'Pool Comeback Sends Iron Into Meltdown

In horrible conditions at Bloomfield Road it took Scunthorpe taking the lead to spring the Seasiders into life.

Ian Holloway made three changes to the side that drew 3-3 at Doncaster the weekend before; Adam, Bouazza and Clarke all returning to the side for Euell, Ormerod and the injured Vaughan.

Billy Clarke had the first chance of the afternoon. The young attacker broke forward on the right before curling an exquisite shot past Joe Murphy... and onto the post. He deserved better.

Matt Gilks then made a fine save as Scunthorpe broke forward through Matt Sparrow. The Scunthorpe midfielder should have been flagged offside however by the linesman on the East who endured a horrible afternoon.

The Seasiders were struggling to get their high tempo game going whilst Scunthorpe looked dangerous on the break; the match was there to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck by either side.

Five minutes before the break, Stephen Crainey curled a freekick just over the bar. Ian Holloway went on to say after the match how the first half bored him!

Matt Gilks saved well again in the opening stages of the second half, this time from Paul Hayes. Hayes wasn't to be denied just minutes later however as he put the visitors 1-0 up.

The striker raced clear of the Blackpool defence after Marcel Seip gave the ball away and dinked a finish over Gilks, who should have possibly come off his line earlier.

The goal seemed to spur the Seasiders into life however, and they dominated the rest of the game.

Just minutes later, they were level. A short free kick found its way to Alex Baptiste who whipped a great cross in for Ian Evatt to head home.

Three minutes later, Billy Clarke raced clear of the Scunthorpe defence but the onrushing Joe Murphy managed to slide in and clear the ball... but only as far as Hamuer Bouazza. The Algerian midfielder was left with an empty net to fire at, but his effort was saved by Murphy outside of the area.

The referee had no choice to send the keeper off (about the only decision he got right all afternoon), despite Scunthorpe protestations.

Youngster Sam Slocombe came on for his debut to replace Murphy in goal, and his first task was to pick the ball out of the back of his net as Charlie Adam powered home the resulting free kick. Adam was in fine form all afternoon, displaying his full range of passing.

The Seasiders were rampant and nearly scored a third just minutes later; Keith Southern's powerful and unstoppable effort from thirty yards coming back off the bar.

With twenty minutes to go, the Seasiders did make it 3-1. Stephen Crainey broke down the left and caught everyone by surprise by crossing the ball instead of shooting... Slocombe was certainly caught by surprise as he spilt the cross straight to Ben Burgess who tapped the ball home from a yard out.

Slocombe did manager to get one thing right; saving an Alex Baptiste header as the 'Pool tormented a Scunthorpe side in disarray.

With five minutes to go, Jason Euell replaced Adam who'd come under a heavy challenge just minutes earlier. Ormerod (who also hit the woodwork late on) and Bangura also came on for Bouazza and Clarke.

With a minute to go, Blackpool made it 4-1 after having had a penalty appeal turned down. The ball was cleared to Baptiste, who drove home from 25 yards.

There was still time for the Iron to have a goal disallowed for offside, but the Seasiders wrapped up yet another three points at home and head into the international break fifth in the league.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.