'Pool Continue Promotion Charge At Doncaster

After the disappointment of not being able to break down a resilient Portsmouth in front of the Sky cameras on Saturday night, Blackpool re-established their promotion credentials with a 3-1 away at rock bottom Doncaster tonight.

'Pool manager Ian Holloway made six changes for the game as he looked to keep everyone fresh ahead of an increasingly important run of games; Ian Evatt, Neal Eardley, Ludovic Sylvestre, John Fleck, Nouha Dicko and Gary Taylor-Fletcher all returning to the side.

Dean Saunders' side created the early chances, but found 'Pool stopper Matt Gilks in supreme form.

'Pool soon found their stride though and their expansive passing game led to the first goal of the game; Eardley's searching pass finding Taylor-Fletcher who prodded home.

It was soon 2-0 courtesy of GTF again. Picking the ball up on the edge of the Doncaster area, he bamboozled the Rovers back four with his flight of foot, before calmly stroking the ball home.

Game over? Not according to the referee.

Despite protestations that Ian Evatt got the ball, the centre half conceded a penalty for a foul on El Hadji Diouf. Diouf himself stepped up to take the kick and made it 2-1.

The rest of the half was played at a frenzied pace and threatened to boil over with the referee quickly losing grip of the game; Gilks and Diouf were involved in a bust-up, whilst players from both sides were pushing and shoving each other as they went down the tunnel at the break. So much for today being a day of love...

Matt Gilks didn't let his bust-up with Diouf affect him in the second thankfully as he continued to produce saves straight out of the top drawer; including a stupendous stop from Martin Woods, whose bullet of a shot looked destined for the top corner.

The home side were enjoying their best spell of the game, but 'Pool soon found their bearings again and Doncaster were indebted to some last gasp defending to keep them in the game.

They couldn't hold on forever though, and on 73 minutes 'Pool made sure of the points when Nouha Dicko tapped home after Donny keeper David Button could only parry Alex John Baptiste's shot.

The result leaves the Seasiders 4th in the Championship ahead of their promotion six pointer against league leaders West Ham at Bloomfield Road next Tuesday night.

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