The lineups
Blackpool lined up as follows:
XI: Howard, Nottingham, Turton, O'Connor, Heneghan, Bunney, Spearing, Taylor, Pritchard, Dodoo, Delfouneso
Subs: Mafoumbi, Bola, Thomspon, O'Sullivan, Sinclair-Smith, Cullen, Gnanduillet
Possibly the most noticeable thing here was the absence of Curtis Tilt who, despite traveling with the squad, had not been picked. This doubtlessly is due to his current involvements with Ipswich Town Football Club and the fact that his mind is elsewhere from the matter in hand. Apart from a slightly shaky looking defence, the team appeared to be quite strong. Ryan and McLaughlin were both missing due to injury and both Gnanduillet and Cullen we’re both benched with Cullen’s recent injury scare. With 8 debutants in the side this match would certainly prove interesting and give plenty of food for thought for the coming season.
Wycombe lined up as follows:
Wycombe: Allsop, Harriman, Jacobson, Stewart, El-Abd, Bean, Saunders, Bloomfield, Cowan-Hall, Williams, Akinfenwa
Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Jombati, Mackail-Smith, Thompson, Freeman
As predicted Allsop, who recently signed a 3 year deal with the club, started in goal, making his first appearance against the Seasiders since his departure. With only 5 substitutes it was true to say that Wycombe were a little thin on the ground but a team with the like of Akinfenwa are always likely to pack a punch. Pool had to be ready for a difficult test.
The game:
The hype, the anticipation and the expectations of a new football season were finally over today as Blackpool faced newly promoted Wycombe at Adams Park. It was a game that would ultimately lead to no goals but, as is often the case, we were not short of excitement on this 32 degree Summer afternoon.
It was infact Wycombe who dominated the early proceedings and who were to display just why they found their way out of League Two last year. Their route one playing style was on show right from the off and it worked well with the new defensive pairing of Heneghan and O’Connor seemingly passive and tentative going about their defensive duties. A long ball from Alsop was flicked on in the 2nd minute and an excellent chance presented itself early on for Cowan-Hall who fired his shot straight at Howard, who impressed on his return to Blackpool. But it wasn't Cowan-Hall who was to be the real danger man of the day, that title instead fell to Akinfenwa who was a commanding presence in the Blackpool area.
Despite Blackpool seemingly having found their feet with 10 minutes gone, the big striker was there to pin Blackpool back. Akinfenwa found a pocket of space between two Blackpool defenders, but his header was not a powerful one and trickled wide of Howard's goal. These were further warning signs for Blackpool who were to remain on the back foot for much of the first half. So when a similar chance fell to Akinfenwa 10 minutes later it was heart in mouth stuff for Pool fans. A searching freekick cross found the big striker who this time headed into the side netting, much to the relief of the 459 in the Blackpool end once more. Akinfenwa would continue to look sharp in this game as he was put through one on one with Blackpool keeper Howard as the best chance of the game so far presented itself. In the 26th minute Akinfenwa would fail to finish this chance as Howard managed to outstretch a leg and push the ball around the post.
For all this Wycombe pressure it was Blackpool who would finish the first half in the most convincing style. First, in the 30th minute, Delfouneso charged down the left and delivered a cross into Joe Dodoo who was inches away from contact but, instead, Allsop collected with relative ease. Even a freekick in the 37th minute that was headed down by Stewart and fired over by Randell-Williams couldn't stop Pool's momentum as Dodoo set off on effective run and won a freekick on 40 minutes. And what a freekick it would prove to be, as Taylor stepped up and struck it perfectly only to see it bounced back off the post with Allsop rooted to the spot. But, despite the relentless pressure from Blackpool, they couldn't make it count and would go in at the break 0-0.
Although the Seasiders finished strongly in the first half or was clear something wasn’t quite right in that Blackpool set up so Bowyer was well within his rights too make a change; subbing Nottingham for O'Sullivan.
But it was Akinfenwa who would instantly begin to cause problems again for Blackpool as he proved too strong for the defence and made space 3 yards out; but for all his good work he squandered the golden opportunity and headed over in the 48th minute.
The game was now much more open with Blackpool looking more promising going forward. In the 52nd minute Delfouneso broke forward in the counter and picked out Pritchard with a cross but his miss-kick didn't threaten the goal and again the chance dissipated. Blackpool would continue with the pressure as 2 minutes later a failed freekick would fall to Taylor who saw his speculative strike go straight at Allsop in the Wycombe goal. But you couldn't write Wycombe out of the match just yet, as proved by a O'Connor headed clearance falling to right back Harriman who struck it brilliantly first time; but that unbelievable strike was matched by an astounding save from Howard.
The final two changes from Blackpool saw Thompson and Gnanduillet introduced with Taylor and Dodoo coming off. But it was Pritchard who would begin to cause problems for Wycombe. First in the 73rd minute he delivered a scathing cross which required good defensive work and then he had a stroke from the edge of the box, but only found Allsop equal to the central strike.
But Wycombe would still not fade out of the game as Akinfenwa headed another one wide in the 78th minute and then Howard tipped an awkward cross over the bar.
Blackpool would also finish in a strong way and were aided by a strange refereeing decision. Harriman was adjudged to be leading with his elbow and was presented with a second yellow. It could have been a game turner as in the 93rd minute O’Sullivan struck it from close range but a fantastic block denied him a brilliant last minute winner in his debut.
Blackpool can kick on now and this result will give them confidence. Without a doubt improvements must be made as this wasn’t the performance Bowyer would have wanted but it is a result nevertheless. I think Cullen needs to be given a run out alongside Gnanduillet to provide a little and big partnership that could provide more goals but nevertheless, the foundations are there and they just need to be built on now.
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