Blackpool FC- The Verdict: The Seasiders' victory over Stoke provides them with a crucial platform to kick on

The long-lasting winless run was something no team ever wants to go through, due to the tension that comes with that.

Of course, there is still a lot of work for the Seasiders to do if they are going to survive this season, but to have a league victory under their belts after so long will only help to ease things up a bit.

A lot has happened in the footballing world since their last Championship win.

Lionel Messi has become a World Cup winner, Cristiano Ronaldo has burnt his bridges at Manchester United, and a bit closer to home, there is a new man in charge at Bloomfield Road.

Mick McCarthy is no doubt putting his stamp on the side, and that was evident on Saturday.

It was certainly a victory built on hard graft, as well as a bit of luck at times.

Just before Ian Poveda gave Blackpool the lead in the seventh minute, Stoke had missed a golden opportunity, with Dwight Gayle striking an effort over the bar from close-range.

Sometimes they are the moments you need, and the opportunities you have to make the most of.

A lot of credit has to go to Chris Maxwell, who made a number of big saves in the game to deny the Potters.

Performance-wise, the Seasiders were dominated in different areas of the game, but they deserve credit for how they held on.

The three points provides them with a platform to kick on, but it’s vital that they make the most of it, starting with Tuesday’s trip to Ewood Park.

‘This could be the most important win of the season if the Seasiders stay up’

UCLan student Oliver Walton was also at the game on Saturday, and looks through the key events from the game.

It was an electric start from both teams on a blustery day at Bloomfield Road, with Blackpool looking for their first league win of Mick McCarthy’s reign and Stoke City after another victory against a relegation-threatened team, following a 3-0 win over Huddersfield Town in midweek.

A ‘six pointer’ if there ever was one, and Blackpool nearly started in calamitous circumstances as Dwight Gayle was allowed space in the box early on but saw his poke towards goal fly over the bar.

Soon after a foray forward saw Ian Poveda fancy his chances from the edge of the box, and he took said chance with real vindication and a side serving of luck via a deflection.

His strike bounced past Matjia Sarkic in the Potters net and gave Pool a vital lead inside seven minutes. They all count.

Stoke had their fair share of chances as the half grew on, but Blackpool’s backline stood strong as their visitors struggled to properly test Chris Maxwell.

Will Smallbone did have a big opportunity to level, but Maxwell stood strong to deny the Southampton loanee with his legs.

The second half continued in a similar vein as the Potters pushed to score, but to no avail.

They should have been made to pay after CJ Hamilton saw his name in lights as he raced through the visitors’ defence just before the hour mark, but he saw his flailing effort trickle just wide of Sarkic’s post.

A golden chance to double the lead, and one that the 27-year-old will have been praying he wasn’t made to rue.

Stoke claims for a penalty were loud as Gayle thrust himself to the ground following a challenge from Curtis Nelson.

Nothing doing for referee Matthew Donohue as he waved play on.

A sustained period of Blackpool dominance with twenty minutes to go brought the home fans to their feet, they could sense a first victory since October on the horizon.

The North Stand was rocking, rightly so after being starved of such a result for months on end.

It was nearly mayhem in the away end as Smallbone looked to have levelled from a free kick, but the visiting fans had been duped by the ripple of Chris Maxwell’s net with the ball instead hitting the side-netting.

Blackpool struggled to get the ball down as the clock ticked ever closer to 90 minutes, but the roar of the North Stand certainly seemed to inspire the players on.

Stoke pushed and pushed, but lady luck was shining on the Tangerines.

It seemed as if time stood still when Lewis Baker lined up a free kick from 25 yards with seconds left, but it was not the Potters’ day as his set-piece whizzed over Maxwell’s bar.

It was as good an atmosphere as has been seen at Bloomfield this season, with the fans doing all they could to see their men over the line.

A league win at last, after two managers, 14 games, a World Cup break and 112 long days. It was pandemonium at the final whistle after six long added minutes.

Mick McCarthy will hope it is the first in a second half of the season where every point will count towards Pool maintaining their tenure in the Championship.

His side did enough to keep Stoke at bay and could have even doubled their lead to put the game to bed in the second half.

This result will be looked upon as one of, if not the most important of the season if the Tangerines stay up come the end of the campaign.