Five-star display: A look back at the last time Blackpool faced Swansea City at Bloomfield Road

Blackpool 5-1 Swansea City

March 23, 2010

Hands up, who saw that one coming? I can’t see many hands.

Blackpool simply sauntered past the club with the meanest defence in the Championship, playing through their visitors at will.

Swansea hadn’t conceded more than three goals in a game all season. In fact they’ve only conceded three twice, and that was against Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

But they were simply no match for Pool, and this - don’t forget - a Pool side without David Vaughan, DJ Campbell, Stephen Dobbie, Hameur Bouazza and Neal Eardley. Imagine if they were all fit? Ian Holloway would have one heck of a squad.

Pool racked up their best win of the campaign, beating their previous highest score a 4-1 win over Scunthorpe.

But this was so much more impressive, because it came against a Swansea side in fourth position and which has been ridiculously hard to beat all campaign.

It also arrived after what had been a difficult week for the players. In the previous seven days they had lost to West Brom and Sheffield United and laboured to a draw against Crystal Palace.

The start to the Palace match in particular had been dreadful. Here it was very different, with Holloway’s men getting in the faces of their opponents from the off.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s position slightly ahead of the midfield two was a tactical masterstroke. It stopped Swansea getting their pretty passing game going and thus wrestled the initiative away from their confused visitors early on. It was the foundation for victory.

Brett Ormerod, so terrific all evening, showed his intent by kickstarting the evening’s entertainment on 12 minutes.

The determination and desire that has been the hallmark of his career shone through as he won the race with defender Ashley Williams (eight years his junior) to force home the loose ball after Dorus De Vries had saved Billy Clarke’s angled drive.

De Vries, by the way, had been aiming to add to his 22 clean sheets in 38 games. Better luck next time…

Swansea rallied slightly as Pool had a little lull during the half, relying too much on the long ball. The dangerous Nathan Dyer latched onto a superb 60 yard pass from Williams and cut past Stephen Crainey into the area, but Ian Evatt saved the day with a fine block. That’s the kind of commitment the team misses when Evatt isn’t playing.

The key moments came either side of the break. Pool scored a second goal at a perfect moment, in first-half stoppage time.

Clarke deserves great credit for bundling his way past Cedric Van Der Gun on the right flank. Seamus Coleman took over and pulled the ball back to Evatt, who fired in his first goal of 2010, his fourth of the season.

Then four minutes after the interval, Clarke did a couple of Ronaldo-style stepovers before curling a left-footed shot against the inside of the post. The rebound fell perfectly for Ben Burgess to knock in.

Two goals in two games for the big man, great credit to Clarke for the initial skill though.

Swansea boss Paulo Sousa was probably bewildered, not that you’d know it. The guy looks fabulous, like a classier Mourinho. Latin-style good looks, long silvery hair wafting in the breeze; it’s surely a matter of time before he stars in his own L’Oreal commercial … “Because I’m worth it".

A sign of how the contest was going, the Stylish One had made all three of his substitutions by the 59th minute – to no avail though.

De Vries did well to repel Charlie Adam’s thunderous effort but the keeper had no chance with Ormerod’s second of the evening on 67 minutes.

Fed by Coleman, the evergreen 33-year-old cut inside and slammed a left footer into the top corner. A peach of a strike vintage Brett.

“Didn’t know Brazil played in tangerine" remarked one spectator as the Seasiders began to knock it around in gleeful fashion, every pass accompanied by a cheer from the home fans.

The atmosphere, with Pool supporters behind each goal, was top notch all night.

Burgess put a free header over from Coleman’s deep cross before the home side rounded off their scoring for the night with a well worked strike seven minutes from the end.

Barry Bannan combined with fellow substitute Stephen Husband to put Coleman in on the right of the area. The on-loan Everton full back showed speed and strength to get to the ball, then vision and composure to put it on a plate for Taylor-Fletcher six yards out.

Swansea nicked a consolation moments later, Van Der Gunn latching onto Husband’s error and beating Alex Baptiste before nishing nicely past Matt Gilks. Annoying for the keeper and back four to concede but a minor irritation on what was otherwise a truly splendid night.

We can talk about the stats, like it being the first time Pool have scored five goals since beating Charlton at Bloomfield Road in February 2008.

But as satisfying as all that is, the main thing about last night is that Blackpool guaranteed safety and will be a Championship team next term, for a fourth successive season.

To be safe from relegation this early proves they are a much better team than in previous years.

Just how good are they though? That is now the question and it could be quite exciting finding out the answer. The playoffs are four points away. The dream’s back on.

TEAM: Gilks, Coleman, Baptiste, Evatt, Crainey, Southern, Adam (Husband), Clarke (Bannan), Taylor-Fletcher, Ormerod, Burgess (Euell)