TONY Mowbray had few complaints – but bemoaned his side’s bad luck – after Middlesbrough dropped out of the Championship top three.
Boro, who started the game in the second automatic promotion spot, dropped to fourth as West Ham and Cardiff leapfrogged the Teessiders after claiming Bank Holiday wins.
While the Boro boss accepted the Seasiders’ front three ensured an emphatic victory for Ian Holloway’s men, he also cursed the ill luck which saw his side, having kept their hosts goalless in the first half, denied an opening goal by the post just before Blackpool took the lead after 50 minutes.
Mowbray said: “I do not have any complaints to be honest.
“Their front three gave them individuality and when we conceded just after hitting the post it made things very difficult for us.
“Their front three gave us problems with their pace and movement and it was difficult to counteract that after the first goal.
“I do not think the result was flattering towards them at all.
“Three days ago they were sitting on the back of a 3-0 defeat and that would have hurt them an awful lot.
“They have reacted very well but we still managed to create chances.
“They of course did as well and ultimately goals change games.
“You go a goal down and become expansive because you are trying to get a goal and get back in the game and it became very dangerous for us with their talented forward line.”
Blackpool boss Holloway admitted he had an embarrassment of attacking options at his disposal after watching a resurgent Matt Phillips lead the demolition job.
England under-21 international Phillips, who went out on loan in October, bagged a hat-trick on Boxing Day and notched the opener here.
Former Newcastle striker Lomana LuaLua doubled the lead after poking in the rebound from Alex Baptiste’s shot seven minutes later before the scoring was completed with 20 minutes to go when Seb Hines put through his own net.
Despite bolstering his defence with the loan signing of Danny Wilson from Liverpool, Holloway admitted with Phillips, LuaLua and Tom Ince in his possession it is in attack where he is spoilt for choice.
He said: “I thought the front three were superb and Angel (Martinez) in midfield came in like he had been playing all season.
