Jerry Yates magic fires Blackpool back to winning ways against hapless Watford

The striker, playing virtually as a wing-back for the entirety of the second-half, bagged two high quality goals in the final 10 minutes to earn Blackpool their first win in five.

It was a thoroughly deserved victory for Michael Appleton’s side as well, as they showed guts, heart and desire to stay in the game during a difficult first-half.

But in the second period they were by far the better side and finally got their rewards late on through the sublime Yates.

Gary Madine had previously given Blackpool an early lead after just 10 minutes with a cute lob, an opener that was cancelled out by Imran Louza’s sublime free-kick.

Appleton handed a first start to Sonny Carey since mid-August as he made two changes to the Blackpool side.

The 21-year-old replaced Kenny Dougall in midfield, preferred to Liam Bridcutt who remained on the bench.

It was the midfielder’s first start since the defeat to Swansea City on August 13.

Dougall missed out with a one-game suspension after picking up his fifth booking of the season during Tuesday night’s stalemate against Sunderland.

Elsewhere, Theo Corbeanu returned to the side in place of Shayne Lavery, who dropped back down to the bench.

With EIGHT players unavailable, Appleton named youngster Tayt Trusty amongst the substitutes.

Rhys Williams (shin), Jordan Gabriel (knee), James Husband (calf), Kevin Stewart (calf and fractured foot), Lewis Fiorini (hamstring) Keshi Anderson (quad) and Jake Beesley (fractured foot) all remain sidelined through injury.

After an even start, both sides exchanged good shooting opportunities from outside the box in the fifth minute.

The first fell to Watford, but Chris Maxwell was equal to Imran Louza’s low effort, before Callum Wright curled narrowly wide at the other end after the Seasiders pounced on a poor pass.

The Seasiders have started games well on plenty of occasions in previous weeks, but have been unable to capitalise on their bright starts.

They finally put things right on this occasion though, opening the scoring in the 10th minute through Gary Madine’s first goal of the season.

It was a cute finish from the striker, which owed a great deal to Dom Thompson’s raking crossfield ball which was headed into the unmarked Madine by Callum Connolly.

Madine took a touch to settle himself before beating the keeper with a clever lob, despite Daniel Bachmann getting a fingertip.

Blackpool had to put their bodies on the line as Watford responded well to the setback, putting the home side under plenty of pressure.

But saying that, Appleton’s men wasted a good chance to add a second just five minutes after edging ahead when Bachmann denied Jerry Yates.

It came after the Seasiders broke at speed from a defensive corner, unleashing Jerry Yates down the left who cut inside onto his stronger right foot before seeing his curling effort well saved.

Watford concentrated the vast majority of their attacking play down their left flank in the early stages, with Theo Corbeanu struggling to track back and do his defensive work.

Appleton responded quickly by switching Jerry Yates from the left to help shore things up.

Despite the tactical change, Bilic’s men still posed more than a threat down that side of the pitch and they ought to have levelled via that route.

Left winger Ken Sema put the ball on a plate for forward Ismaila Sarr following a crossfield ball, but Sarr fluffed his lines in front of the North Stand much to Blackpool’s relief.

Nevertheless, the away side were taking control of the game at this point and Blackpool were having to do plenty of defending.

There wasn’t a great deal they could do though to stop Watford from equalising just before the half-hour mark.

It was a beautiful free-kick from the angle which got the Hornets back on level terms, as Imran Louza curled a delicious set piece into the top corner of Chris Maxwell’s goal.

It was one-way traffic from this point until half-time, as Watford took control of the game and had Blackpool camped in their own half.

Five minutes before the break, they almost capitalised on their dominance as Vakoun Bayo poked just wide of the upright after beating Maxwell to a ball in behind.

Against the odds, Blackpool wasted a golden chance to restore their lead in first-half stoppage-time when Sonny Carey inexplicably drilled wide of goal after running onto Madine’s clever flick on.

It proved to be Carey’s last action of the game as he was replaced by debutant Liam Bridcutt at the interval as Appleton brought on some much-needed physicality.

Blackpool almost repeated their trick from the first-half as they went agonisingly close to edging ahead early into the second-half.

The move began with a real bit of quality from Madine, who set Charlie Patino free with a silky backheel. Patino immediately switched play to Corbeanu who cut inside from the left before firing inches wide of Bachmann’s upright.

Bridcutt was already having an influence on the game at this point, adding some bite and helping the Seasiders push further up the pitch.

It resulted in some good chances for Blackpool, as Madine’s header deflected wide and Corbeanu had a low effort saved by Bachmann at his near post.

Nevertheless, Blackpool were having to put in a real shift out of possession, but they looked a lot more rigid and structured than they did in the first-half, where they were a little too easy to play through at times.

Such was Watford’s strength down their left, Yates was effectively having to play as a wing-back to deal with Hassane Kamara.

Blackpool rallied again though, forcing Bachmann into two big saves 20 minutes from time.

Madine almost headed Blackpool back in front when he met Connolly’s swinging right-wing cross, only for Bachmann to beat his effort away.

From the resulting corner, Bachmann was again there to deny Jordan Thorniley’s headed effort before the Seasiders somehow failed to force the ball over the line from the ensuing goalmouth scramble.

The hosts continued to look the more likely as they continuously banged at the door, but you always felt Watford might get a late chance on the break.

It wasn’t Watford who stole a late winner though, it was Blackpool and boy they deserved it.

A deep cross in from the left was dispatched emphatically by Yates with a first-time volley on his weaker left foot, this time giving Bachmann no chance whatsoever.

Confidence soon came flowing back as 2-1 soon became 3-1, as Yates completed a quickfire double with yet another high quality solo effort.

The striker, playing out wide, twisted and turned his markers not once, not twice but three times before beating Bachmann with another emphatic effort.

It sparked wild scenes of jubilation inside Bloomfield Road, with both sets of supporters ironically aiming a song of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” towards Bilic in the Watford dugout.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Maxwell, Connolly, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Thompson, Patino, Wright, Carey (Bridcutt), Corbeanu (Lavery), Yates, Madine (Hamilton)

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Garbutt, Trusty, Poveda

Watford: Bachmann, Troost-Ekong, Louza, Sema (Asprilla), Kamara, Gosling (Sierralta), Choudhury, Bayo (Davis), Kabasele, Kayembe (Dele-Bashiru), Sarr

Subs not used: Okoye, Hungbo, Morris

Referee: Bobby Madley

Attendance: 11,567