Extra-special reason for Blackpool to beat Peterborough

With none of tonight’s other League One games involving teams above them, a win for Blackpool against second-placed Posh will see Neil Critchley’s side climb into the play-off zone for the first time this season.

It comes after Saturday’s 2-0 win at Oxford United, their fourth away victory on the spin, moved Blackpool into the top 10 for the first time since beating Swindon Town in their second game of the season back in September.

While Critchley insists he is yet to look at the league table, he has been informed of the significance of three points against Darren Ferguson’s side for Pool’s play-off ambitions.

The head coach said: “Someone said to me straight after the game on Saturday that because other teams don’t play on Tuesday we can go into the top six with a win.

“I still haven’t looked at the table but at least I know where we’ll be on Tuesday night if we win!

“I think psychologically it would be a boost. It’s an incentive to know you can go into the top six if you win a home game.

“But not to be pessimistic, it’s not make or break, it’s not a cup final, it’s not like we have to win to get promoted or avoid relegation.

“There are plenty of games to go after this one. Yes, it’s an important game and there’s an incentive for us because we want to win and get into the top six, but we know after this game there are plenty of points left to play for.

“We’re right there, though. We’re not far away.

“It’s not like we’re nine points off with three games to go or something like that.”

Critchley has previously said he will look at the table at some point, though he remains unsure exactly when.

“I don’t know when I’ll look, soon maybe,” he added.

“I won’t need to look after Tuesday night if we win because I’ll know where we are, but I’ll definitely look before the end of the season.

“I’ll definitely need to know at some point because the mathematics certainly play a part at some stage of the season. It’s not quite at that stage yet but we’re getting closer to it.”

The depleted Seasiders, who are currently without eight key first-team players, could also complete a league double over Peterborough, having claimed a 2-1 win at London Road in November.

Critchley added: “Our performance that day was very, very good against a very good team.

“I know they lost to Hull recently at home, but that was only after going down to 10 men after 40 minutes, and I think it was 1-1 at that point. Before that we were the only team to have beaten them at home.

“I watched that game against Hull and Peterborough were by far the better team in the first 20 to 25 minutes. They were 1-0 up and it could easily have been two or three.

“That was one of our better performances this season. It’s going to take something like that again to beat them tonight.”

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