Brett Ormerod on Blackpool's fight for survival & Stephen Dobbie's chances of getting head coach role
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The first-half was a bit quiet from both teams, but second-half Blackpool were exceptional at both ends of the pitch. Thankfully they got a very important away win.
Birmingham huffed and puffed but they didn’t really test Dan Grimshaw in the first-half. But in the second-half Blackpool closed the ball down well, they passed the ball with freedom and while it was a mistake that led to the goal, they took it well.
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Hide AdMorgan Rogers, who was magnificent with his hold-up play, his workrate and with the way he tried to hold the ball up, but when it really mattered he pounced on the mistake and he could easily have gone for goal himself. You certainly wouldn’t have blamed him. But he reverse passed it into Ian Poveda giving him an easy finish.
I thought Rogers and Jordan Thorniley were the two standout players. Thorniley was excellent defensively and obviously made that heroic block on the goalline.
It just sums up Blackpool’s season that he was forced to go off injured later on, as did Poveda having come on as a sub only 20 minutes before! I just hope they can get those two back, but we’ll have to wait and see.
They had nine players out before the game even kicked off, so to pick up the win was huge.
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Hide AdThat was the only downside of the day, the injuries, but apart from that it was a fantastic result and performance from Dobbie’s team.
It was just a shame results elsewhere didn’t really go for them, especially QPR beating Burnley which none of us expected.
The way QPR have been defending of late, I was actually scared for them. I was thinking Burnley could hit them for 10 they’ve been that bad. But this being the Championship, you just never know.
Blackpool have two games left, so they’re two cup finals, starting on Friday night against Millwall.
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Hide AdThey’ve just got to give it everything, get a maximum of six points and hope it’s enough to get them over the line.
Millwall have got plenty to play for themselves as they’re in the play-off picture, but they seem to have dipped a little bit like quite a few teams have.
They’ve never been brilliant away from home, their strength is their home form so hopefully that’s something Blackpool can capitalise on.
As for Dobbs, that’s two wins from four games now so he’s doing fantastic. It seems like he’s given the lads a bit of confidence and the freedom to play. He likes to get his full-backs forward and they look like they’re enjoying their football.
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Hide AdDo I think he’s got a chance of getting the job full-time? I hope so! I’d certainly like to see him be given an opportunity. But you just don’t know, do you?
All he can do is do his best and so far he’s done a fantastic job.