Blackpool claimed a 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient to mathematically secure their safety in League One.

Ian Evatt states he won’t be celebrating after Blackpool’s 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient secured their League One status for next season.

Building on their recent strong form, the Seasiders managed to produce another impressive display to get over the line in the relegation battle at the bottom of the third tier - after a disappointing season on the whole.

The latest win came after a Dale Taylor penalty found its way in off Will Dennis during the first half, and while Evatt is pleased with the outcome, his targets are set much higher for the next campaign.

“We just wanted to take care of our own business today, and make sure we weren’t reliant on anyone else,” he said.

“The team is very thread bare again with the amount of injuries and suspensions we’ve got, but the players have dug in.

“I thought we were excellent in the first half, we probably should’ve scored more, and in the second half when we needed to dig in, we dug in. Sometimes you earn a little bit of good luck with hard work and today we did that. We deserved to win the game.

“It’s a strange feeling I’ve got to say. I’m proud of the players and the fans for the atmosphere and the togetherness we have created - through adversity, you build strength and character. We feel very much together.

“However this isn’t a celebration. I can’t celebrate this achievement because it’s not where I want to be as a coach, and it’s not where this club deserves to be.

“I’m we’ve managed to get the results to make sure we’re in League One, but this isn’t what I want for this football club moving forwards. I don’t want to be fighting at this end of the division, we deserve better and demand better.

“We want better but know we’ve got to earn it. Maybe this experience will make it all the more sweeter when we do earn it. We’ll be back in the summer working hard for next season.

“I can’t celebrate this as a success because it’s not. I had a job to do when I came, but this football club deserves more and should be fighting at the other end of the division.

“We’ll enjoy achieving what we’ve achieved, but it certainly won’t be a celebration because the hard work for me starts now.”

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