AFC Blackpool 0 Emley 3: Eyles excels against 10-man Mechs

James Eyles scored twice as the visitors consolidated second place in North West Counties first division north.

AFC manager Martin Baird made four changes, which saw Ryan McClean, Francis Donaghy, Ben Duffield and Sam Kellett all come in to the team, the latter making his debut on a work experience loan from Blackpool.

Keeper Kellett was soon in the action, making a ninth-minute save from a close-range header. However, just six minutes later Emley took the lead, Eyles curling his shot past the debutant.

In the 23rd minute, AFC created their first dangerous opportunity, when Jamie Thomas got on the end of a pinpoint free-kick but shot wide.

The visitors continued to test the Mechanics and just before half-time they nearly doubled their lead. Kellett parried the initial shot and was relieved to see the follow-up fired over the top.

The visitors went close again four minutes into the second half, when a powerful free-kick from long range cannoned off a post. AFC found themselves down to 10 men on 54 minutes, when captain Ben Fishwick was sent off for an aggressive tackle from behind.

Emley made them pay with their second goal on 68 minutes, Tom Claisse finding the top corner superbly from long range after a back-heel had caught out the AFC defence.

And victory was sealed five minutes later as Eyles grabbed his second, confidently beating Kellett one on one. Defeat sees Blackpool slip to ninth in a very tight division, though they are only two points behind Daisy Hill in fifth.

Blackpool: Kellett, Simmons, Dawson, Donaghy, McClean, Fishwick, McCaragher (McKenna 66), Thomas, Duffield (Moore 76), Buchan (Roberts 66), Robinson