Blackpool player ratings from Bristol Rovers win with lively 8 and several 7s

Blackpool got back to winning ways in League One as they defeated Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.

An own goal from Bryant Bilongo and a penalty dispatched by Lee Evans got Blackpool their first league win in nine attempts. The win moves them up three places from 16th to 19th.

Blackpool had the first real sight on goal. Rob Apter won a free-kick off of Isaac Hutchinson from about 30 yards out. Elliot Embleton stepped forward to take the resulting set piece, but his effort took a deflection to go out for a corner kick. It was drifted in by Apter, but Olly Casey couldn't get a strong enough header away and Josh Griffiths easily gathered the ball.

Rovers had the best chance of the two sides as Bilongo lofted in a cross to Shaq Forde, which forced Harry Tyrer to block with his legs. Hutchinson tried to score on the rebound but the linesman's flag went up to penalise them for an offside.

A good chance presented itself to the visitors. Embleton swung in a cross which was directed to Dom Ballard, but he was able to touch it down for Norburn to test Griffiths. The former Rovers man shot straight at the goalkeeper with a low but powerful effort.

Blackpool took the lead with Bilongo adjudged to have turned the ball in to his own net, though Ballard has a claim for the goal too. James Wilson was harshly penalised for a foul on Kyle Joseph on the far side. Embleton whipped his free-kick into the box and Husband directed the ball forward with a header and it deflected off of Bilongo but Ballard was near him on the goal line.

The opening goal took the sting out of the hosts' step. Blackpool pushed for a second but Embleton fired over the bar from outside the box after finding some space. Ballard had a half opportunity just before half-time as he shinned the ball over the bar from a long throw from Evans.

Blackpool did enough to get into the break with a one-goal lead. Tyrer clawed away Forde's corner kick. The visitors cleared the ball away and the half-time whistle soon sounded.

The visitors almost doubled their lead as Rob Apter forced a save from Griffiths with a tight angled shot. Rovers failed to clear from that attacking phase and Blackpool earned a penalty. James Wilson was penalised for a handball when blocking Lee Evans' shot.

Up stepped Evans for Blackpool's first league penalty of the season, and he powered it home past the goalkeeper. Evans wheeled away, celebrating in front of the travelling supporters who shared their joy with him.

A drilled left-footed shot from Apter forced a save out of Griffiths, and Ballard should have put the game beyond any reasonable doubt but his tame rebounded shot was saved by Griffiths, atoning for spilling the first effort.

Dominic Thompson and Ashley Fletcher were brought on in the place of Kyle Joseph and Dom Ballard. With less than 10 minutes to go, Jordan Rhodes and Josh Onomah came on for Apter and Embleton. In stoppage time, Fletcher supplied Rhodes with a pass for a shot but Griffiths saved.

The last chance of the game came from Gatlin O'Donkor who headed over the bar. Blackpool cleared the ball up the pitch and then came the delightful sound of the full-time whistle as Blackpool tasted their first league win in almost two months.