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Blackpool 0 Burnley 1 - full match report
MEMO to Tony Parkes: Next time a ref offers to abandon a match snatch his hand off.
Whistler Lee Mason's hand was probably so ice-cold at Bloomfield Road last night it would have snapped off when the Pool caretaker boss went to shake it.
When you are as out-of-luck as Parkes, gambling on a Lottery is unlikely to prove successful; and that is precisely what last night's derby was at an exposed-to-the-elements Bloomfield which was more like Siberia than suburbia.
It wasn't a Thunderball that won this lottery but a Norwegian thunderbolt from a left-back who became the toast of the Clarets with his first ever goal for the club.
Pool's unlucky Lotto numbers were three and 85 – the latter the minute of the goal, which left the frostbitten Seasiders little time to warm to their task of playing catch-up; the former is the number of Christian Kalvedes, the full-back whose adventure was rewarded when he linked up with substitute Wade Elliott down the left, advanced unopposed into the Blackpool box and rifled his shot low and true past Paul Rachubka.
At least it was a quality goal which settled the issue on a night when some cruel defensive mishap or freak strike which boomeranged in on the wind seemed likely to prove decisive.
It had been a fifty-fifty game until that point, but you wouldn't bet on Parkes getting the all-important lucky break. At present, if he had to call a coin-toss with a two-headed 10p it would probably land on its side.
If only he'd listened to Mr Mason. The ref's bizarre offer to call the game off because of extreme wind - which ruined the spectacle, admittedly, but hardly threatened life or limb – followed the first of two pantomime first-half moments when Blackburn keeper Brian Jensen attempted to take goal-kicks.
He could barely stand at the stand-less south end, so the ball was certainly not going to stand still. Unlike in rugby, where a team-mate can place a reassuring finger on the ball in such adversity, Jensen just had to wait for the wind to run out of puff for an instant so he could effect his clearance.
At the other end, Pool fans cheered a victory as Rachubka cleared his lines untroubled, only for the kick to go pear-shaped, or rather banana-shaped, into the east stand. It would not be the only time those shivering in that part of the ground would enjoy the last laugh.
The way the wind velocity made the ball swerve alarmingly was seen in the very first minute, when the outstanding Claus Jorgensen's header from a cross by his closest man-of-the-match challenger, Danny Coid, was deflected away from goal.
Before the winds battered both sides into submission, the early stages brought plenty of end-to-end excitement.
Kevin McDonald, one of four recalled by Burnley boss Owen Coyle after Saturday's Sheffield Wednesday debacle, was involved in most of his side's threatening attacks, including the one which almost gave the visitors a 10th-minute lead.
His blocked shot rebounded to Martin Paterson, whose first-time effort was headed off the line by Jorgensen.
Brett Ormerod, making a full Bloomfield debut a dozen years after his first, headed Pool's best chance of the match wide three minutes later from Gary Taylor-Fletcher's inviting cross.
It was the only clear-cut chance for any of Pool's frontmen on a night when the ball passed agonisingly in front of their outstretched legs or just wouldn't fall right.
The talking point of the half came on 20 minutes. With room to manoeuvre, David Vaughan crossed from the left and it struck centre-half Steven Caldwell's arm.
Perhaps ref Mason showed added leniency in the conditions, not wishing to award a spot-kick which had every chance of determining the outcome. Whatever his reasoning, he could have given it; and from Blackpool's viewpoint he unquestionably should have.
Amazingly only two minutes of time were added at the end of the half – each of Jensen's goal-kicks had taken at least twice that long.
Pool were grateful for two outstanding Rachubka saves in the second half, though much credit for the first goes to captain Sean Barker who hassled Paterson into a mishit when the striker had his clearest sight of goal all night on 58 minutes.
It was the impressive McDonald who forced the next fingertip stop from the re-established Pool no.1 20 minutes later.
In between, Pool had enjoyed their most threatening spell. New striker Nick Blackman was introduced on 65 minutes but it was fellow substitute Roy O'Donovan who brought the Pool fans to their feet – if they could still feel their feet – seconds later with a 30-yard rocket when Jensen tipped wide.
The North Stand found its voice as a spell of sustained pressure brought a flurry of corners. Alas there was plenty for them to "oooh" and "aaah" but nothing to cheer.
They almost did have when Jorgensen's bobbling shot was too hot for Jensen to handle but the rebound just wouldn't fall for DJ Campbell.
And five minutes from time those Blackpool fans were silenced.
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 32 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: North west
