Brett Ormerod column: Why can't Blackpool claim FA Cup win at Brighton and Hove Albion?

I think Blackpool tend to play better against the better teams because of their footballing style.

They’re playing against a team that likes to get the ball down and pass, and I think that style suits Neil Critchley and his players.

They more than matched West Brom during the 120 minutes the other week and they’re a good side, so I think Blackpool can go there full of confidence.

I’ve played at Brighton’s stadium before and it’s a lovely ground to play at. The pitch should be immaculate.

Blackpool have got nothing to lose, so why can’t they go and cause another upset?

Ellis Simms could make his debut after signing on loan from Everton on Wednesday.

He’s scored quite a few goals for Everton’s Under-23s but it’s about making that step up into men’s football now, which isn’t always easy. So this is a good move for him.

Under-23s football, it’s not league football. When you’re aged 20 you want to get out and test yourself.

Hopefully it’ll work out and it’ll be a good move for both him and Blackpool.

There’s still a week-and-a-bit to go in the transfer window and Critchley and the club will have to assess the injury situation.

Keshi Anderson is out for the season, which is unfortunate, but that’s part and parcel of football as you’re going to get the odd injury here and there.

I’m sure Critchley will size his squad up and realise where he needs to strengthen.

They’ve already got a strong, competitive squad, so hopefully they can kick on and enjoy a strong second half to the season.

It’s a shame the game against Northampton Town was called off in midweek as Blackpool will have been wanting to pick up a win and get some momentum going, but it’s just one of those things.

I fancy Blackpool at home against anyone at the moment.

They’re playing really well at Bloomfield Road, so I’d have backed them to pick up the three points.

I was at the ground on Tuesday, doing some work for the club, and the pitch looked in a pretty bad way at that point – and that was four hours before kick-off.

There was no let-up with the rain and it was forecast for more throughout the night, so I wasn’t that surprised.

It was a very good point for Blackpool against a very good team in Hull City last weekend. It was a good game and I enjoyed commentating on it.

With the form Hull are in – and they beat Accrington on Tuesday night as well – they’re flying in the league and are one of the most in-form teams at home in the league.

So for Blackpool to go there and get a point, I think it’s a fantastic result.

I was actually fuming when Reece Burke got sent off for the foul on Ben Woodburn.

From Hull’s point of view, it’s good defending to get rid of the last man when Woodburn looked as though he was about to stick it away or take it around the keeper.

The Hull man totally wiped him out and you almost felt the free-kick outside the box wasn’t justice enough.

Blackpool deserved to get back in it as they were playing really well at that point.

To be honest, Hull’s goal came against the run of play as Blackpool came out of the traps at the start of the second half and had them pegged in.

Blackpool kept their heads and scored from a corner when Gary Madine struck it towards goal, and it’s ended up falling for Jerry Yates who put it in from two yards.

You take them all day as a centre-forward. They’re the goals you celebrate the most – or at least I did anyway.

Those two-yard tap-ins prove that you’re in form, reading the game well, and you’re there to take advantage.

Sometimes you have to take a gamble on situations.

That’s what Yates did and it’s paid off. They’re the type of goals I loved the most!

To take four points from their two games against Hull is a great return.

They’re going to be there or thereabouts in going for automatic promotion after all.

The draw also helped stop the rot in terms of their recent league results because you don’t want to lose three games in a row.

It also came off the back of a really good performance in the FA Cup against West Brom, so they should have some confidence now ahead of Brighton on Saturday.

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