Neil Critchley lauds Blackpool's 'best performance of the season' in deserved victory against Portsmouth

Keshi Anderson struck in the second-half to hand the Seasiders a 1-0 win at Bloomfield Road, their seventh victory from their last eight games.

The margin of victory ought to have been greater given Blackpool’s dominance, but nevertheless Critchley was delighted with how his players performed from start to finish.

“I thought we were outstanding,” Pool’s head coach said.

“They were unbeaten away from home in the league and that was the challenge before the game.

“We went to Peterborough who were unbeaten at home and beat them and Portsmouth were unbeaten away from home and we’ve beaten them and deservedly so too.

“Every single player on the pitch made a huge contribution, both in and out of possession.

“We knew we had to be at our best but I thought we were at our best. With the standard of opposition, I’d have to say that was our best performance of the season.

“I didn’t think at any stage of the game we were in danger or trouble. Some of our football, our possession, our pressing, our organisation and winning the ball back - from the first minute to the last that’s as well as we’ve played.

“Being a bit greedier, I think we could have scored one or two more.”

Blackpool’s goal was a fitting way to win the game, as Anderson swept home to finish off a flowing counter-attacking move.

It saw CJ Hamilton being set free down the right, pulling the ball back into the centre where Jerry Yates dummied, allowing Anderson to fire home Blackpool’s winner.

“It was a magnificent goal to win the game,” Critchley said.

“You know when you’re playing against Portsmouth you’re going to have to produce a moment of quality.

“In the first-half we had lots of good opportunities in and around the box to either shoot or make that final pass and we failed.

“You have to give credit to them with the way they defend and put bodies on the line and block things. So you really have to work hard to score your goal.

“It was a fantastic break, a lovely ball from CJ and Jerry shows really good awareness and appreciation of people around him to let it go and Keshi has arrived from a deeper position and tucked it in really well.

“It was a fantastic goal.”

It was a big call from Critchley to drop Gary Madine, who had been in fine form, for Anderson, but it was a tactical change that paid off for the Seasiders.

“I’ve been asked previously about Jerry and Gary and we always say we pick the team that will cause the opposition the most problems,” Critchley said.

“We thought that tactical switch would give them an issue in the middle of the pitch to overload them so we could control the game and give their centre-halves something to worry about with pace, energy and movement.

“Keshi arriving to score the winning goal was fitting.”

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