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Blackpool 2 Reading 2 - full match report
IT is dangerous to make predictions.
Margaret Thatcher, in an interview with a newspaper in 1974, said: "It will be years before a woman either leads the party or becomes Prime Minster. I certainly do not expect to see it happening in my life time."
Unfortunately, not for herself – but for the British population, she got it badly wrong.
As did a number of Blackpool fans who had expressed a good deal of anxiety that this clash with high-flying Reading could be a case of after the Lord Mayor's show.
In other words, the momentous victory over Preston, and the effort required to pull it off, might prove to be too much to follow.
Initially it looked as if the pessimists would be right for the first half hour was as bad as it gets.
The atmosphere in the ground was flat, as if the fans were worn out, or hungover, or both, from the events at Deepdale.
Reading stormed two goals ahead and were so much in control it looked as if they might add another 13 or so.
But then Keith Southern's close range strike hauled Pool back into it and from that moment on, the Seasiders were the better team.
A beautifully comic goal – scored by DJ Campbell after a wonderful miss by two other players – drew Pool level and in the end it was they who may feel slightly aggrieved not to have won it.
A draw, though, was probably the fair result and, against a side plying its trade in the Premier League last season, what a good point it is.
Are Pool safe then? How long's a piece of string?
It's impossible to say and probably not worth dwelling on.
The important thing is slowly edging on past that 50 point mark. It keeps the gap nice and wide and, assuming there is no catastrophic turn of events in the final three weeks, the Seasiders can look forward to a third Championship season.
They will have deserved it too, playing some good football this year and putting a heck of a lot of effort in.
They had to cope with the loss of their manager at an untimely stage of the season, but kept their heads above water during a difficult month or two before coming good again towards the end of the season.
This draw makes it one defeat in seven – that is terrific form – and takes the Easter haul to four points from two games against sides at the top end of the division.
It's actually very impressive and makes it very interesting to see what will happen in the summer.
Tony Parkes, after an understandably shaky start, has done some sterling work and if this were anyone other than a 59-year-old who has never been a full-time number one before, he would surely be in pole position to get the job permanently.
However, as there has been a distinct lack of enthusiasm to make an announcement by chairman Karl Oyston, it seems safe to assume that Parkes is far from nailed on to become boss.
Who knows what the future holds but, whatever your view and whoever you want in charge, I just hope Pool get the management situation sorted relatively quickly, well before the players return for pre-season training in June.
Back to the present though, for this game is worth talking about … well, after the 30 minute mark at any rate.
At that stage Reading were cruising.
A Pool side containing one change from the derby win at Preston (Lee Hughes for Ben Burgess – the latter rested because of a sore knee and the fact that his wife gave birth over the weekend) looked miles off the pace.
Noel Hunt headed in brother Stephen Hunt's inswinging 10th minute corner, with Paul Rachubka unable to get to the cross.
And it was 2-0 shortly after, the second Royals goal somewhat ironically arriving from Pool's first corner.
The visitors cleared Charlie Adam's flag kick and broke down the right though Jimmy Kebe and Julian Kelly.
With centre backs Shaun Barker and Rob Edwards out of position, Kelly's cross was meant by Noel Hunt – only for the striker to be denied another goal by a fantastic Rachubka save, tipping the ball onto the bar. Unfortunately for the Seasiders keeper though, the rebound fell to Jem Karacan, who gleefully mopped up.
At this stage it was about as far removed from Deepdale as one could possibly imagine.
Instead of 5,000 tangerine supporters going wild, we had 5,000 fans looking slightly depressed and wondering why they'd not spent their Bank Holiday watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for the 64th time on BBC2.
But ye have little faith, for on 33 minutes Charlie Adam whipped in a cross from the left and Southern eluded a very flat looking Reading defence to prod in from barely six yards.
It was the catalyst for the remainder of the match, sparking both the crowd and the players into life.
Southern was delighted with his third goal of the season but it was the man who made it that had the biggest say on the game.
Adam is class, oozing quality with every touch of the ball. It's a shame there is no chance at all of Blackpool signing him next season – he's got a long-term deal at Rangers and on far too much money for the Seasiders to be in with a sniff of landing him permanently.
It wouldn't be a surprise if David Moyes, watching from the directors' box, made a note of Adam's name. Aged 23, the midfielder surely has a big future, whether it's north or south of the border.
Pool were the better team thereafter. Without creating too many gilt-edged chances they had the better of the play and forced the visitors deeper and deeper into their own territory.
The equaliser, when it came in the 66th minute, was fully deserved, though wonderfully Keystone Kops in its conversion.
DJ Campbell, who hasn't looked completely on song in his recent Bloomfield Road outings, showed what he's capable of by brilliantly beating Michael Duberry close to the left touchline.
He charged into the box, drew keeper Marcus Hahnermann and slipped the ball sideways, leaving Keith Southern or Roy O'Donovan with the simplest of tasks to score from barely four yards.
Alas both of them went for the ball at the same time, resulting in it hitting Southern's ankle, then O'Donovan's shin, and looping into the air and against the crossbar. It would have been miss of the season, still is really, had not Campbell been alert enough to tap in the rebound.
"Thank the Lord he did," said a slightly sheepish Southern later.
There was a lengthy hold up in play when referee Kevin Wright decided he couldn't carry on because of an injury. His retirement from the pitch was greeted with a predictable cheer, though on this occasion it was justified – he made a couple of debatable decisions to say the least.
Reading were forced to make some hasty clearances as Pool crossed balls into the box, though the same was true at the other end when, in the final minutes, the visitors suddenly remembered they needed three points to have any chance of rekindling their faint hopes of automatic promotion.
They belatedly piled on some pressure, and Stephen Crainey and skipper Rob Edwards both made important clearances.
In the end it was a draw that suits Blackpool much more than it does the Royals.
Coming back from two goals down is a fine achievement in any game.
Against a side like Reading it's particularly impressive.
Yet another day, then, when Blackpool gave the big boys a short, sharp shock.
It's been the story of the last two seasons and long may it continue.
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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
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Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
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