Go Go Gobern

Pool’s game in hand handed the chance for the Seasiders to get some much needed points on the board and also impress the on looking Valery Belokon one of the potential new owners of Blackpool.



Someone else looking to impress was former Pool player Richie Wellens who started in the middle for Oldham. Another former employee of the Seasiders Paul Edwards didn’t make the match squad due to a hip injury.



Three changes were made to the side that lost out Southend, Wiles and Vernon dropped to the bench and McGregor dropped out of the match sixteen.



Wilcox slotted in to the left-back role instead of McGregor, Ian Morris started on the left of a midfield three. Gobern then lined up on the left of a front three, with John Murphy playing in the middle and Keigan Parker on the right.



New signing Marc Joseph found a place on the bench and other the new defender to come to the club this week Dean Gordon didn’t manage to make the sixteen due to a lack of match fitness.



First Half



Now doing a match report isn’t easy when you’re watching the match as a fan, half the time your shouting at Keigan Parker to stay onside and the rest of the time your chanting. But listening to the match over the internet is something else. The quality isn’t the best and due to the wind-noise-factor it sounds like the match was being played on the beach, so here goes.



After a scrappy start to the match it was Oldham who managed to carve the first opportunity of the match. A deep cross by front man Andy Liddle found Stefan Stam at the far post. Stam could only direct his header wide to Jones’ relief.



On sixteen minutes Keith Southern picked up the first yellow card of the night. A foul on Richard Butcher was enough for the midfielders name to be taken by referee Phil Dowd.


Mark Hughes then picked up the second yellow card of the night for a foul on Ian Morris.



Pool then had two chances to take the lead just before half-time. Ian Morris stole possession off Wellens then fed Keigan Parker to shoot. To the relief of Chris day in the Oldham goal Parkers shot was narrowly wide.



Lewis Gobern who’d had been quiet from the start was given a shooting opportunity, but his shot lacked accuracy and went wide of the Day’s goal.



Over all a pretty tame half, the half-time entertainment was better that what had been seen on the park. The Seasiders went down the tunnel to a round of applause rather than the usual jeers and boo’s. Then a half-time draw from Derek Spence, who must of done that draw about fifty times now, poor old Derek always has to stand in when there’s no one else to do it. Then a Pool fan who’d just got back from fighting a war in Iraq, but it was Pool that needed to be up for the fight in the second-half as the three points were there for the taking.



Second Half



The second half saw one change to the Seasiders line-up. Simon Wiles replaced Ian Morris, presumable due to injury after a good first half showing by the loanee.



The Seasiders then took the lead as Lewis Gobern opened his scoring account for the Pool. The youngster on loan from Wolves wandered in from the right-hand-side and fired a fiercesome shot past Day from around 20 yard.



The goal sparked the crowd into life and the Seasiders went on the hunt for a second goal. The change at half time had seen the Seasiders change to a balanced 4-4-2 formation, Gobern and Wiles as the wide men in midfield with Parker and Murphy as the two upfront.



The best chance to double the lead can on 67 minutes when Chris Day managed to keep Oldham in the match, he tipped a shot from Keigan Parker on to the bar.



Shortly after that, Oldham manager Ronnie Moore made a triple substitution, off went Beckett, Butcher and Warne, replacing them was Killen, Porter and Eyres.



Simon Grayson then made his second change of the match giving the home fans the first chance to see new signing Marc Joseph. The former Hull player replaced Danny Warrender, a straight swap.



Lee Jones was then forced into a save from Chris Swailes, Jones had to tip the shot from Swailes over the bar for a corner.



Then a familiar sight at Bloomfield Road, Richie Wellens picking up a booking for decent, Gobern also picked up a yellow card for his involvement in the incident. That was Gobern’s last contribution to the match as a minute latter he was replaced by John Doolan.



Late on the Seasiders had a scare as substitute Chris Killen shot narrowly wide and then in the final seconds Lee Jones saved from Killen again.



The final whistle was met with a cheer as loud as the one for the goal, and Seasiders had sealed the first points of 2006.



Summary



A deserved win for the Seasiders against an form team in Oldham. Hopefully this will be start of a decent run for the Seasiders and with new signings coming into the club its starting to look a little brighter at Gloomfield Road



Blackpool


L Jones, D Warrender (76 M Joseph) , P Clarke, T Butler, J Wilcox, I Morris (45 S Wiles) , C Donnelly, K Southern, L Gobern (87 J Doolan) , K Parker, J Murphy
Subs: L Pogliacomi, M Joseph, S Vernon, S Wiles, J Doolan



Oldham


C Day, T Forbes, C Swailes, G Branston, S Stam, M Hughes, R Wellens, R Butcher (71 C Porter) , A Liddell, L Beckett (71 C Killen) , P Warne (70 D Eyres)
Subs: L Cronin, W Haining, C Killen, C Porter, D Eyres



Click here for match stats



Man of the match and player rating courtesy of David Campbell.

Peter Clarke 9



he big man once again turned in a great performance. Starting to really build a good partnership with Butler.
Nothing much to do, but when called upon at the end made the important saves. Steady performance one again, might not retain his place next game due to the arrival of Joseph. The big man once again turned in a great performance. Starting to really build a good partnership with Butler. Starting to make that centre back position his own. Good first half unlucky to go off at half-time. Put in the work in the middle. Another tireless performance. Poor first half showing but after the goal looked bright. Steady game at the back, linked up well with Morris. Great effort by the big fella but didn't get much joy. Looked a threat, unlucky not to get a goal. Wasn't able to get into the match. Look ok when he came on, might start the next match. Not enought time to make an impression.

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