Pool 2 – 3 Manchester City

Posted on October 17, 2010
Filed Under Blackpool FC, Charlie Adam, Craig Cathcart, DJ Campbell, Elliot Grandin, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Ian Evatt, Luke Varney, Marlon Harewood, Matt Gilks | 4 Comments

To have an overriding feeling of disappointment after a 3-2 defeat to Manchester City shows us how far we’ve come and the quality of today’s performance. There’s also an overriding feeling of pride for the team and the club again for matching up to a team that cost over 100 times more and get paid many thousands more. It shows that money isn’t everything.

In the end as one City fan on the train home put it “Silva was the diference…”, which promoted the reply from myself, “yes and the other £300 million pounds worth of players”. That bit of class and ability to get efforts on target proved the difference.

The starting 11 was the same as the Liverpool match with Cathcart and Gilks recovering from knocks. We started really well in the first half but City had the real 1st chance when Gilks tipped a Johnson shot over the top. After that it was a case of us trying and then failing to hit the target with Varney, Adam and Campbell all having great chances test out Hart, who had a great reception on his return.

We carried on in the second period as we had started and could…should…maybe had a goal from Gary Taylor-Fletcher but for a flag happy lino. Watching a couple of times more, it looked like the lino was keeping his flag down until Grandin reached for the ball. That should have been irrelevant as DJ Campbell should had hit the back of the net 1 on 1 with Joe Hart.

Tevez who had been quiet all first half then popped up to flick the opening goal, I’m sure standing a yard off side helped him to get infront of Cathcart. Marlon grabbed the equaliser from a cracking ball in from Charlie Adam, a deserved goal.

Glad All Over had just finished and then Tevez grabbed his second, once again Ian Evatt being fouled / knocked off the ball to loose possession. Thats happened a few too many times now, Fulham’s first goal was the same when he was bundled over in the run up to the goal.

Silva grabbed a great third jinking past two of our defenders and slotted into the far corner giving Gilks no chance, no complaints. Our second made the score reflective of the performance and good to see another goal for Fletch, and assit for Varney.

The initial disappointment tonight should turn to pride over the coming days, we once again impressed and surly won over the neutrals watching on Sky. Hopefully we’ll get some more points on the board next week at Birmingham so we don’t have to look over our shoulders for another week!

Liverpool 1 – 2 Blackpool FT

Posted on October 3, 2010
Filed Under Blackpool FC, Charlie Adam, Craig Cathcart, DJ Campbell, Elliot Grandin, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Luke Varney, Matt Gilks | 6 Comments

Wow, we managed to hang on in the second half and take all three points in an amazing afternoon of football at Anfield beating Liverpool 2-1. Yes we beat Liverpool 2-1!!!

Back to a strong line up with Campbell, Varney and GTF upfront, we were set out from the start to attack. The first half we had loads of possession and deserved the two goal lead.

Once again Varney cutting in from the flank won the pen, similar to the Newcastle game, same outcome from the spot from Charlie.

The second was a great breakaway goal with Varney hitting the back of the net. Let’s hope we have a pre agreed fee for him!

Second half Liverpool were always going to come at us, it was a puzzling decision for the foul and disappointing we let them take the kick quickly from which the grabbed one back.

After that the home side huffed and puffed but didn’t really test Gilks too much, bar one effort in injury time. Cole and Ngog ahold have scored with efforts they both put wide.

We even nearly managed to grab a third on the break. Phillips did well at rightback, as did Keinen. However withs Baps injured and now injuries to Cathcart and Eardley it’s not looking good for our next match.

Once again Mike Jones was appalling as the man in Black. Gerrard, Meireles should have been booked with Kyrgiakos seeing red for a second booking.

Overall a really great day out, great performance and another big step towered survival.

edit : Seasiders podcast about the Liverpool game is live.

Newcastle United 0 – 2 Blackpool

Posted on September 12, 2010
Filed Under Blackpool FC, Charlie Adam, DJ Campbell, Luke Varney | 1 Comment

Whats a result, what a performance, what a day, what a game, what a season this is turning out to be. There’s no doubt today we weathered the storm and thanks to a man of the match performance from Matthew Gilks managed to keep ourselves in the match. But in truth for all the possession and chances Newcastle had they didn’t look like grabbing a goal.

We should have been 1 up earlier on when DJ missed a one-on-one, something that happend last year when we went to lose 4-1. The goal was deserved from a great move from the loanee Varney drawing the foul from Smith.

After 20 mins in the second half it was clear to see that with Newcastle coming forward we would have chances on the break. We took our time but DJ took his chance with a awesome finish!

It was great to see both goals celebrated with a reference to Gary Parkinson who’s currently in hospital after a stroke, hopefully this result will do something to aid is recovery!

So seven points in the bag, 4th in the league, and another huge step today to survival!

Blackpool 2 – 2 Fulham

Posted on August 28, 2010
Filed Under Luke Varney | 3 Comments

We nearly nearly had them today in what was a great return to top flight football at Bloomfield Road. What a day it was with a great atmosphere and some great football too. It’s astonishing that we technically started with 4 strikers today, Omerod, Grandin, Taylor-Fletch and Varney. Thats the way to play football, today West Ham went to Manchester United with one up front and Blackburn tried to pack the midfield at home to Arsenal, boring stuff and not effective, both lost.

Fulham’s first goal was very lucky, it looked like a tug on Evatt in the build up and offside, after that it looked like every decision was going against us but as ever we carried on, deserved to get level and then take the lead. Overall Mike Oliver had a bit of a mare along with his lino on the East stand.

Luke Varney played well considering he only joined on Friday, yet another reject from another club coming good for the Pool. Hopefully with another few games under his belt he’ll knock a few more in.

David Vaughan was superb today, MOTM for me. He’s had no problems making that step up, with Southern coming back soon (he warmed up on the pitch before the game) it should allow Vaughan to get a little further forward in the coming matches.

So a little break now for the internationals, we’ve a friendly in Latvia and then up to Newcastle who earned a credible draw at Wolves today. After last years performance at Newcastle I’m hope we decide to turn up, last years 4-1 drubbing was a real disappointment.

Three games in, 4 points on the table, 10th the table, three entertaining games of football. Good times!!!

Edit : Listen to the Click Blackpool Podcast on the Fulham match