Six 8/10s: Player ratings and match report from Blackpool's Dev Squad win against Huddersfield Town

The striker glanced home a deft early header from Dannen Francis’ cross before turning provider for the impressive Luke Mariette to double Blackpool’s lead.

It was a hard-earned victory at Longridge Town’s ground for Stephen Dobbie’s side, who have now won both of their opening Central League fixtures.

Youth-team defender Toby Oliver impressed at right-back while Owen Moffat and Dannen Francis also showed glimpses of quality on either wing.

With no midweek game for the first-team, the Seasiders used the opportunity to hand some minutes to Stuart Moore, Luke Garbutt and Grant Ward.

For Ward, it was his first appearance since re-signing for the club last week on a free transfer after a lengthy spell as a trialist.

Garbutt, meanwhile, was playing out of position at centre-back while Alex Lankshear took the left-back role.

The Seasiders were given a let-off inside the opening 60 seconds as striker Charles Ondo toe-poked wide after running onto a defence-splitting pass.

The hosts responded with a good chance of their own as the tricky Dannen Francis beat his man down the right before fizzing a dangerous ball right across the face of the six-yard box, but none of his teammates were there to force the ball over the line.

Francis continued his electric start by producing the cross that led to Blackpool’s early goal, which was glanced home by striker Brad Holmes.

The game was a real physical battle, with Huddersfield committing a number of late fouls - Ward especially finding himself on the wrong end of three or four late challenges.

Blackpool went close to adding a second on the half-hour mark when Tayt Trusty, back in central midfield after a spell at centre-back, whistled a low shot just past the post.

Seconds later, Dobbie’s men would have been pegged back if it wasn’t for a superb save from Moore, who somehow managed to claw Myles Bright’s dipping effort behind for a corner.

Blackpool were almost pegged back in the first exchanges of the second-half when Ondo nearly forced the ball home, only to be thwarted by another important stop from Moore.

The Terriers thought they had a strong appeal for a penalty 10 minutes into the second period when Ben Midgley was barged to the ground, but the referee allowed play to continue having initially looked set to point to the penalty spot.

Pool were having to dig in at this point as Huddersfield were in control and penning Dobbie’s men back into their own half.

Against the run of play, Holmes almost bagged a second of the afternoon with his snap shot well saved by the goalkeeper.

Blackpool did end up doubling their lead in the 65th minute though and again, Holmes was involved, surging into the box before seeing his cross scrambled home by Luke Mariette at the back post.

Holmes could have capped off a fine individual display with Blackpool’s third when the ball fell kindly for him inside the Huddersfield box, but he hurried his effort and dragged wide of the near post.

The remainder of the game was end-to-end as gaps opened up across the pitch, but neither side were able to add one last goal.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Moore, Oliver (Hughes), Squires (Strawn), Garbutt, Lankshear, Mariette, Trusty, Ward, Francis (Lescott), Moffat (Emmerson), Holmes

Subs not used: Cunningham, Hughes

Huddersfield: Bilokapic, Spencer, Maroodza, Adewoju, Ayina, Krasniqi (O’Brien-Brady), Shanks, Midgley, Ondo, Diarra, Bright

Subs not used: Taylor, Stone

PLAYER RATINGS

Stuart Moore - 8

Toby Oliver - 8

Will Squires - 7

Luke Garbutt - 7

Alex Lankshear - 7

Tayt Trusty - 8

Grant Ward - 7

Luke Mariette - 8

Dannen Francis - 7

Owen Moffat - 8

Brad Holmes - 8 (MOTM)