Blackpool 3-1 Bristol City: CJ Hamilton and Josh Bowler star as Seasiders breeze to third straight home win

Rampant Blackpool breezed to their third consecutive home win thanks to an emphatic display against Bristol City.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
Read More
Blackpool v Bristol City: Live match updates from Bloomfield Road

Goals from CJ Hamilton, Gary Madine and Josh Bowler mean Neil Critchley’s side remain unbeaten in the league in 2022.

The Seasiders, who move up to 40 points for the season, are now only five points off the play-offs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While this game remained fairly even for the first half an hour or so, the result never looked in doubt once Pool got their noses in front - which they did courtesy of Hamilton’s first goal in 14 months.

Such was the comfortable nature of Blackpool’s victory, it’s only the second time they have scored more than two goals in a league game this season.

The main source of Blackpool’s joy came on the flanks, where Bowler and Hamilton were in electric form once again.

There was a surprise absence in the Blackpool side in the form of Marvin Ekpiteta when the team sheets were released.

CJ Hamilton, scoring for the first time in 14 months, made the breakthrough for BlackpoolCJ Hamilton, scoring for the first time in 14 months, made the breakthrough for Blackpool
CJ Hamilton, scoring for the first time in 14 months, made the breakthrough for Blackpool
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The reason for the captain’s absence has not yet been explained, but during the week Critchley did suggest there were some “bumps and bruises” among his squad following last week’s draw against Fulham.

It’s the first league game Ekpiteta has not been involved in since mid-August.

Ekpiteta’s absence meant Jordan Thorniley kept his place in the side, although the Seasiders did revert to a back four having lined up in a 5-4-1 system at Craven Cottage last time out.

Richard Keogh captained the side with Ekpiteta and Chris Maxwell both on the sidelines.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jerry Yates and Gary Madine, meanwhile, came into the starting line-up, as Shayne Lavery made way and dropped to the bench.

Kevin Stewart missed out having only just returned from international duty with Jamaica on Friday afternoon.

Reece James was also not risked, despite recovering from a lengthy spell on the sidelines as a result of a hamstring injury, which meant Dujon Sterling continued to fill in at left-back.

Chris Maxwell (quad), Luke Garbutt (knee), James Husband (hamstring), Matty Virtue (ACL), Grant Ward (achilles), Sonny Carey (metatarsal) and Keshi Anderson (hamstring) also remain sidelined.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bristol City, meanwhile, named an unchanged side from their last outing, which was the 2-2 draw to Preston North End.

The Robins began the day directly behind Blackpool in the league table, three points adrift having played a game more.

The Seasiders almost got off to a flying start, coming close to taking the lead inside the first 100 seconds of the game.

It followed an excellent run from CJ Hamilton, who used his pace to get from back to front in a matter of seconds before pulling the ball back into the path of Jerry Yates, who immediately teed up Josh Bowler whose low shot was well held by Max O’Leary.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His opposing number Dan Grimshaw was called into action in the 13th minute to get two strong hands to Antoine Semenyo’s near post effort after the visitors had forced their way through Pool’s press.

At the other end, Josh Bowler - the subject of intense speculation on deadline day - clipped a corner up for Kenny Dougall, who fired a first-time volley over the bar.

Pool continued to see plenty of success down both flanks thanks to Hamilton and Bowler, while Dujon Sterling and Jordan Gabriel also provided able support.

The latter did well to overlap down the right before driving a cross/shot towards the Bristol City goal which O’Leary was forced to tip over.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hamilton fired in another tricky ball in from the left, which was just a little too far ahead of Gary Madine who was sliding in at the back post.

Blackpool maintained their pressure and got their reward 10 minutes before the interval when Hamilton capped off his impressive display with the game’s opening goal.

The winger, scoring for the first time since December 2020, had the simple task of tapping home after Yates had unselfishly headed Gabriel’s dangerous deep cross back across the face of goal.

Hamilton almost added a second within a minute of his first, only to be denied by the legs of the goalkeeper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But a second did come from the resulting corner as Madine emphatically headed home despite the desperate attempts of a defender to keep the ball in play, appearing to use his arm.

Barely three minutes into the second-half, Blackpool made it three.

The goal was finished off with aplomb by Bowler, scoring for the second game running, but it owed a lot to Kenny Dougall’s wonderful raking ball to spring the offside trap.

Bowler took it down with ease before turning his man inside out and picking out the bottom corner, sending the keeper the wrong way in the process.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The visitors ought to have reduced the deficit when they picked out Alex Scott in acres of space, but his eventual shot was a weak one and Grimshaw saved with relative ease.

Such was Blackpool’s dominance at this point, and they were absolutely rampant, they had the luxury of being able to bring off their best two players in Bowler and Hamilton, who were both given rousing receptions as they left the field.

Replacing them were Owen Dale and Charlie Kirk, who was given his Blackpool debut after signing on loan from Charlton last month.

The visitors could have made things a little awkward when they missed a chance to make it 3-1 when Semenyo fired into the side netting, but otherwise Blackpool cruised to the final whistle.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Such was Bristol City’s misery, their supporters turned to comedy as they celebrated a harmless 25-yard free-kick which was straight at Grimshaw.

The only real drama came 10 minutes from time when the referee flashed three yellow cards following a small melee by the touchline involving Madine and Joe Williams.

Semenyo was also booked for blatantly shoving Yates as he came to the aid of his strike partner.

Critchley used his common sense by immediately withdrawing Madine for Beesley, who was also handed his debut off the bench.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Unfortunately Blackpool’s day ended on a slight sour note, as the visitors grabbed a late consolation through substitute Nakhi Wells, who tapped home to ruin Grimshaw’s clean sheet.

But the damage had already been done by then and the three points had already been long secured for Pool - who head to Coventry City on Tuesday night.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Grimshaw, Gabriel, Keogh, Thorniley, Sterling, Connolly, Dougall, Bowler (Dale), Hamilton (Kirk), Yates, Madine (Beesley)

Subs not used: Moore, Casey, Robson, Lavery

Bristol City: O'Leary, Kalas, Klose, Pring, Dasilva, Scott, Massengo, O'Dowda (Williams), Weimann (Wells), Semenyo, Martin

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Subs not used: Wiles-Richards, Vyner, Benarous, Bell, Conway

Referee: James Linington

Attendance: 11,026

​Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here