Norwich City condemn Blackpool to third straight defeat as Dom Thompson's error proves costly

The Seasiders tested the promotion favourites and ran them all the way, but ultimately they were left to rue a horror moment from Dom Thompson.

It was the left-back’s dreadful mistake that gifted Norwich their goal, inexplicably passing the ball straight to Pukki who took full advantage by slotting past the returning Chris Maxwell.

Prior to that moment, Michael Appleton’s side had been excellent, but - as has often been the case this season – they were unable to convert their pressure into goals.

Blackpool rallied once again in the second-half but they were unable to find that all-important equaliser they might well have deserved against arguably the best side in the division.

Appleton provided a major bombshell when the team news was released an hour before kick-off, with the news that Dan Grimshaw had been DROPPED.

The shot stopper was relegated to the bench, meaning Chris Maxwell was handed his first start of the campaign.

The axing came as a major surprise to the tangerine faithful given Grimshaw’s importance to the side – having made the number one shirt his own since the midway point of last season.

Elsewhere, Callum Wright started his first Blackpool game since making a deadline day move from Leicester City, lining up in a midfield three with Kenny Dougall and Charlie Patino.

It meant Appleton decided to revert back to a back four, with Jordan Thorniley partnering Marvin Ekpiteta in the absence of the injured Rhys Williams.

Grimshaw, James Husband, Callum Connolly and Shayne Lavery all dropped out of the side from Blackpool’s last game, the 2-1 defeat to Millwall before the international break. Husband wasn’t included in the squad at all.

Maxwell, Jordan Gabriel, Wright and Ian Poveda were the four to enter the fold, while new signing Liam Bridcutt started on the bench after signing on a free transfer on Friday.

Gary Madine, meanwhile, returned from his three-game suspension to be named among the subs.

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

The Seasiders made a positive start to the game, looking to take the game to the promotion favourites rather than opting to sit back and soak up pressure.

The game’s first chance also fell the way of the hosts, as the lively Ian Poveda flashed a powerful effort just wide of Tim Krul’s upright from all of 25 yards.

Blackpool continued their encouraging start with a couple of flowing moves from back to the front, the first ending with Poveda being crowded out just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Appleton’s men maintained the pressure though and came within a whisker of taking the lead in the 17th minute.

Another Poveda shot deflected somewhat fortuitously for the unmarked Theo Corbeanu, who saw his powerful drive rebound off the outside of the post.

Another good chance came and went for the Seasiders after Kenny Dougall robbed the visitors of the ball high up the pitch, but he was unable to show the pace to get himself into a shooting position.

Blackpool didn’t need the warning, they knew they couldn’t continue to miss up presentable chances if they were going to get anything from the game.

But all of Blackpool’s encouraging early work was undone in an instant thanks to a howler from Dom Thompson.

The left-back did the unthinkable and passed the ball straight to Norwich’s dangerman Teemu Pukki, who did the rest by racing through on goal and slotting past Maxwell.

The goal, Norwich’s first shot in anger of the afternoon, resulted in a period of pressure from the Canaries as Maxwell was forced to push Aaron Ramsey’s long-range shot behind for a corner.

The goal initially knocked the stuffing out of Blackpool, but they threatened again when Callum Wright got in down the right, only to lack that killer touch in the final third when his pullback into the box failed to find a teammate in tangerine.

With a little bit of anxiety setting in among the home faithful, Norwich went close to doubling their lead 10 minutes before the interval from a corner.

The delivery played into the six-yard reached dKenny McLean who directed his header onto the outside of the post.

The Seasiders were given another let-off a moment later when Marcelino Nunez curled a delightful 25-yard free-kick against the crossbar, before Grant Hanley glanced a header just wide.

It remained one-way pressure towards the end of the first-half as Blackpool struggled to get out of their own half.

With just two minutes until the interval, Maxwell produced a vital save to tip Nunez’s dipping long-range effort over the bar to keep the deficit at one.

In the final action of the half, Callum Wright - who had looked promising on his first start - squandered a major chance to draw Blackpool back level.

The ball looped up to him inside the six-yard box, albeit from the angle, yet he somehow transpired to loop his header wide of the far post.

Just as they did in the first-half, the Seasiders started the second-half in positive style as they came out of the blocks with positive intent.

Jerry Yates almost forced an equaliser, being denied by the legs of Tim Krul before the Norwich keeper tipped Callum Wright’s low free-kick around the post.

The second period was otherwise a much quieter and tame affair than the first, with neither side able to construct much in the way of clear-cut chances.

That said, Blackpool almost fell two behind when their backline fell completely asleep, allowing Pukki to get in behind again.

He was denied by the legs of Chris Maxwell at the first attempt before Marvin Ekpiteta was forced to clear off the line.

At the other end, Yates - now playing off the left following the introduction of Gary Madine - unleashed a powerful drive which was well beaten away by Krul, before the Norwich keeper back tracked to tip over Madine’s looping header a moment later.

Blackpool certainly gave it all they got in the final stages, as Theo Corbeanu saw a low curling effort saved by Krul at the second attempt before Yates almost set up Madine following a quick break down the left flank.

Sonny Carey was thrown on late in the game to face his hometown club, while CJ Hamilton and Shayne Lavery also joined him off the bench.

But it was too little, too late for the Seasiders as they slumped to a third straight defeat.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Maxwell, Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Thompson, Patino, Dougall (Carey), Wright, Poveda (Madine), Corbeanu (Hamilton), Yates (Lavery)

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Connolly, Bridcutt

Norwich: Krul, Aarons, Byram, Omobamidele, Hanley, Ramsey (Sinani), McLean, Sargent, Hernandez (Dowell), Nunez (Sara), Pukki (Gibbs)

Subs not used: Gunn, Gibson, Hugill

Referee: David Coote

Attendance: 11,594