Blackpool well beaten by Newcastle United but Championship play-off dreams remain alive - 10 years on from Blackpool's promotion to the Premier League

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be dipping into the archives to bring you STEVE CANAVAN’S Gazette reports from a decade ago on Blackpool’s remarkable journey to the promised land.

Ten years ago, the Seasiders’ four-match winning run ended with a 4-1 defeat at Newcastle United...

Off the pitch, there is a world of difference between Newcastle and Blackpool.

St James’ Park is a quite stunning stadium, so big the Seasiders supporters in the fourth tier of the stand must have felt like they were watching the game from a hot air balloon.

The pitch is magnificent, the press room like a mansion. The media were given a menu ( a menu?) before the game which began with the words ‘ Today’s starter Sweet Potato and Cumin Soup’.

Blimey. I remember going to Chesterfield a few years ago and getting one mince pie, which we had a bite of then passed to the next person.

So, as I say, a big difference off the pitch but Ian Holloway had hoped his players would prove the gulf wasn’t so big on it.

Alas, he was to be disappointed as the Magpies already promoted and clearly in full party mode gave Pool a bit of a footballing lesson and won with ease.

Holloway was disappointed with his players, feeling they hadn’t done themselves justice. He had a point. However, the bottom line is that the Seasiders came up against a side playing great football and quite clearly the best team in the division.

Newcastle possess quality players in every position and there is a good reason why they are on the verge of going through a full season unbeaten at home. So perhaps this defeat, though painful, shouldn’t be too unexpected. And let’s be honest, there wasn’t really too much damage done.

Swansea’s defeat at Bristol City was a huge bonus and means the gap is still only two points.

Granted there’s now a game fewer for Pool to muscle their way into the top six but their superior goal difference over the Swans is important. Swansea know they can’t afford to even draw a game. The pressure is on them.

While it’s not quite advantage, those in tangerine ( they’re two points behind, how could it be?), this defeat certainly hasn’t done any terminal damage.

Mind you, it did make me wonder what life would be like in the Premier League, should Pool pull off the unthinkable and not only make the playoffs but win them.

The excitement before kickoff at being at St James’ Park was tangible. But by half-time and with Pool two down, the thrill was already wearing thin.

It would be the same, would it not, at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and Anfield? After all, football’s only really truly enjoyable when your team is winning. That said, I’d like to find out. The Premier League is where it’s at and even if it was for just one season, it would be lovely to experience it.

But as the manager will tell you, Blackpool will have to play a lot better than they did on Saturday if they are to have serious intentions of making it to the promised land.

For in truth Newcastle didn’t have to do too much to earn their win. I actually thought Holloway’s team played well first half, just conceded two bad goals an Alex Baptiste-Seamus Coleman mix-up in the build-up to the first, a cheap free-kick conceded for the second.

Aside from that the Seasiders looked comfortable and had the majority of the possession. And had DJ Campbell converted after being sent clear by a peach of a pass from Charlie Adam with the contest delicately poised at 10, it could have been a different tale.

Campbell missed though, Newcastle scored again shortly afterwards and then in the second half demonstrated their class by really turning on the style.

Thankfully Pool fought back towards the end and it was nothing more than the brilliant Blackpool fans packed into the ground deserved when Brett Ormerod snatched a consolation.

At least the positive manner in which they ended the game will stand the team in good stead for the next three fixtures.

Holloway made one change from the side which beat Doncaster last Monday, replacing the injured Hameur Bouazza with Ben Burgess. The atmosphere was terrific beforehand, and it was great to see a brass band marching around the pitch just like in the good old days.

Pool didn’t seem overawed by the surroundings. They settled well and created a half chance when Gary TaylorFletcher found space inside the area but snatched at his shot.

Then on 12 minutes (and out of the blue), Newcastle struck. Mind you, it wasn’t half flukey. Baptiste collided with Coleman on the right of the defence, allowing Jonas Gutierrez to sprint into the area.

The winger tried to square the ball but it hit Ian Evatt and went in. Cruel.

On 18 minutes the big moment. Campbell latched onto Adam’s long pass and had two choices shoot past Harper or square to the unmarked Keith Southern.

In the end he did neither, scuffing a shot into Harper’s grateful arms. It wasn’t like Campbell, normally so good in those positions, to waste such a chance. It proved costly as the Magpies increased their advantage nine minutes before the break.

Taylor-Fletcher was adjudged to have fouled Danny Guthrie in a dangerous position on the right of the area. Guthrie delivered the free-kick at pace and Andy Carroll glanced in goal number 17 for the season.

Given the press about Carroll, I wanted to dislike him. But it’s hard not to be impressed with his strength, skill and scoring ability he really looked a fine striker.

Pool seemed shell-shocked and little wonder. They had played some good football throughout the half but found themselves two behind.

Still, if they could play in the same manner after the break then surely they might be able to nick a goal back? But there lay the problem, for the Seasiders just didn’t come out for the second period.

Instead Newcastle steamrollered them. Peter Lovenkrands hit the post with a header. Then Gilks made a terrific double save from Gutierrez and Guthrie, before topping it by somehow keeping out a point-blank range header from Lovenkrands.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest it was reminiscent of Gordon Banks’s stop from Pele in the 1970 World Cup.

But Gilks could do nothing when another Gutierrez run ended with a pass to Kevin Nolan, who was allowed to stroll through aBlackpool defence that suddenly seemed reluctant to tackle before tapping in from about a yard. Bad defending.

Carroll and Lovenkrands squandered clear opportunities before Wayne Routledge rounded off the home side’s scoring for the day, beating Stephen Crainey and Evatt too easily and emphatically hitting the target with an angled drive.

By this time Stephen Dobbie, Ormerod and Barry Bannan were all on as subs. And when Crainey’s dangerous ball into the box five minutes from the end was only half cleared, two of the replacements combined to grab a consolation.

Dobbie’s excellent left-footed drive was parried by Harper and Ormerod knocked in the rebound. Credit to Pool for pushing forward in the final few minutes Campbell glancing a header wide (it wasn’t his day) and Harper out quickly to deny Dobbie.

But there was no doubting the superior team, superior all season in fact. Well done Newcastle, a class side.

For Blackpool it’s a case of forget it and roll on Forest. And quite rightly so.

Defeat was a disappointment but certainly not a disaster, or given the quality of the opposition anything to be ashamed about. Swansea and sixth spot are still very much in the Seasiders sights.