Blackpool’s Ryan Edwards hopes to capitalise upon Curtis Tilt’s absence against Peterborough United

Ryan Edwards hopes to give Blackpool boss Simon Grayson a headache if chosen for the Seasiders’ game against Peterborough United this afternoon.
Blackpool defender Ryan EdwardsBlackpool defender Ryan Edwards
Blackpool defender Ryan Edwards

Curtis Tilt’s one-match suspension for his red card at Burton Albion means Edwards is set for his first league start since September’s draw at Accrington Stanley.

It could not be a more daunting prospect for the 26-year-old if he is chosen alongside Ben Heneghan in the centre of defence.

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Peterborough come to Bloomfield Road as the highest scorers in the country with 36 goals in 15 League One matches – twice as many as Blackpool’s tally of 18.

Strikers Mo Eisa and Ivan Toney head the division’s scoring chart with 11 each, while team-mate Marcus Maddison has chipped in with another eight.

“We have to be solid defensively,” Edwards said.

“They look to get forward, especially from full-back as well, and they like to get the ball forward to the two lads up front as quickly as possible.

“We know what we have to do, we know how we’re going to set up and we have to stick to that gameplan of how we can hurt them.

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“The first thing you have to do is win your individual battles to have any chance of winning the game.

“Peterborough are a threat but we’re a threat.

“If we take care of where we are threats, there’s no reason why we can’t get three points.”

Edwards had been a regular starter in the early part of the season, featuring in Blackpool’s first 10 league games.

However, he was left out of the starting XI after the game at Accrington with Grayson deciding on a central defensive duo of Tilt and Heneghan.

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Other than an EFL Trophy outing at Carlisle United in mid-October and half-an-hour off the bench at Burton last week, Edwards has had to bide his time of late.

He said: “I’ve been out of the team for a bit and I’ve had to be patient.

“The manager spoke to me regularly throughout but you can’t sulk about it, you’ve got to get on with it, get behind the lads and it’s my chance to come back in.

“If someone goes down injured, you’ve got someone to come in and do just as good a job.

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“If anyone wants to kick on in any division, that (subs) bench is massive.

“Injuries happen in football; it’s a long season, it’s a demanding, tough season, and people need to be ready to step in when called upon.”