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

FULL-TIME:

Blackpool 4 Scunthorpe United 1

It could have been much different for United had they held on when Paul Hayes gave them an early second half lead.

The sending off of Joe Murphy was clearly the turning point as the Iron suffered another heavy defeat on the road and their third straight league loss.

There are two weeks now for Scunthorpe to regroup, get their heads back up, and kick on again ahead of the trip to Watford on Saturday, November 21.

SECOND HALF:

90 minutes: Four minutes of stoppage time are indicated.

89 minutes: Goal for Blackpool! Alex Baptiste has added a fourth for the hosts, drilling in from the edge of the area to add a gloss to the scoreline for the hosts.

Blackpool 4-1 Scunthorpe United

84 minutes: There is literally nothing else happening but substitutions. Charlie Adam received a standing ovation from the home fans as ex-Premier League star Jason Euell replaced him. Meanwhile, Billy Clarke has been replaced by another former top flight player in Brett Ormerod, and Al Bangura has come on for Hameur Bouazza.

82 minutes: Jonathan Forte has replaced Paul Hayes, who has put in a solid shift up front. 

78 minutes: Bondz N'Gala comes on for Grant McCann to make his debut for the Iron. Looks like damage limitation for United, who have gone five at the back.

73 minutes: The home side's tails are well and truly up, they're dominating and it looks like United are set to suffer their 15th defeat in 16 matches away at Blackpool. Paul Hayes has just gone in the book after fouling Charlie Adam and leaving the Scot limping.

69 minutes: Goal for Blackpool! Blackpool's third goal has just arrived, as Ben Burgess struck at the near post after Stephen Crainey's low cross from the left had picked him out. It looks an uphill task for the 10 man Iron now.

Blackpool 3-1 Scunthorpe United

66 minutes: Keith Southern has just lashed a shot against the crossbar from 25 yards, with Sam Slocombe well beaten, as the pressure continues from the hosts, who are on top.

63 minutes: Red card for Scunthorpe and goal for Blackpool! It just shows how quickly fortunes can turn in football. Joe Murphy has just been 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. Michael 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 20 yards.

Blackpool 2-1 Scunthorpe United

61 minutes: Goal for Blackpool! Ian Holloway's side have levelled, as Ian Evatt looped home a header from the left of the penalty area just beyond Murphy at his far post after Charlie Adam had sent in a cross.

Blackpool 1-1 Scunthorpe United

57 minutes: Paul Hayes has just linked up well with Matt Sparrow, sending him bursting clear down the right flank, but the midfielder couldn't quite find Grant McCann and the ball was cleared for a corner. From the subsequent set-piece, David Mirfin's shot was blocked on the line.

55 minutes: The hosts have stepped it up a couple of notches since United's goal. Can Nigel Adkins' side stay strong and withstand the pressure. 

51 minutes: Goal for Scunthorpe! Paul Hayes has 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 races away to celebrate his fifth strike of the season in front of the visiting fans.

Blackpool 0-1 Scunthorpe United

48 minutes: Paul 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.

HALF-TIME:

Blackpool 0-0 Scunthorpe United

Well, it's scoreless at the interval and the Iron are looking comfortable in all fairness. The hosts have been restricted to free-kicks or shots from distance while Scunthorpe have countered well and broken the offside trap more than once.

It should be an excellent second half as United look to register their second away league win of the season. On this evidence, they can do it but they will need to stay resolute at the back. Will a hero emerge for the visitors this afternoon?

Meanwhile, we have this afternoon's attendance. 7,727 fans have turned up, with 347 visiting supporters.

FIRST HALF:

44 minutes: Grant McCann twice has a shot blocked after Michael O'Connor's corner couldn't be cleared by the Blackpool defence.

40 minutes: The home team won a free kick after Sam Togwell's foul on Keith Southern, but the free-kick by Stephen Crainey cleared the crossbar.

35 minutes: Billy Clarke has just had an attempt deflected wide for the hosts, who are coming more into the game now.

29 minutes: Paul Hayes just found space down the right-hand side of the penalty area before stroking a cross-cum-shot just wide of Gilks' right-hand post after springing the offside trap and shooting across goal.

22 minutes: The Iron have just come close twice in the matter of seconds, Matt Sparrow broke into space down the right and fired in a shot which Matt Gilks saved well before Paul Hayes headed just wide from a cross moments later.

15 minutes: The floodlights have been on since well before kick-off here. It's damp, dark and bitter but both teams are probing hard and a goal doesn't seem too far away.

12 minutes: United's fans are taking a soaking from the persistent Lancashire rain. They've managed to fill half the away end and there are a few umbrellas in attendance too. Here's hoping they see their team put in a big performance and get the result their support deserves. Iron boss Nigel Adkins, wearing a Carlotti bench jacket over his matchday suit, is barking instructions at his side.

10 minutes: It's lively end to end stuff at the moment, with both teams looking like scoring. Paul Hayes is doing well leading the line for Scunthorpe, but Blackpool could have gone ahead when Billy Clarke clipped a curled effort beyond Murphy but it bounced back into play off the post. That came shortly after Sam Togwell's shot had been blocked.

8 minutes: Charlie Adam's shot from the edge of the area draws a good save from Murphy. 

7 minutes: Cliff Byrne sent in a second cross, which was spilled by Matthew Gilks and cleared by Alex Baptiste as far as Grant McCann,who struck a low effort just wide.

