Portsmouth v Blackpool: Fratton Park record comes crashing down on hosts as Seasiders put on a show

Wiping the floor with one of the so-called minnows of League One on your own patch is one thing. Doing the same against the team who began the weekend top of the division on their soil is quite another. 

This was the clearest indication yet that Blackpool’s slow start to the season is well and truly behind them and an immediate return to the Championship cannot be counted out. Goals from Owen Dale, Jake Beesley, CJ Hamilton and substitute Albie Morgan delivered a fantastic result at Fratton Park against a Portsmouth team unbeaten in their previous 27 league fixtures - a run that extended to almost nine months. 

The sending-off of Pompey captain Joe Morrell should not mask what an outstanding performance this was from the Seasiders – it’s almost unfair that it wasn’t enough to lift them into the play-off places. 

Not surprisingly, Neil Critchley named an unchanged side following last Saturday’s biggest win of the season so far, against Shrewsbury. They started confidently enough and it was no more than Blackpool deserved when they went ahead in the ninth minute when Hamilton got in behind down the right and pulled the ball across the six-yard box. Dale may not have met it cleanly, but he got enough contact on the ball to ensure Pompey goalkeeper Will Norris couldn’t get across in time to prevent him striking against his former club. 

Portsmouth worked their way into the game and their first clear chance came when Abu Kamara slid the ball through for debutant Josh Martin, but Dan Grimshaw came off his line to make a good save. The keeper then had to be his sharpest to prevent an own goal from Marvin Ekpiteta when the centre-back inadvertently met Jack Sparkes’ cross, but his team-mate saved well again. 

Grimshaw's heroics meant Blackpool's lead was retained into half-time - one which Beesley doubled after 56 minutes, even if there was some luck involved in more ways than one. Karamoko Dembele went for goal from the edge of the area and the ball went in off Beesley, who knew little about it and, it must be said, looked suspiciously offside. 

If Portsmouth felt aggrieved by that, they had little argument when Morrell was sent off for a second yellow card in the 64th minute following a poor tackle on Dembele. 

Now against 10 men, Blackpool went in for the kill and ought to have had a third when Hamilton’s low cross ran for the unattended Dale, who was denied a second on his former stomping ground by Norris. Kenny Dougall then sent a brilliant effort with the outside of his right foot from outside the area narrowly over. 

Still the visitors pressed, and it was game over after 74 minutes when Hamilton’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected in to give him the goal his performance deserved. It just kept getting better as two substitutes combined to ensure it was four for a second week running when Morgan struck a crisp drive from Kyle Joseph’s lay-off with three minutes left.