasiders, Blackpool would almost go one goal down. A mistake at the back from Howard gave Kightly the confidence to try and lob him and, with the recently returning goalkeeper rooted to the spot, the ball bounced back off the inside of the post and out… just.
But, for a scrappy game, there was a whole host of goalmouth action, with both sides having been in positions to take the lead. The breakthrough did finally come though courtesy of Ollie Turton. Joe Dodoo did well to work some space for Bola who, just 14 minutes in, would deliver the perfect cross to the versatile midfielder who would prod home and send the two-hundred or so Blackpool fans into jubilation.
Despite a slight resurgence from Southend, Blackpool would continue their control on the game. In the twenty-first minute Dodoo would have a shot from distance, but it would drift wide. But Southend were playing some good stuff and found themselves squandering another opportunity just moments later. Bunn would swing in a great cross to Cox, but the striker could only glance wide a fantastic opening.
For what was a good opening twenty-two minutes, things seemed to quieten up until half time. Any opening was quickly charged down with the best chance falling to Southend when Kightly bent an effort narrowly wide just before half time.
So Blackpool had the advantage going into the break, maybe fortunately, but they had done well to silence the Shrimpers following taking the lead.
The second half was much more volatile on many levels. Instantly Blackpool were on the front foot as Bola won a corner. The biggest lingering chance came fiftey-one minutes in as Jay Spearing rattled the bar when the ball fell to him on the edge of the area. Not only did he hit the bar, but the underside of the bar, as the ball fell only just the wrong side of the line.
Blackpool toiled and tried everything to get a game killing second, but it just wouldn’t come. They even went route one sixtey-one minutes in, as Howard found Gnanduillet who only had to hit the target, but his mishit went wide of the mark.
Southend sensed there was a way back into the game and so did the fans as they were awoken when Howard tipped over a Hendrie shot in the sixtey-sixth minute. This encouragement would soon become celebration as the Blues would indeed equalise. The right back, Demetriou, snuck into a pack of Blackpool defenders and headed home an expert Dieng cross in the seventy-fourth minute.
But Blackpool are no slouches when it comes to crunch time and it was no different this time around as Harry Pritchard picked up the pieces to deliver a perfect cross for Armand Gnanduillet to nod home. A goal that not only showed what Blackpool are all about but sent Blackpool to seventh in the table. Things were set to get even better for the Seasiders as the Blues would be reduced to ten men. A stamp by Turner on the matchwinner saw a red mist descend and he was rightly dismissed. Even Blackpool couldn’t chuck this away and the three points would be heading back to Blackpool.
So Blackpool jump to 7th and who can argue. It seemed Blackpool were condemned to a miserable season with the departure of Gary Bowyer, but McPhillips has performed miracles and is turning this into a season to remember. Still a long way to go this year, but the Pool are really building something here, but until the Oystons leave it is destined to be dismantled as soon as it is put together. For the moment though, things are looking up and the playoffs remain a target worth working for.
UTP
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