Neil Critchley spells out Blackpool hope after 4-0 thumping of Portsmouth

Beaming Blackpool boss Neil Critchley believes his side sent a statement by ending Portsmouth’s incredible 27-game League One unbeaten run. 

Owen Dale came back to haunt his former club as he opened the scoring at Fratton Park Jake Beesley, CJ Hamilton and substitute Albie Morgan grabbed the other goals as 10-man Pompey were knocked off top spot after Bolton’s 7-0 thumping of Exeter.

Skipper Joe Morrell was sent off midway through the second half as Critchley’s Seasiders maintained the pace with their play-off rivals.

“It’s a big result for us coming to a team who is unbeaten and in form at home. You don’t get a tougher game,” insisted Critchley, after a second straight 4-0 win.

“Our intent was to come here and try to win the game and take the game to Portsmouth. I think you saw that with the team selection. I think the aim for anyone playing against Portsmouth was to break that unbeaten run. That’s what we said: ‘at some point that unbeaten run will end, so why not us?’ 

“We’ve gone away from home and competed with the best teams in this division and we’ve done that again. I hope it gives the players belief, it should do. I think the belief has been growing in the group. 

“We had a lot of changes in the summer, it’s a new group and we’ve got a way of playing. Things take time and we’re coming together off the pitch as well as on the pitch and that’s really important. You can feel it on the training ground and I’m a big believer in what you do on the training ground will replicate on the pitch and fortunately that’s happened for us.”

The visitors made a fast start as former Pompey loanee Dale broke the deadlock after just nine minutes - and never looked back. Since the start of October eighth-placed Blackpool have only lost to teams higher than them in the third tier; Derby, Peterborough and Bolton. But they ended that hoodoo as they inflicted a first home defeat on their hosts since March. 

“We got off to a good start, I thought Portsmouth showed their quality in the first half,” reflected Critchley. “You can see the confidence with which they play.

“They caused us some problems, but we had some good moments and caused them some problems. The sending off obviously helps and we’ve gone on to score a few more goals.

“You could say things have slightly gone for us, but I think we’ve deserved that for our intent and for playing with bravery and courage. Little goals and moments have gone our way and that was the difference, but I wouldn’t want to take anything away from the players and our performance because we were excellent.”