Phillips late show takes Cardiff points

The Phillips and Bednar show aired its second episode in South Wales this afternoon as Blackpool came from behind to beat Cardiff City 3-1 with three goals in the final 10 minutes.

Joe Mason had given the hosts the lead on 59 minutes before Ian Holloway made a double change to bring the old guard on and secure all three points thanks to goals from both Kevin and Matt Phillips (2).

The win lifts Pool into fourth place and just two points behind Malky Mackay`s Cardiff.

The manager made four changes to the side that beat Coventry City on Tuesday, with Chris Basham, Nouha Dicko, Danny Wilson and John Fleck all coming in.

And it was the Seasiders settled into their stride quickly, and had the first effort of the game when Matt Phillips snatched an effort which flew harmlessly wide.

Both sides were neat and tidy in possession but failed to carve any true chances, although Anthony Gerrard saw a header go wide from a Peter Whttingham corner.

As the half progressed, Pool were able to get Phillips into the game often as he combined with Alex Baptiste to find Dicko before the on loan man's flick was well saved by David Marshall.

But despite glimpses that the game would become the pulsating encounter all had expected, it failed to really get going properly. Craig Conway spurned the best chance of the opening period when he blasted a volley over the bar when unmarked from 12 yards out.

Marshall had to pull off another smart save before the break though, as he got across his goal well to tip wide a low Stephen Crainey freekick while Whittingham sent an effort skywards.

And moments before the eventual half-time whistle, Gary Taylor-Fletcher nodded an effort wide after good build up again by Baptiste.

Cardiff rallied after the interval but Pool might have opened the scoring: Dicko snatched at a chance on the edge of the box and Fleck sent a stinging shot goalwards, only for it to be well blocked.

But if Dicko snatched at his first opportunity, he made a real blunder seconds afterwards. Following a home attack, a long clearance found its way to Dicko who was in the clear only for him to skew his right footed shot well wide when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Holloway's side set up well against a Bluebirds team who had swept aside many at the Cardiff City Stadium so far this season. Wilson and Craig Cathcart were able to keep Kenny Miller quiet, although the Scotland international did see an effort on the turn go wide from outside the box.

However well they had been playing, Pool were undone just before the hour mark. Andrew Taylor got forward from left back and sent a hanging cross towards the back post where Don Cowie headed goalwards unmarked and the half time substitute Joe Mason tapped home to make it 1-0.

Pool, who looked to keep possession for long periods, didn't have the cutting edge between the front three and Ollie made changes. The relatively ineffectual Fleck was replaced by Roman Bednar while Kevin Phillips came on for Dicko, with Pool sticking with the 4-3-3 that has served them so well.

That should have immediately given the away side the ascendency but Mason had a good effort blocked at the other end before balls could be pumped into the box for Bednar to chase.

The long balls meant Blackpool lost their composure on the ball for a spell but managed to force a number of set pieces. From the first, a Matt Phillips corner, Marshall failed to deal with it - flapping at the ball and half clearing - and the ball fell to the substitute Phillips who rifled in a volley to level the scores on 80 minutes.

It is the fifth time in as many games that the Seasiders have come from behind to pick up a result - a remarkable statistic given the difficulty of the Championship.

But when Holloway has a bench to call on like the one at his disposal this afternoon, Blackpool should never be written off.

You just sensed that Pool did have another goal in them. Three minutes later Kevin Phillips held the ball up and laid it off to Bednar, who had a shot blocked, and that fell to Matt Phillips - who had actually had a quiet afternoon up until then - and the young winger fizzed a shot beyond Marshall to send the 800 away supporters into ecstasy.

It was once again proof that this tangerine team have the exact same never say die attitude of their 2010 compatriots.

They hadn't finished there though. In the final minute, Matt Phillips spun Taylor with extreme confidence 30 yards from goal before he made a beeline for the home goal. As he did, Phillips opened up his body to calmly slot into the back of the net to make the points save and cap off an unbelievable away performance.

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