There’s no doubt it was a good time to play Blackpool, fast becoming the spiritual home of the red card. Two players were suspended, Ricardo Fuller and Angel Martinez , the latter being a fan of the iconic Spanish novel Don Quilasher, this allied to injuries to Mackenzie and Osbourne, meant we were up against a weakened Seaside outfit. It would be easy to aim cheap shots at our Lancashire rivals but I will rise above that.
One look at the away end and it was clear that the Wild Mouse winter maintenance programme was on hold as the away end was full to bursting, indeed it became perfectly clear why recent reinforcement work had been done on the Cricket Field Stand as the overflow away support clambered on to the roof to get a view of the match. The Tangerine invasion was in full flow with Pleasure Beach jumpsuits the outfit of choice.
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| A towering display from Scott Arfield |
Confidence was further boosted once the players took to the pitch as we were at full strength, so it was excellent to see that we started on the front foot and seized the initiative with the Eddie Howe corner routine, which left Danny Ings in acres to sweep home in front of the Blackpool hordes. So a goal to the good early doors had certainly given the opposition something to mule over and would hopefully dent their hopes for the rest of the game.
It didn’t pan out that way however as they gained a real foothold in the game with Ferguson and Gosling bossing things along with Dobbie and Davies dropping off the front and feeding the dangerous Tom Ince who gave Ben Mee a very difficult first half. They forced 3 corners on the bounce and from the latter one of their centre halves scored with a header from the six yard line. The world’s loudest tannoy informed everyone from Whalley to Hebden Bridge that Craig Cathcart was the scorer. They caused us more problems than most sides, as Heaton was forced into a terrific parry from Gosling as well as an equally good stop from a Davies drive after Ferguson side footed wide when he should have done better from an Ince cross.
Fortunately we rode out the storm and ended the half on top again as Ings shaved Gilks’ right hand post with an angled effort, so honours even at half time and a game very much in the balance as Clarke Carlisle strode out to do the Golden Gamble draw, despite one of the opposition substitutes wanting to get involved.
It didn’t take long for us to get our noses in front for the second time as Scott Arfield swivelled on a dink inside from Mee to curl home an absolute beauty from the corner of the box with the keeper rooted to the spot. I am seriously impressed by Arfield, he works his socks off and very rarely gives the ball away, a real neat and tidy player with the ability to beat a man as well, a fantastic signing and the identikit Dyche player.
There was to be no repeat of the first half as Blackpool failed to respond as Dean Marney was asked to press further up the pitch and they just couldn’t get going. Normal service was resumed as our back four repelled everything and Heaton had very little to do. It was Ings who was looking like adding to our tally as he was twisting and turning and causing them problems with his quick feet. He’s added a real poise and composure to his game which marks him out as having a future in the top league, he’s a joy to watch at the moment.
As the half wore on Ince senior gambled and threw on the ex Newcastle striker Michael Chopra, he may as well have put Dynamo on as he disappeared from view for the rest of the game. We were controlling things and didn’t look in any trouble at all, it wasn’t lost on Paul Ince who increasingly had the demeanour of an undertaker who had just had his hearse nicked. We really should have extended the lead after the move of the game saw the irrepressible Arfield put over a peach of a cross from the right to Ings who headed wide when well placed.
It has often been said this season that we just run all over teams and this was best exemplified when Marney picked Broadfoot’s pocket on half way and steamed clear in on goal, he then squared the ball to Ings to issue the coup de grace but Gilks saved bravely. It wasn’t to matter as the ref blew for full time and the celebrations commenced, Blackpool had been trampled on in the second half and we ran out deserved winners.
There were some excellent performances in a Claret shirt with Jason Shackell proving once again what a class act he is, Marney and Jones both won their battles in the second half and Danny Ings proved that we have one of the best strikers in the division. However step forward Scott Arfield who put in a towering display to make the difference and send us home cock-a-hoop for Christmas. Blackpool fans meanwhile eating their egg and chips on a chequered table cloth with 2 pieces of bread and butter cut into quarters are watching the season become a tram crash.
A tricky trip to Chernobyl on Boxing Day now awaits, but let’s all enjoy Christmas at the top of the league . Happy days and seasons greetings to all.