Jerry Yates bags again as gutsy Blackpool come from behind to beat Coventry City

The Seasiders delivered one of their best displays of the season at the CBS Arena, creating numerous chances during another enthralling encounter.

Michael Appleton’s side squandered numerous chances early on before the hosts edged their noses in front courtesy of Kasey Palmer.

But Gary Madine, the main guilty party in the first-half, atoned with a clever header to equalise before the in-form Jerry Yates scored his seventh goal in his last five games to hand Blackpool the win.

The Seasiders, who have now lost just one of their last six, move up to 15th, five points clear of today’s opponents in 22nd.

Unsurprisingly, Appleton sprung no surprises with his team selection.

Pool’s head coach was forced into making just one change to his side from last week’s 4-2 derby win against Preston North End.

Liam Bridcutt was the man to drop out after hobbling off with a hamstring strain during the first-half against Ryan Lowe’s side.

Sonny Carey, who impressed in his place off the bench, was rewarded with a start at the CBS Arena as the Seasiders looked to make it two wins from two.

Elsewhere, Jordan Thorniley and James Husband were both fit to start once again despite hobbling off with cramp/stiffness against PNE last week.

Shayne Lavery served the third and final match of his three-game ban, meaning he will be available for the trip to West Brom on Tuesday night.

Jordan Gabriel (knee), Kevin Stewart (fractured foot and calf), Lewis Fiorini (hamstring) Keshi Anderson (quad) and Jake Beesley (also a fractured foot) all remain sidelined.

With Bridcutt now out and Lavery still banned, this meant Pool were without seven first-team players.

The Seasiders almost made the perfect start when, after just 70 seconds, Gary Madine side footed wide from inside the six-yard box after being picked out by Sonny Carey.

Five minutes in, Madine squandered another priceless early chance after being played in, only to delay this shot - eventually attempting to chip keeper Ben Wilson who managed to smother it behind for a corner.

The Seasiders looked to have a good shout for a penalty turned down from the resulting cross, as Jerry Yates nipped ahead of a Coventry defender to reach Kenny Dougall’s short corner. Yates was brought down as he took the ball past his opponent but the referee waved away the admittedly muted appeals, suggesting there was minimal if any contact.

Unbelievably, Madine missed a THIRD gilt-edged chance to give Blackpool an early lead when he somehow failed to hit the target from inside the six-yard box.

It was a lovely, teasing ball in from the unlikely source of Jordan Thorniley to find him, but again Madine was a little hesitant before eventually looping the ball onto the top of the Coventry net.

The hosts threatened for the first time down their right flank but thankfully for Pool Marvin Ekpiteta was alert to make the block at the near post and see off the danger.

Pool countered well from the resulting corner, finding the lively Sonny Carey who engineered some space for himself by cutting onto his stronger right foot before beating the keeper at his near post, only to see his shot rebound off the post.

The Sky Blues continued to look so nervous at the back, yet somehow the Seasiders couldn’t capitalise - because otherwise they would have deservedly held a two or three-goal lead.

The game entered into a bit of a lull at this stage, but Blackpool remained comfortable both in and out of possession despite the lack of chances.

Saying that, the visitors were given a big let-off 10 minutes before the interval when O’Hare got beyond Ekpiteta before slipping the ball back to Kasey Palmer, who fired over from point-blank range.

Pool saw a second penalty appeal waved away when Madine came together with Kyle McFadzean in the box, with both men going to ground. But referee Darren Bond decided in Coventry’s favour.

Two minutes later, after missing all those early chances, the Seasiders would find themselves behind.

To Coventry’s credit, it was a goal of real quality as Gustavo Hamer picked out O’Hare who immediately flicked the ball into Palmer on the edge of the box.

The forward nutmegged Jordan Thorniley with his first touch before slipping the ball past Maxwell with his second.

But, once again, it was an example of what will happen in the Championship if you don’t take your chances.

The half ended in controversy with Pool thinking they had grabbed an equaliser when Madine’s header trickled its way into the bottom corner.

But after a good 10 seconds or so, the linesman belatedly raised his flag, assuming CJ Hamilton added a touch in an offside position near the line.

The second-half began exactly as how the first did, with Blackpool missing another big chance.

This time Madine was the creator as he lofted the ball over to the unmarked Yates. But the forward, playing on the right wing, opted to cut inside onto his weaker left foot where he then unleashed a low shot into the side netting.

Eight minutes into the second 45, Blackpool finally got what they deserved as they drew themselves level.

It had to be Madine as well, didn’t it? The striker atoned for his earlier misses by glancing a lovely, deft header beyond the keeper after meeting James Husband’s left-wing cross.

The Seasiders, now buoyant and full of confidence, almost immediately went ahead as Callum Connolly arrived late in the box to side foot wastefully over.

By the same token, Coventry came within inches of restoring their lead as the game began to open up, with Jamie Allen side footing just wide with a first-time volley, with Maxwell beaten.

Having been incessantly on the front foot since the restart, the Seasiders were guilty of dropping off a yard or two after getting back on level terms.

That only invited pressure from the home side, who came close through Todd Kane who hit the stanchion after being given too much space to shoot.

O’Hare would then go close for the hosts after a quickly worked free-kick found its way to the diminutive attacking midfielder, who beat Maxwell with his powerful effort only to fire just wide.

At the other end, Hamilton teed the ball up to Yates who opted to once again take a touch when the chance was begging to be hit first time. The in-form forward still managed to get an effort away but it was blocked behind for a corner, which found its way to Connolly who headed wide.

Both sides continued to create good chances, Pool again going close through Carey who steered wide at the near post after reaching Connolly’s pullback on the overlap.

With just 11 minutes remaining, Pool - and Hamilton in particular - were given a major let-off when the winger went to sleep at the back post. The ball rolled for Viktor Gyokeres as a result but fortunately for the Seasiders his shot was straight at Maxwell.

That would prove to be a pivotal moment in the game because just 60 seconds later Blackpool would edge their noses in front.

It came via another left wing cross, only this time from Hamilton, who picked out Yates at the back post who headed the ball back where it came from and into the far corner to send the visiting Pool fans into raptures.

The visitors managed the remainder of the game relatively well, although Coventry did inevitably pile on the pressure towards the end.

But Appleton’s men held firm to make it consecutive wins, but more importantly moving clear of the bottom three with five points now separating them and the Sky Blues ahead of another big game against bottom side West Brom on Tuesday night.

TEAMS

Coventry: Wilson, Panzo, Doyle, McFadzean, Hamer, Kane, Bidwell (Burroughs), Sheaf, O’Hare, Allen (Walker), Palmer (Gyokeres)

Subs not used: Moore, Rose, Reid, Howley

Blackpool: Maxwell, Connolly, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Husband, Dougall, Patino, Carey, Hamilton, Yates, Madine

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Thompson, Williams, Ward, Wright, Poveda, Corbeanu

Referee: Darren Bond

Attendance: 18,924