Blackpool 2-1 Ipswich Town: Joe Nuttall strikes at the death to seal another dramatic late win for the Seasiders

Joe Nuttall’s stoppage-time header clinched a dramatic three points for Blackpool against Ipswich Town.

The striker scored just his second league goal of the season to claim Blackpool’s first back-to-back wins since November.

Nuttall, whose only other league goal came in the reverse fixture at Portman Road earlier in the season, headed high into the roof of the net in the 92nd minute.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had earlier given Pool the lead with his second goal in as many games, only to be pegged back by Freddie Sears’ second-half effort.

Dunn named the same side for the third game running, which didn’t come as a huge surprise given Blackpool’s win in midweek against Bolton Wanderers.

Ben Heneghan served the final game of his three-match suspension, while Jak Alnwick (arm) and Sullay Kaikai (groin/abductor) remain long-term injury absentees.

Top goalscorer Armand Gnanduillet, meanwhile, sat out his third game through a hamstring injury despite being put through his paces by physio Phil Horner beforehand.

Ipswich were also without their two top goalscorers, with Kayden Jackson missing through suspension and James Norwood sidelined with injury.

After a slow start in the blustery conditions, it was the away side that created the first opening of the game.

Freddie Sears showed good movement to beat Blackpool’s offside trap before fizzing a low shot across the face of goal that just eluded Emyr Huews.

Ipswich looked to press from the front in the early stages, their front three giving Pool’s backline no time whatsoever to play out from the back.

It resulted in a lot of aimless long balls, which Gary Madine and Nathan Delfouneso struggled to make much of.

One of these long punts forward resulted in a defensive error from Josh Earl, which allowed Delfouneso to slide a pass through to his strike partner.

But Madine delayed and delayed, the chance eventually going to waste after Luke Chambers got across to slow down the attack.

At the other end, Keane dragged a shot comfortably wide of goal after the visitors had broken well after breaking down a Pool attack.

Halfway through the opening period, the Seasiders broke the deadlock with a goal out of nothing.

It followed some hesitant defending from the visitors, who had failed to clear their lines despite having two or three good opportunities to do so.

A half-clearance fell to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on the edge of the box, the midweek hero curling home with a low effort off the post for his second goal in as many games.

Goalkeeper Tomas Holy really ought to have done better with the effort, although he might have been unsighted by the crowded box in front of him.

The away fans, who travelled in their numbers, certainly weren’t happy with their side, chanting “Lambert, sort it out” and “five more years, you’re having a laugh” in reference to Paul Lambert’s recent contract extension.

The Tractor Boys squandered a priceless chance to draw level 10 minutes before the break only to be thwarted by Pool keeper Chris Maxwell.

Flyn Downes was found in space down the left by Keane, but his effort across the face of goal was superbly tipped away by Maxwell.

Freddie Sears went to ground as he looked to follow up on the rebound, but the referee pointed for a goal kick rather than a penalty despite Ipswich’s loud appeals.

Ipswich maintained their pressure, Maxwell called into action again to save from Emyr Huws’ low strike which was right down his throat.

Maxwell continued to be kept busy, the shot stopper getting down well once again to palm away Sears’ curling effort in first-half stoppage time.

Pool came out with more urgency at the start of the second half, creating an opening for Nathan Delfouneso just three minutes in.

Connor Ronan drifted a ball into the box which Delfouneso glanced towards goal, but Holy got down to make a comfortable save.

Just when Pool were beginning to get into the ascendancy, Ipswich pulled themselves back level with a goal out of nowhere - much like the Seasiders’ first-half opener.

Sears was the man to get the goal, tapping home from close range following a dinked pullback from Keane.

It followed some uncharacteristically hesitant defending from Taylor Moore, who passed up the chance to clear his lines.

The home fans made their feelings known when Dunn opted to make a surprise switch, replacing the impressive Ronan and Joe Nuttall.

But, with Delfouneso playing off Nuttall and Madine in attack in a 3-4-1-2 system, the Seasiders did begin to look more threatening in the final third.

Madine missed a golden chance to restore Blackpool’s lead with 13 minutes remaining when he hit the woodwork.

It came after Ipswich had failed to clear a Dewsbury-Hall corner, the ball falling nicely for Madine a few years from goal only for the striker to head against the crossbar.

Ipswich raced up the other end of the pitch and came close themselves, the dangerous Sears narrowly shooting wide of the near post after cutting inside from the left.

Sears wasted a chance to win it for the visitors in the third minute of stoppage time, denied by a vital save from Maxwell after the forward had got in behind Pool’s backline.

The Seasiders made them pay for that miss as they won it in the 92nd minute, scoring at the death for the second time in a week.

Substitute Joe Nuttall was the man to strike, heading high into the roof of the net from Liam Feeney’s right-wing cross.

Ipswich still found time to win a later corner, throwing goalkeeper Holy up for good measure, but it proved too little, too late, as Pool held on for back-to-back wins.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Maxwell, Turton, Moore, Husband, Macdonald, Feeney, Virtue, Ronan (Nuttall), Dewsbury-Hall, Delfouneso, Madine

Subs not used: Sims, Bola, Howe, Edwards, Spearing, Ward

Ipswich: Holy, Earl, Chambers, Downes (Judge), Garbutt, Huws, Skuse, Bishop (Dobra), Woolfenden, Sears, Keane (Simpson)

Subs not used: Norris, Wilson, Edwards, Nolan

Referee: Christopher Sarginson

Attendance: 9,500 (1.306 Ipswich)