Barnsley might not be a League One side just yet, but Blackpool looked leagues ahead

Blackpool’s strength in depth was there for all to see at Oakwell as Neil Critchley’s men breezed past an admittedly rotten Barnsley side to win on a Tuesday night for the first time this season.

You still have to beat what’s in front of you though and the Seasiders did exactly that thanks to a thoroughly professional display.

It would be a little harsh to describe this victory as “easy”, but it was certainly comfortable. Once the first goal went in the win was in little doubt. The Seasiders were in complete control throughout.

It’s too easy and frankly lazy to claim sides with nothing to play for at this stage of the season are “on the beach”. But if that description exists, it certainly can’t be labelled at Blackpool.

Regardless of results, Critchley’s side have been in every game and look as hungry as they did only a few weeks ago when they still had a slim chance of making the play-offs.

After a run of five games without a win, the Seasiders have now turned the corner with two wins in three and seven points from nine.

It takes them up to 60 points, an impressive milestone with two games still remaining in their first season back in the Championship.

More significantly, perhaps, for the supporters at least, it also takes them above Preston North End in the league table with only 180 minutes of football to be played.

The top half of the table is now within reach, Blackpool are only a point off 12th place. If that’s not considered a huge success for a club promoted via the League One play-offs last season, then I don’t know what it is.

The remaining fixtures also look kind, with Pool now facing the other two sides to already have been relegated alongside Barnsley.

If Derby County and Peterborough United produce a display anything as weak as Barnsley did, then it ought to be two routine wins and a 66-point finish.

It’s always hard in these instances to criticise the opposition because you don’t want to take any shine off Blackpool’s performance. So I won’t.

The visitors did what they had to do and did it comfortably. On another day the scoreline could easily have been higher.

Critchley and his staff won’t be getting carried away though, they’ll know there were still instances of frustration.

While some of Blackpool’s football was excellent in terms of working the ball into space, once again that final moment, the killer touch, the accurate ball across the face of the six-yard boss, a clinical finish - whatever it might have been - was too often found wanting.

That’s nothing new though, Critchley has known for some time now that it’s something the club will need to address this summer.

To be fair, it was a real moment of quality from Owen Dale that saw Blackpool open the scoring during the first-half.

Latching onto a lovely through-ball from Jake Beesley, who impressed again, Dale - on a rare start in the side - showed composure and neat trickery to cut inside with his heel before picking out the far corner of the net. It was a fabulous goal.

For the second, which came 20 minutes into the second-half, the colossal Marvin Ekpiteta did well to head Kenny Dougall’s lofted free-kick into the danger area where Oliver Casey - starting in the league for only the second time since joining the club - stabbed home from close range.

It capped off an impressive night for the centre-back, who capitalised on a rare opportunity to show what he can do.

It will have helped playing alongside Ekpiteta for sure, because the 26-year-old was head and shoulders above Barnsley’s frontline. At times it was like watching a man taking the ball off a group of small children, it didn’t seem quite fair.

Critchley spoke post-match about the difficulties in preparing for this game given Barnsley’s relegation had already been confirmed and, on the eve of the match, the Tykes parted ways with their manager.

Under-23s coach Martin Devaney has taken interim charge and inevitably changed some personnel as well as the system, so it was tricky to predict what sort of Barnsley we would get.

Ultimately, it was a poor one. After all, they’re bottom of the table with only six wins to their name for a reason.

But there’s still a job to be done and Blackpool looked leagues ahead from the very first kick - and that’s with some of their key first-teamers not even making the trip to Yorkshire.

Seeing Keogh, Anderson and Madine being rested makes a lot of sense. Keogh has only just returned from injury and, at 35, might struggle to play three games in a week. He’ll also be wanting to keep himself as fresh as possible for Saturday’s clash against his former side Derby.

Keshi’s in the same boat of only just returning from a lengthy lay-off and the two games of playing in central midfield will have taken a lot out of him physically.

As for Madine, it’s frankly bonkers how many games he’s played since returning from his groin problems. With Jake Beesley’s recent emergence, it will have done the striker no harm either to put the feet up.

But for Bowler to be completely left out was a curious one. He didn’t start at Luton on Saturday and only played 20 odd minutes off the bench. He’s only started one of the last five as well.

It’s easy to speculate and put two and two together given his contract situation and the likelihood of him leaving this summer, but it will be fascinating to see if he’s involved against Derby at the weekend.