3 minutes: Cliff Byrne sends in a cross from the right for United which fails to reach a team-mate but had it done would have caused serious trouble for the Seasiders.

1 minute: Big Ben Burgess, formerly of Hull, has the first chance of the game when he receives the ball just inside the area and strikes in a low drive which Joe Murphy did well to dive down and stop.

BUILD-UP AND TEAM NEWS:

14.59: With tomorrow being Remembrance Sunday, a minute's silence is held in honour of the soldiers who have given their life to protect their country in war.

14.55: Dario G's Carnival de Paris is now playing as the teams prepare to emerge for today's massive Championship clash. Some of the Blackpool support are banging their drums and trying to stoke up an electric atmosphere.

14.50: Bloomfield Bear is currently taking penalties against the young matchday mascot. The stadium is more full now, although the away end still looks pretty sparse. Still ten minutes until kick-off yet I suppose. Full credit to those who have travelled - paying £24.50 to sit in an uncovered stand in the freezing cold and the rain, in addition to various petrol costs.

14.40: The usual matchday music has now taken over from the brass bands. I think the matchday DJ must be a Kasabian fan, he's currently playing the third song of the afternoon by the Leicester band. Ian Holloway, former boss of the Foxes, is currently having a word with Nigel Adkins in the dugout.

14.35: The stadium is slowly filling up ahead of kick-off. Blackpool are unbeaten here so far this season, having won their last six games at Bloomfield Road, so a decent gate is expected. The Iron sold 320 tickets at close of play on Friday afternoon for the away end, and with fans able to pay on the day too one would expect there to be around 400 Scunthorpe followers today. The away end looks very empty though, with there being no roof on the stand most are probably in the pubs/restaurants outside the stadium trying to keep warm.

14.30: The rain appears to have cleared up for now, but it's still bitter. The Seasiders have made this afternoon their Armed Forces Day, and the Salvation Army Band are playing now ahead of kick-off rather than the usual pre-match music on the tannoy.

14.15: The team news has come out of the dressing room and Scunthorpe have made four changes from the team beaten at Swansea last week. Rob Jones, George Friend, Andrew Wright and Matt Sparrow are in for Niall Canavan, Marcus Williams (leg injury), Josh Wright (illness) and Gary Hooper (illness) as United go 4-5-1, with Paul Hayes leading the attack.

Blackpool: Gilks, Crainey, Southern, Evatt, Clarke, Burgess, Baptiste, Bouazza, Emmanuel-Thomas, Adam, Seip. Subs: Rachubka, Ormerod, Taylor-Fletcher, Martin, Euell, Bangara, Edwards.

Scunthorpe United: Murphy, Byrne, Mirfin, Jones, Friend, Sparrow, Togwell, Wright, O'Connor, McCann, Hayes. Subs: Slocombe, Spence, Canavan, N'Gala, Woolford, Thompson, Forte.

Referee: Colin Webster.

14.10: The players have emerged from the tunnel to warm up ahead of the game. The Iron are wearing all sky blue today.

14.00: Good afternoon from a freezing cold Bloomfield Road. Scunthorpe United's players have already been out on to the pitch to observe their surroundings, but didn't stay looking too long because it was bucketing it down with rain. WInter is well and truly here! Joe Murphy, Sam Slocombe and Kevin Pressman have just emerged to warm up in front of what will be an empty Jimmy Armfield Stand.

PRE-AMBLE:

Three years. That's how long Nigel Adkins has now been in charge at Scunthorpe United. His tenure started with an F.A. Cup game, in the dreary surroundings of Whaddon Road, Cheltenham. The game was drawn; that game was drawn, but United progressed via tha replay. By and large, that's been the United's operative word under Adkins stewardship - 'progressed'. Today, the journey continues, against United's 'bogey' team, Blackpool.

Victory will be United's number one target - however, a draw will suffice in its absence. As the old saying goes, beggars can't be choosers; and while United aren't quite beggars, they do sit in eighteenth position in the table. By contrast, Blackpool are placed in eighth. Ian Holloway's side seem to be making a stealthy assault on the play offs. Not bad, for the club who are generally considered to be the 'smallest', along with the Iron, in this division. My point: a point at Bloomfield Road wouldn't be bad, but three would be nice. Blackpool are the clear favourites though.

SCENE-SETTER:

There are worries over the fitness of Josh Wright and Gary Hooper. Both have been away from Glanford Park with illness over the last week; and it's conceivable to think that this game may come a few hours too soon for them. Marcus Williams is also struggling through a leg injury, but George Friend is on standby to replace him. Furthermore, Ian Morris is unlikely to figure, after hurting his knee during a midweek practice match. Ben May and Kenny Milne are out too.

Rob Jones should return however. He missed last weekend's defeat at the hands of Swansea; and United will be pleased to usher their experienced captain back into the fold. It has been stated on a number of occasions that United have seemed to fare better this season when he and David Mirfin have forged the central-defensive partnership. New addition Bondz N'Gala will be part of the match squad, but will probably start on the bench.

Stephen McPhee and Danny Coid are certain absentees for United's hosts. McPhee has a knee problem; and Coid's tibia is fractured. Elsewhere, Neal Eardley faces a late fitness test.

On their suspension front, Ishmel Demontagnac, who was sent-off in a reserve game recently, remains banned. Charlie Adams should return to their starting X1 however, after missing last weekend's game for picking up five yellow cards of the course of previous games.

Colin Webster will be the man in the middle of affairs.