Blackpool Finish Season With Victory

The Seasiders signed off for 2009/10 with an eye-catching result away at Swansea City, as Tony Parkes' side overcame the fluent Swans 1-0 with a goal from DJ Campbell.


Blackpool (4-4-2):
Rachubka
Coid - Barker (c) - Baptiste - Crainey
O'Donovan - Southern - Adam - Vaughan
Ormerod - Campbell

Subs: Gilks, Small, Walton, Burgess, Jorgensen.

Swansea City (4-5-1):
de Vries
Tate - Serran - Williams - Bessone
Orlandi - Britton - MacDonald - Gomez - Butler
Scotland

Subs: O'Leary, Gower, Pintado, Allen, Collins.

The Welsh club were fantastic back in December at Bloomfield Road with their memorising passing, and today was no different as they sought to pick gaps and play neat triangles around the 'Pool defence.

However, it was neat attacking play by the visitors which saw the only goal of the game. Brett Ormerod pounced on some sloppy play in the Swansea ranks before slipping DJ Campbell through with a fine ball and the on-loan Leicester City man stroked home into de Vries' bottom right hand corner on 13 minutes.

And Blackpool will count themselves unfortunate not to have extended their lead minutes later when captain Shaun Barker missed a sitter from point blank range as the unmarked defender steered his attempt wide when it was easier to score.

In a game without many clear cut chances, Paul Rachubka wasn't called upon all that much but he made a smart stop from Jason Scotland with 20 minutes left as the Trinidad man looked to be levelling the game.

The fixture did throw up some penalty incidents with referee Boyeson being at the centre of it all; he turned down an appeal from Gomez for the home side and then bizarrely blew for a freekick instead of a spot kick when Charlie Adam was sent sprawling in the box.

All that pails into insignificance however, as The Seasiders secured the three points which sees them finish in a very credible 16th place - ahead of Derby and Coventry who both lost today. Finishing on 56 points - 10 ahead of relegated Norwich City - is quite an achievement and an improvement on last years total.

The end of the season calls for Chairman Karl Oyston and President Valeri Belokon to make a quick decision on the managers position. Tony Parkes has certainly done enough to be given the position on a full time basis, but whether or not they decide that a fresh approach is needed next campaign remains to be seen - although it's very unlikely and we should be lining up with 'Tony Parkes' Tangerine Army' at the beginning of August.

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