Scorers: Blackpool - Bola (84'), Tilt (90'+2) Plymouth - Ladapo (4'), Edwards (73')
H.T: 0-1
K.O: 3.00 Saturday 30/03/2019
Attendance: 8,343
Referee: Seb Stockbridge
Plymouth manager: Derek Adams
Stadium: Bloomfield Road
Teams:
Blackpool: Mafoumbi, Nottingham, Heneghan, Tilt, Bola, Spearing, Virtue (Pritchard), Evans (Kirby), Delfouneso (Long), Feeney, Gnanduillet
Subs: Boney, Anderton, Taylor, Dodoo
Plymouth: Macey, Riley (Threlkeld), Sawyer, Edwards, Ness, Fox, Canavan, Sarcevic (Songo'o), Carey, Lameiras, Ladapo (Taylor)
Subs: Letheren, Anderson, Jones, Smith-Brown
Match Events:
It would be fair to say Blackpool failed to maintain that momentum from Bradford. Almost instantly Plymouth took the lead with Lameiras weaving his way through on the right before drilling low cross towards Lapodo. The striker simply got the most mere of touches on the ball, passing into the bottom corner and sending Plymouth into an all too simplistic lead.
It would be the start of a frustrating 45 minutes for Blackpool who lacked energy and concentration at times. In the 15th minute for example a threatening run resulted in a freekick, but Evans could do no more than beat the first man with the set piece. Evans, who seemed the most committed, lacked the final product and when the ball fortunately bounced through to him on 21 minutes, he could only strike into the keeper's arms.
To give some credit to Blackpool though, much of the play was in their attacking half, it just was not translating to explicit chances. In the 22nd minute Evans would be the central figure again as his backpedaling header lacked power.
Plymouth always looked dangerous on the counter though and looked much more confident in the final third. In the 26th minute Carey was given both time and space only to drag a left footed effort wide of the mark.
Plymouth, having got themselves in front were really limiting Blackpool, but even when Nottingham's reverse ball gave Virtue time to pick his spot, Macey was still equal to it.
The football on show was not at the level required and Blackpool were left with it all to do going into the second half.
2nd half:
The second half appeared to be heading in the same direction as the first. Sarcevic almost found the bottom after picking up a Spearing pass, but this failed to dent the Blackpool support. It really was not the best match to watch from a Blackpool perspective though. Whilst Plymouth were trying to get the ball down and play, Blackpool were consistently resorting to long punts up the field.
Just as Blackpool looked to change this though through a double substitution, they were pegged back yet further. In the 73rd minute Edwards powered home a header, a goal that seemed to leave the Seasiders dead and buried. The prospect of a Blackpool comeback really did look improbable.
Blackpool would begin their push though and almost found a path back into the match. In the 78th minute Gnanduilet chested into the path of Virtue, but the midfielder could only crash an effort wide of the target. Graham Carey would almost send the match beyond any doubt 10 minutes from full time, smashing a freekick against the post and wrong footing Mafoumbi.
Blackpool would begin their comeback out of nothing. A half clearance by Plymouth would fall to Marc Bola who struck with his less favoured right foot. With the keeper rooted to the spot the ball flew into the bottom corner and suddenly, with just 7 minutes left, it was game on.
Blackpool continued to churn the ball up field and the game still looked out of reach. That was until Curtis Tilt did the unthinkable. Into the added 5 minutes the centre back seized the moment and smashed an overhead kick into the far corner. It was completely unprecedented and it mirrored the homecoming.
Blackpool had just one point, but it was a hard earned battling point.
Player Ratings:
Mafoumbi 6 - No real saves of note, but could do little about the goals.
Nottingham 6 - Was guilty of a few mistakes, but is defiantly improving.
Heneghan 8 - Another great performance in what is becoming a trademark from him.
Tilt 8 (Star Man) - Put in a similar performance to Heneghand, but that goal at the end clinched it.
Bola 7 - Also got a brilliant goal, but was not quite up to his usual standards.
Spearing 4 - Usually so reliable, but was just not on it today for whatever reason.
Virtue 7 - Another solid performance from this man, as he continues to keep hold of possession expertly.
Pritchard 5 - Did very little when he came on.
Evans 4 - His confidence is admirable, but he needs to stick to the basics. Dispossessed too often unlike...
Kirby 7 - It is beyond me why this man is not starting. He is head and shoulders above the likes of Evans.
Delfouneso 6 - Another one of those games where he drifted in and out.
Long 6 - Had little time to make an impact, but was okay.
Feeney 6 - Well below his recent standards, but the long ball tactics failed t suit his style.
Gnanduillet 5 - Having been so good at Bradford today he just got increasingly frustrated.
UTMP