Post by tangerineted on Aug 14, 2011 19:40:36 GMT 1
Attendance: 12881
Man of the Match: Matthew Gilks
Blackpool kicked off their home campaign by seeing off Peterborough Utd to maintain their 100% start to life back in the Championship.
Ollie named an unchanged team from that which won at Hull on the opening day. Matt Phillips was on the bench following his return from international duty with England under 20s.
It also meant that nonw of the team who had played at Sheffield Wednesday in the Laague Cup were deemed worthy of a start in the league. Surprisingly there was no place even on the bench for Ludovic Sylvestre who impressed on Thursday and who Ollie stated he was going to build his team around this season.
Pool started brightly and had several early chances which left their fans scratching their heads wondering how the ball had not ended up in the back of the net. Eliot Grandin played in three excellent corners in quick succession, the last of which saw the ball cleared off the line with the keeper beaten.
The visitors were not there merely to make up the numbers and they created the best chance once they had seen off the early pressure from the seasiders. They found themselves one on one on two occasions but each time Gilks was off his line quickly to block and repel the danger.
The visitors had some dangerous corners of their own and Southern made a good header off the line. Gilks was also called into action to save smartly when a Peterborough player had a clear shot of goal from a tight angle.
Posh were dangerous going forwards but otherwise looked rather limited. You could not help but think that a Premier League team would have punished Pool for their defensive lapses.
Shortly before the interval Blackpool took the lead. Baptiste whipped in a superb cross onto the head of Kevin Phillips who made no mistake from 6 yards to open his Pool account.
There was still time before the break for Cathcart to pick up a yellow card for a foul on the edge of the box. The resulting free kick fizzed narrowly wide of Gilks' left hand post.
Posh started the second half on the front foot and forced a great save from Gilks but it was Blackpool who doubled their lead three minutes into the half.
Taylor-Fletcher broke forwards before releaseing Southern who drove forwards to the edge of the area before unleashing a shot that the keeper could only parry into the path of Kevn Phillips who gleefully added his and Pool's second.
For the next half hour Blackpool were very comfortable with their lead and it is glaringly obvious which team was in League 1 last season and which was in the Premier League.
Blackpool had chances to extend their lead. Ormerod failed to connect properly with a good cross and Phillips was denied when in pursuit of his hattrick. Firstly he attempted to round the keeper following lovely anticipation of a back pass and then his shot from the edge of the area was blocked after he had done superbly well to make space for himself.
Blackpool never seem to do things the easy way though and with ten minutes remaining they gifted Posh a way back into the match. Craig Cathcart played a shocking ball across his own penalty area straight to George Boyd who nipped in, rounded Gilks and fired into an empty net to set up nervous finale for Pool.
All three Pool substitutes were on by this point with Billy Clarke, Matty Phillips and Craig Sutherland joining the attack. Grandin was one of those taken off and Pool seemed to lack shape without him.
Blackpool just about hung on for the win but Peterborough had a couple of chances to equalise, the closest chance being a header that just went over the bar.
However, a win is a win and Blackpool will be very pleased to have opened with two victories and will be hoping to make it three when Derby visit on Wednesday night.
A couple of changes may be needed to the starting 11 with more pace needed and Ormerod perhaps would be better suited to being a late substitute and Sylvestre would add more creativity and endeavour to the midfield.
Man of the Match: Matthew Gilks
Blackpool kicked off their home campaign by seeing off Peterborough Utd to maintain their 100% start to life back in the Championship.
Ollie named an unchanged team from that which won at Hull on the opening day. Matt Phillips was on the bench following his return from international duty with England under 20s.
It also meant that nonw of the team who had played at Sheffield Wednesday in the Laague Cup were deemed worthy of a start in the league. Surprisingly there was no place even on the bench for Ludovic Sylvestre who impressed on Thursday and who Ollie stated he was going to build his team around this season.
Pool started brightly and had several early chances which left their fans scratching their heads wondering how the ball had not ended up in the back of the net. Eliot Grandin played in three excellent corners in quick succession, the last of which saw the ball cleared off the line with the keeper beaten.
The visitors were not there merely to make up the numbers and they created the best chance once they had seen off the early pressure from the seasiders. They found themselves one on one on two occasions but each time Gilks was off his line quickly to block and repel the danger.
The visitors had some dangerous corners of their own and Southern made a good header off the line. Gilks was also called into action to save smartly when a Peterborough player had a clear shot of goal from a tight angle.
Posh were dangerous going forwards but otherwise looked rather limited. You could not help but think that a Premier League team would have punished Pool for their defensive lapses.
Shortly before the interval Blackpool took the lead. Baptiste whipped in a superb cross onto the head of Kevin Phillips who made no mistake from 6 yards to open his Pool account.
There was still time before the break for Cathcart to pick up a yellow card for a foul on the edge of the box. The resulting free kick fizzed narrowly wide of Gilks' left hand post.
Posh started the second half on the front foot and forced a great save from Gilks but it was Blackpool who doubled their lead three minutes into the half.
Taylor-Fletcher broke forwards before releaseing Southern who drove forwards to the edge of the area before unleashing a shot that the keeper could only parry into the path of Kevn Phillips who gleefully added his and Pool's second.
For the next half hour Blackpool were very comfortable with their lead and it is glaringly obvious which team was in League 1 last season and which was in the Premier League.
Blackpool had chances to extend their lead. Ormerod failed to connect properly with a good cross and Phillips was denied when in pursuit of his hattrick. Firstly he attempted to round the keeper following lovely anticipation of a back pass and then his shot from the edge of the area was blocked after he had done superbly well to make space for himself.
Blackpool never seem to do things the easy way though and with ten minutes remaining they gifted Posh a way back into the match. Craig Cathcart played a shocking ball across his own penalty area straight to George Boyd who nipped in, rounded Gilks and fired into an empty net to set up nervous finale for Pool.
All three Pool substitutes were on by this point with Billy Clarke, Matty Phillips and Craig Sutherland joining the attack. Grandin was one of those taken off and Pool seemed to lack shape without him.
Blackpool just about hung on for the win but Peterborough had a couple of chances to equalise, the closest chance being a header that just went over the bar.
However, a win is a win and Blackpool will be very pleased to have opened with two victories and will be hoping to make it three when Derby visit on Wednesday night.
A couple of changes may be needed to the starting 11 with more pace needed and Ormerod perhaps would be better suited to being a late substitute and Sylvestre would add more creativity and endeavour to the midfield.