Peterborough United 1-2 Blackpool: Gary Madine's 90th-minute strike seals thoroughly deserved win against league leaders

Gary Madine’s 90th-minute strike handed Blackpool a thoroughly deserved victory against league leaders Peterborough United.

The Seasiders appeared to be heading for the three points when Jerry Yates handed Neil Critchley’s side an early lead.

But Blackpool, who were in control throughout, were cruelly pegged back six minutes from time when Frankie Kent headed home an equaliser for the high-flying hosts.

Nevertheless, the Seasiders showed superb character to restore their lead in the final minute of normal time as Madine calmly slotted home to hand Pool their fifth straight win in all competitions, also inflicting Peterborough’s first home defeat of the season in the process.

The win almost means Blackpool have won three consecutive league games for the first time since August 2019 as the Seasiders continue their recent revival.

Despite having a number of players back available for selection, Critchley opted to make just one change to the side that beat Eastbourne Borough in the FA Cup a couple of weeks ago.

Grant Ward came into the team in place of Jordan Gabriel, who dropped down to the bench. This allowed Ollie Turton to revert to right-back after featuring in midfield against Eastbourne.

Elsewhere, Dan Ballard - returning from international duty with Northern Ireland - was named among the substitutes alongside the likes of Ethan Robson, Keshi Anderson and Ben Woodburn.

Luke Garbutt, Matty Virtue and MJ Williams remain sidelined with injuries, while Jordan Thorniley, Dan Kemp, Bez Lubala and Oliver Sarkic weren’t included in the 18-man squad - a sign of Blackpool’s impressive strength in depth.

The Blackpool players adorned t-shirts during the warm-up that included the words ‘4 Warren’ as a tribute to the club’s academy manager Warren Green, who tragically passed away following a battle with cancer. A minute’s applause was then held before kick-off, while Pool’s players also wore black armbands.

The Seasiders were right onto the front foot from the first whistle and wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring after just four minutes.

Sullay Kaikai created the chance with a through-ball for Jerry Yates, who cut inside from the right onto his left foot before firing wide of the near post with the goal at his mercy.

Critchley’s men maintained the pressure thanks to their high press, CJ Hamilton then testing Christy Pym with a fizzing shot on the angle which the Posh keeper just about dealt with.

While Posh finally began to grow into the game, Pool were still creating the better opportunities as Gary Madine shot narrowly wide from 25 yards before CJ Hamilton curled just beyond the far post with another long-range effort which had the keeper at full stretch.

Peterborough threatened for the first time on 15 minutes, Sammie Szmodics firing into the side-netting at the back post.

The Seasiders eventually capitalised on their fast start on the 19-minute mark, Yates atoning for his earlier miss to give Pool a thoroughly deserved lead.

It came after Peterborough had failed to clear their lines from a Blackpool corner, the ball eventually falling to Yates who cut inside before blasting the ball home, giving Pym no chance.

The striker’s goal, his fourth in his last five games, was exactly what Blackpool merited for their blistering start to the game.

The breakthrough allowed Blackpool to play with confidence, the men in tangerine playing some wonderful one and two-touch possession football and creating some promising situations.

What their dominance lacked was a second goal and the longer the game stayed at 1-0, the more Peterborough began to threaten.

Darren Ferguson’s men began to see more of the ball but, by and large, Pool did well to limit them to half-chances.

Blackpool started the second-half on the front foot once again and created another good opening to double their lead.

Pool pressed Peterborough high up the pitch, forcing a mistake from Pym, who handed the ball straight to Yates. The striker unselfishly laid it off to Sullay Kaikai who curled narrowly wide.

The men in tangerine squandered yet another glorious opportunity just before the hour mark, Kaikai again the guilty part.

The winger had the goal at his mercy eight yards from goal after having the ball laid off to him by Gary Madine, but he could only shoot tamely at Pym.

Midway through the second-half, Blackpool felt Posh ought to have been reduced to 10 men when Dan Butler scythed CJ Hamilton down with a cynical flying tackle.

Hamilton had already taken the ball past Butler and would have been clear through on goal with Yates to the side of him, but the referee opted to go with a yellow much to Pool’s frustration.

With EFL clubs now permitted to make five subs during games, Critchley took full advantage of the new rule change by introducing three new players on the 71-minute mark.

On came Ethan Robson, Keshi Anderson and Ben Woodburn for Ward, Kaikai and goalscorer Yates, who had put an impressive shift in.

While Pool were doing well to keep the hosts at arm’s length, Posh thought they were about to be awarded a penalty nine minutes from time when Siriki Dembele went to ground.

But, instead of pointing to the penalty spot, the referee instead flashed a yellow card in the direction of the Peterborough forward for a dive.

With six minutes remaining, Blackpool were eventually punished for their failure to convert the gluttony of chances they created.

It was a really soft goal to concede too, defender Frankie Kent allowed to rise home unmarked to head home from a Peterborough corner.

Just when it looked like the three points had slipped away, the Seasiders snatched them back in an instant as they restored their lead in the final minute of normal time.

Gary Madine was the match-winning hero, calmly slotting home after Hamilton’s pullback had ricocheted into his path.

Peterborough still had time to miss a late chance to level for a second time, as Jonson Clarke-Harris clipped the top of the crossbar with a back-post header in the third minute of stoppage time.

TEAMS

Peterborough: Pym, Kent, Beevers, Butler, Taylor, Ward (Broom), Mason (Blake-Tracy), Brown (Hamilton), Szmodics (Eisa), Dembele, Clarke-Harris

Subs not used: Gyollai, Reed, Kanu

Blackpool: Maxwell, Turton, Ekpiteta, Gretarsson, Husband, Dougall, Ward (Robson), Hamilton, Kaikai (Woodburn), Yates (Anderson), Madine

Subs not used: Sims, Gabriel, Mitchell, Ballard

Referee: Ollie Yates