Boro do not enjoy trip to seaside as Blackpool end run

Feb 17 2010 The Journal

A DISJOINTED defeat at ten-man Blackpool ensured that Middlesbrough's unbeaten run fizzled out last night.

Boro boss Gordon Strachan will wonder how his side did not salvage something from a tetchy game in which they had an extra man for the last half-hour and missed a penalty.

But they can have no complaints after they were out-played by a bubbling Blackpool in a first half in which Boro failed to compete. The home side deservedly led at the break and after resisting a late Boro onslaught, sealed it in stoppage time.

Blackpool had only won in six at home but they looked far from being a team suffering a lack of confidence, giving a disjointed Boro the runaround in a lively first half in which they deserved to have scored more than just the one goal.

The warning signs were there after only three minutes as a defence-splitting pass sent Brett Ormerod bursting past a sluggish defence, but as he checked on the edge of the box to line up his shot Gary O’Neil made a timely tackle.

Boro carved out a golden chance on seven minutes when Willo Flood scooped up a loose ball 40 yards out and slotted a sublime ball into the path of unmarked Jeremie Aliadiere in the box.

But with the goal gaping, he opted to take a touch and cut inside, giving Evatt a sight of the ball, making the tackle as the Frenchman shaped to shoot.

And Boro went close on 11 minutes when a Jonathan Grounds quick throw sent Scott McDonald down the inside left channel, but he put his 20-yard angled effort dipping just beyond the far post.

After that the half was all Blackpool. They went close on 22 minutes when Boro defender Steve McManus headed a cross clear but it fell to Adam on the edge of the box and he sent a shot sizzling just wide of the near post.

Two minutes later Adam – a deadline day transfer target for Boro – sent Ormerod into the box, but his low angled effort flew into the side netting.

Blackpool should have broken the deadlock on 28 minutes as a ball over the top from Southern sent Campbell clear.

Wheater did well to block his first shot but it bounced back at his feet – however, with time and space he blazed over the Boro crossbar from ten yards.

The pressure finally told as Blackpool took a deserved lead on the half-hour, a neat ball prodded through a crowd 30 yards leaving Ormerod to spring the offside trap and slot home.

Boro almost clawed it back on 37 minutes as Jonathan Franks found Alaidiere in the box, but his shot from a tight angle was pushed away by keeper Gilkes.

Blackpool went close on 43 minutes as a corner was only half-cleared and Edwards swivelled onto a 20 yard shot that squeezed through the crowd and sent Danny Coyne scrambling to push it behind. The Boro keeper came to his side’s rescue again on the stroke of half-time, saving Ormerod’s effort with a foot.

There was a tetchy start to the second half, Aliadiere sent sprawling by a body-check from last man Adam.

The referee booked him but Boro argued that it should have been a red card.

Boro, though, were handed a numerical advantage on 61 minutes as last defender Rob Edwards was sent off after rugby tackling McDonald.

Two minutes later Boro threatened as O’Neil knocked a long ball forward and it bounced in the box but with time and space to control Aliadiere opted to put a weak header straight at the keeper.

Boro carved out a good chance on 69 minutes as a quick break down the left sent Alaidiere into the box but his low angled 12 yard effort was saved.

On 73 minutes, O’Neil played McDonald down the left, he cut inside then fired a low effort into the side netting. Boro had a strong shout for a penalty denied on 80 minutes as Evatt chopped down McDonald just inside the box but were awarded a spot-kick on 83 minutes as Evatt fouled Robson.

But after a nervous shimmy in his run up McDonald drilled his shot meekly to the right with Gilks saving well.

Four minutes into added time Dobbie cut in from the right and slotted a ball to the far post for unmarked DJ Campbell to side-foot home and seal Blackpool’s win.

BLACKPOOL: Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Edwards, Crainey, Southern, Adam, Vaughan (Bouazza 81), Ormerod (Dobbie 81), Campbell, Taylor-Fletcher (Butler 62). Subs (not used): Rachubka, Martin, Euell, Husband.

Sent Off: Edwards (61). Booked: Adam, Southern.

Goals: Ormerod 30, Campbell 90.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Coyne, Hoyte, Wheater, McManus, Grounds (Miller 66), Flood, O’Neil, Robson, Franks (Arca 46), Aliadiere, McDonald. Subs (not used): Steele, Naughton, Bennett, Lita, Luke Williams.

Booked: Grounds, Robson.

Referee: M Haywood (Lichfield) Attendance: 7,936