Blackpool cap off shambolic week with Cardiff City horror show as League One beckons

The Seasiders knew they needed three points to give themselves any chance of pulling off the great escape in their final six games of the campaign.

While they started off the game okay, something that has been a common theme of their miserable season, they completely wilted once again after the Bluebirds opened the scoring.

That paved the way for a first-half humiliation where Cardiff, the side Blackpool were aiming to catch, ran in three unanswered goals.

Not only that, chaos ensued off the pitch as fans argued with goalkeeper Chris Maxwell, with others venting their anger towards Mick McCarthy in the dugout.

The Seasiders were dealt a major blow prior to kick-off when news emerged that top goalscorer Jerry Yates wasn’t involved.

The striker, whose absence was unexplained, wasn’t involved in the squad altogether, leaving Pool without a recognised number nine.

Elsewhere, Jordan Thorniley was also left out despite McCarthy saying the defender “should be okay” during the build-up.

It comes after the defender was left out against Preston North End after suffering with a sickness bug the morning of the game.

McCarthy made five changes in total from that 3-1 defeat at Deepdale.

Dom Thompson, Charlie Patino, Sonny Carey, Josh Bowler and Ian Poveda were the five to come into the starting line-up.

Andy Lyons, Kenny Dougall, CJ Hamilton, Keshi Anderson were the four to drop out alongside Yates.

Lewis Fiorini, who was completely left out against Preston, was named among the substitutes.

Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley and Gary Madine all remain sidelined through injury.

After a predictably cagey opening, the first shot in anger came from Blackpool’s Morgan Rogers who was standing in for Yates in attack.

The loanee sprung the offside trap to collect the ball down the left flank before cutting in onto his favoured right foot only to blaze well wide with his powerful drive.

At the other end, the returning Josh Bowler put his side in trouble by conceding possession just outside the box but thankfully Connor Wickham was unable to capitalise, shooting over.

Former Pool keeper Ryan Allsop endured a moment of nervousness when he made a hash of dealing with Charlie Patino’s fizzed cross, but no Blackpool player was unable to take advantage.

The Seasiders continued to look dangerous down their right, as Josh Bowler went close with a powerful drive after a trademark run, but his effort was well blocked.

Cardiff looked decidedly nervy in the early stages but they should have taken the lead in the 17th minute when Connor Wickham somehow prodded wide of goal from close range.

Wickham atoned for the miss with his next change though to give Cardiff the lead in a nightmare moment for the Seasiders.

The striker rose above Curtis Nelson at the back post to meet a deep cross and head past Chris Maxwell, who had threatened to come off his line and deal with the ball in before retreating back to his line.

Words were subsequently exchanged between the goalkeeper and some fans situated behind him in the North Stand, who had briefly chanted the name of Dan Grimshaw.

The goal inevitably knocked Blackpool’s confidence but they didn’t help themselves with some desperate defending as Cardiff looked for a quick second.

They almost got it too when Sory Kaba tried his luck with a powerful drive from the edge of the box but Maxwell got across well to palm clear.

Jaden Philogene was the next Cardiff man to go close with an effort that deflected wide as the atmosphere among the home fans rapidly began to turn sour.

With 10 minutes until the interval, Maxwell produced a superb stop to deny Philogene whose low, drilled shot from the edge of the box looked destined to be heading in, but the under-fire keeper somehow managed to get a strong hand and keep it out.

It counted for little though because the Bluebirds duly doubled their lead when Sory Kaba tapped home after Maxwell couldn’t clear his lines following James Husband’s poor header back.

Two instantly became three as Blackpool were punished for yet more shambolic defending, Joe Ralls this time the man to slot home after the back four failed to clear their lines.

Boos rang out from the home terraces while many supporters headed for the exits. McCarthy was also challenged by a group of angry fans in the dugout as Bloomfield Road descended into chaos.

Despite the first-half horror show, McCarthy opted not to make any changes at the break.

The Seasiders went through the motions but there was no real intent to their play or belief they could pull off an unlikely comeback.

Morgan Rogers did briefly cause some panic among Cardiff’s backline when he got in down the left but his threatening pullback was just about cleared.

Husband could have pulled one back midway through the second period, which was largely a non-event, but he could only head wide from Dom Thompson’s cross.

For the second week running, Blackpool allowed the opposition to hit three before completely taking their foot off the gas to breeze home to full-time.

But just like last weekend’s debacle at Deepdale, Blackpool did grab a late consolation with Josh Bowler slotting home after substitute CJ Hamilton had been denied by the keeper’s legs.

A last-ditch comeback was never realistically on the cards though, despite Blackpool’s best efforts.

Sonny Carey saw an ambitious long-range effort saved, Callum Connolly headed wide from a presentable position and CJ Hamilton was thwarted by Allsop, but they weren’t able to add a second which would at least have made things interesting.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Maxwell, Gabriel, Nelson, Husband, Thompson, Connolly, Patino (Anderson), Carey, Bowler, Poveda (Hamilton), Rogers

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Garbutt, Lyons, Dougall, Fiorini

Cardiff: Allsop, McGuiness, Ng, Kipre, Romeo, Ralls, Sawyers (Rinomhota), Wintle, Philogene (Harris), Wickham (Colwill), Kaba (Davies)

Subs not used: Alnwick, Simpson, Ojo

Referee: Josh Smith

Attendance: 13,462