Aldred: Win can transform season for Blackpool

Blackpool fans mobbed the players after Tom Aldred scored the winning goal

The defender fired the late winner on a crazy afternoon at Gresty Road, where Pool had goalscorer Jack Redshaw sent off and Crewe missed a stoppage-time penalty.

Defeats for all the other teams in League One’s bottom six completed a perfect Saturday for the Seasiders, who are now a point above the relegation zone.

Doncaster and Oldham are just one point behind Pool with a game in hand but Aldred hopes this win will prove vital.

“I think games like that change seasons,” he said. “If we go on to avoid the drop, we’ll look back at this game as a turning point. It’s an absolutely massive win for us.

“I was buzzing and I think ‘relieved’ is the key word. To come out on top in such a rollercoaster game was something that we desperately needed.”

The centre-half popped up to win it with seven minutes remaining, just seconds Marcus Haber had equalised for Crewe.

Aldred’s deflected shot looped into the net, prompting a pitch invasion as Pool fans celebrated with the players.

The matchwinner added: “Not only did we win, we stuck together, dug in and came through. All the lads ground out a result and we managed to win an amazing game.

Aldred said of his goal: “Part of our plan was for me to go up on free-kicks and be a bit of a target.

“I won the flick and fortunately Danny Philliskirk set me up well. It looped into the back of the net.

“We had done really well to keep the score at 1-0 and I think their equaliser was a fortunate one.

“We hadn’t won a game this season without keeping a clean sheet, so when it went to 1-1 I think that played on our minds. To go straight up the other end and get that goal was massive for us.”

Blackpool had to play more than half the game with 10 men after Redshaw received two yellow cards in a minute, the first for the celebrations which followed his opening goal.

The striker ran over to the 512 travelling fans but didn’t jump into the crowd or remove his shirt. Manager Neil McDonald fumed: “It was ridiculous. A player should be able to celebrate with his supporters.”

Aldred feels the dismissal means Pool deserve even more credit.

He said: “When you go down to 10 men so early in such a massive game it’s not easy. The lads tried to grind out a result and we managed to do that. It was brilliant.”