The day started off brilliantly, went to the pub for a couple of pints before getting on the coach, the weather was pleasant and warm, lovely.
Gets into Lancashire, the skies got darker and darker and suddenly the heavens opened. Rain?! RAIN?! It POURED it down for a good half an hour, however when we pulled off just outside Blackpool for (another) couple of pints (or more), the rain stopped and revealed nice blue skies.
I should have known it wasn't going to be a good day when I attempted to dry my hands under the condom machine, and a couple of old ladies walked in, it was then, and only then, I realised why my hands weren't drying....I did wonder why they weren't, I bet they thought, christ its not even half 5, she must be on a promise!!
Anyway, we left there and got to the ground in good time.
Blackpool is not a ground I look forward to visiting, it is a flat pack plastic ground with little atmosphere and the away end is shocking for the money. It does say on the ticket, ' restricted view' but you still pay £25 for the pleasure. You have to literally stand on your tiptoes and bob about to see the far end of the pitch.
We knew before the game kicked off, this was going to be a really big test for us, bigger than Wolves and it was.
As assumed, Paul Green could not play due to his knee injury so Tom Lees was back in the starting 11 and Peltier moved to Left Back.
The first 10 minutes of the game were tit for tat really with both teams having chances at opening the scoring, the first real chance came from Ross McCormack who shot wide inside the first 5 minutes.
Tiago Gomes had plenty of chances to score just before the quarter of an hour mark but Paddy Kenny came to the rescue to keep the score 0 - 0.
The first goal was scored when Ross McCormack swung in a lovely ball and Tom Lees was there to head it in on the 17th minute.
The pressure was then all on us as Blackpool stepped it up a gear and we found it difficult to step up with them in order to keep them at bay.
Paddy Kenny was pulling off some first class saves though as Blackpool kept on pushing to equalise.
With 41 minutes on the clock, Blackpool's man of the moment, Thomas Ince had a shot but it went just wide, it felt like a goal was coming, it was just a matter of when.
Ince had another shot at goal just before half time which went over the bar and as the half time whistle went, there was a sense of pride and also relief that we had dealt with the pressure so far. We could tell the game was far from over.
Straight away, Blackpool came out, all cylinders firing and Ince had two shots on goal in the first five minutes of the second half, one off target and one that was blocked.
Though the game was getting tougher by the minute, I was trying to be positive and thought, if we played like we did on Saturday for the whole game, we might just be Okay.
Sadly my optimism didn't last long.
On the 49th minute, Ross McCormack had a shot on goal, but it was just off target.
Thomas Ince was unstoppable now and with confidence for Blackpool growing by the minute, he tried his luck to get the first for Blackpool on the 52nd minute, but again, it was just too high.
El-Hadji Diouf came on for Ross McCormack on the 58th minute.
The next 10 minutes or so were a bit of a power struggle, we had the better of the shots but Blackpool were the better and stronger team. David Norris and Luciano Becchio both trying to get the 2nd goal that we so desperately needed.
Blackpool then took control of the game entirely and finally, on the 75th minute subsitute Nouha Dicko scored the first goal for The Tangerines.
The second goal for Blackpool came with 80 minutes played by Matt Phillips.
By the time the game began to draw to a close, there was only ever going to be one winner as Blackpool kept coming at us and exploiting our weaknesses and in the final minutes we were very lucky it wasn't 3 - 1 due to last minute shots by Ludovic Sylvestre and Matt Phillips respectivley.
But, after 4 minutes of added time, Blackpool had stolen all three points and they deserved them too!!
They were a damn good team, and if they can keep hold of their players, they are going to be a real force in this league. Thomas Ince looking like the danger man in a team full of great players.
Sadly it wasn't to be for us. I was in possibly the worst mood ever coming out of the ground, but that was plainly because I was so frustrated that two late goals had killed us off. If both teams had played like they did in the first half we'd have probably left with at least a point!! You don't win games with if's and but's however and we have to now leave that behind and get our heads up, straight on to the next game.
Another away match on Saturday, this time, Peterborough!!
MOT xx <3 xx
Anyway, we left there and got to the ground in good time.
Blackpool is not a ground I look forward to visiting, it is a flat pack plastic ground with little atmosphere and the away end is shocking for the money. It does say on the ticket, ' restricted view' but you still pay £25 for the pleasure. You have to literally stand on your tiptoes and bob about to see the far end of the pitch.
We knew before the game kicked off, this was going to be a really big test for us, bigger than Wolves and it was.
As assumed, Paul Green could not play due to his knee injury so Tom Lees was back in the starting 11 and Peltier moved to Left Back.
The first 10 minutes of the game were tit for tat really with both teams having chances at opening the scoring, the first real chance came from Ross McCormack who shot wide inside the first 5 minutes.
Tiago Gomes had plenty of chances to score just before the quarter of an hour mark but Paddy Kenny came to the rescue to keep the score 0 - 0.
The first goal was scored when Ross McCormack swung in a lovely ball and Tom Lees was there to head it in on the 17th minute.
The pressure was then all on us as Blackpool stepped it up a gear and we found it difficult to step up with them in order to keep them at bay.
Paddy Kenny was pulling off some first class saves though as Blackpool kept on pushing to equalise.
With 41 minutes on the clock, Blackpool's man of the moment, Thomas Ince had a shot but it went just wide, it felt like a goal was coming, it was just a matter of when.
Ince had another shot at goal just before half time which went over the bar and as the half time whistle went, there was a sense of pride and also relief that we had dealt with the pressure so far. We could tell the game was far from over.
Straight away, Blackpool came out, all cylinders firing and Ince had two shots on goal in the first five minutes of the second half, one off target and one that was blocked.
Though the game was getting tougher by the minute, I was trying to be positive and thought, if we played like we did on Saturday for the whole game, we might just be Okay.
Sadly my optimism didn't last long.
On the 49th minute, Ross McCormack had a shot on goal, but it was just off target.
Thomas Ince was unstoppable now and with confidence for Blackpool growing by the minute, he tried his luck to get the first for Blackpool on the 52nd minute, but again, it was just too high.
El-Hadji Diouf came on for Ross McCormack on the 58th minute.
The next 10 minutes or so were a bit of a power struggle, we had the better of the shots but Blackpool were the better and stronger team. David Norris and Luciano Becchio both trying to get the 2nd goal that we so desperately needed.
Blackpool then took control of the game entirely and finally, on the 75th minute subsitute Nouha Dicko scored the first goal for The Tangerines.
The second goal for Blackpool came with 80 minutes played by Matt Phillips.
By the time the game began to draw to a close, there was only ever going to be one winner as Blackpool kept coming at us and exploiting our weaknesses and in the final minutes we were very lucky it wasn't 3 - 1 due to last minute shots by Ludovic Sylvestre and Matt Phillips respectivley.
But, after 4 minutes of added time, Blackpool had stolen all three points and they deserved them too!!
They were a damn good team, and if they can keep hold of their players, they are going to be a real force in this league. Thomas Ince looking like the danger man in a team full of great players.
Sadly it wasn't to be for us. I was in possibly the worst mood ever coming out of the ground, but that was plainly because I was so frustrated that two late goals had killed us off. If both teams had played like they did in the first half we'd have probably left with at least a point!! You don't win games with if's and but's however and we have to now leave that behind and get our heads up, straight on to the next game.
Another away match on Saturday, this time, Peterborough!!
MOT xx <3 xx
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