Blackpool 4-1 Scunthorpe United
Report from Bloomfield Road
Coca-Cola Championship - Saturday, November 7, 2009

Click here for a detailed minute-by-minute analysis

The sending off of Joe Murphy proved a big turning point for the Iron as they were beaten by Blackpool 4-1 at Bloomfield Road.

Following an even first half, the game exploded into life at the start of the second period when Paul Hayes clipped Scunthorpe ahead.

Ian Evatt soon equalised with a towering header though, and at around the hour mark Murphy was sent off for saving a shot outside his penalty area after the hosts had broken through on the counter-attack.

Sam Slocombe replaced Murphy and his first job was to pick the ball from the back of the net after Charlie Adam lashed home a free-kick.

Former Hull man Ben Burgess added a third soon after to kill off any hopes of a point for United.

Then, in the dying stages, Alex Baptiste drilled in a shot from the edge of the area, to add a final gloss to the scoreline.

Heading into the clash, the Iron made four changes from the side beaten by Swansea City last week.

Rob Jones, George Friend, Andrew Wright and Matt Sparrow came in for Niall Canavan, Marcus Williams (leg injury), Josh Wright (illness) and Gary Hooper (illness) as United went 4-5-1, with Hayes leading the attack.

Murphy started in goal, with the defence consisting of Cliff Byrne, David Mirfin, Jones and Friend.

The midfield featured Michael O'Connor, Sam Togwell, Wright, Sparrow and Grant McCann, while Hayes was the lone striker.

New loan signing Bondz N'Gala featured on the bench for the first ever time, with Slocombe, Jordan Spence, Niall Canavan, Martyn Woolford, Garry Thompson and Forte the other substitutes.

It was the home side who had the first chance of the afternoon when Ben Burgess struck in a low effort from the edge of the area which Murphy dived down to stop well.

Byrne, who pushed forward down the right, sent two crosses into the area which caused danger for the hosts - the second of which was spilled by goalkeeper Matt Gilks before being picked up by Alex Baptiste, who cleared as far as McCann, who fired wide of goal.

Then, shortly after, star home midfielder Charlie Adam drew a low stop from Murphy and, following that, the Seasiders hit the post when Billy Clarke curled a strike beyond the Iron goalkeeper. However, it bounced back into play and the visitors could breathe a big sigh of relief in the pouring rain and freezing cold at Bloomfield Road.

On around the 20-minute mark, the Iron came close twice in the matter of seconds. Matt Sparrow broke into space down the right and fired in a shot which Gilks saved well before Hayes headed just wide from a cross moments later.

Soon after, Hayes found space on the right-hand side of their area after beating the offside trap and advanced through, stroking his cross-cum-shot across Gilks and just wide of goal.

Clarke had a shot deflected wide for the home team, coming more into the game as half-time drew ever closer.

The last chance of the half came Scunthorpe's way as McCann's shot was blocked after a corner has only been half-cleared.

Scunthorpe started as they meant to go on in the second half as Hayes, superbly leading the line alone, muscled his way into space and fizzed in a low shot from the edge of the area which Matt Gilks did well to save down to his right.

It was in the 51st minute when Hayes handed the Iron a deserved lead. He burst clear through the centre and looped the ball past the onrushing Gilks and into the back of the net. He raced away to celebrate his fifth strike of the season in front of the visiting fans.

Blackpool pressed for a leveller, but the Iron could have grabbed a second on the break when Hayes linked up well with Sparrow, sending him bursting clear down the right flank, but the midfielder couldn't quite find McCann and the ball was cleared for a corner. From the subsequent set-piece, Mirfin's shot was blocked on the line.

And just two minutes later Ian Holloway's side levelled, as Evatt looped home a header from the left of the penalty area just beyond Murphy at his far post after Adam had sent in a cross from the right.

Showing how quickly fortunes can turn in football, Murphy was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area. The shotstopper had done superbly to tackle on the edge of his box but he then blocked the rebound from Hameur Bouazza with his hands outside the area and was promptly shown a red card by referee Colin Webster. 

O'Connor was replaced by Sam Slocombe, who took over from Murphy between the sticks, but he couldn't keep out Charlie Adam's subsequent set-piece, which he rocketed into the net from 25 yards.

Then Keith Southern lashed a shot against the crossbar from 25 yards, with Slocombe well beaten, as the pressure continued.

And their third goal arrived in the 69th minute as Burgess struck at the near post after Crainey's low cross from the left had picked him out. It was an uphill task for the visitors to get back into the game now.

N'Gala replaced McCann for his debut on 78 minutes, as the Iron formed a five man defence. Soon after a final change was made as Forte replaced Hayes.

There were three home changes before Alex Baptiste added the fourth in the 89th minute when he powered a low shot past Slocombe from the edge of the area.

There were four minutes of added time, but nothing else of note happened as the Iron suffered another away defeat.

Nigel Adkins' side are next in action in two weeks' time when they visit Watford.

Attendance: 7,727 (347 away).