Stunning Blackpool hit QPR for SIX to hand survival chances a major boost

Andy Lyons bagged two, while Jerry Yates, Curtis Nelson, Jordan Thorniley and Kenny Dougall also got in on the act in this 6-1 thrashing, with the first three goals all coming inside the opening 15 minutes.

Mick McCarthy’s side had only managed to score three times in their last seven games coming into this, but they tore Gareth Ainsworth’s side to pieces to win for only the second time in their last 20 league games.

However, things now look a lot rosier down at the bottom of the table, Pool reducing the gap to safety to just three points with Cardiff City not in action until tomorrow, where they host West Brom.

McCarthy’s side will now be desperate to capitalise on this return to winning ways by making it two wins from two when they take on Coventry City at Bloomfield Road on Saturday in their final game before the international break.

Pool will also be out to extend their unbeaten home run in 2023 in both league and cup, a run that now stretches back to seven games.

McCarthy hinted there would be changes to his side following the weekend’s disappointing defeat to Bristol City and he certainly didn’t disappoint, making SIX in total.

Andy Lyons, James Husband, Charlie Patino, CJ Hamilton and Morgan Rogers all came into the side, as did Lewis Fiorini.

The midfielder was left out at Ashton Gate on Saturday due to a disciplinary issue alongside Ian Poveda, who also made his return, albeit on the substitute’s bench.

The six to make way were Jordan Gabriel, Dom Thompson, Sonny Carey, Luke Garbutt, Josh Bowler and the injured Gary Madine.

Gabriel was left out of the squad altogether, while Keshi Anderson was named in a Blackpool squad for the first time since November, taking his place on the bench.

Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Shayne Lavery and Jake Beesley all remain sidelined by injury.

QPR, meanwhile, named an unchanged side after they registered their first win under new boss against Watford at the weekend.

After suffering a nightmare start against Bristol City in their last game, losing Gary Madine to a challenge after just 23 seconds, the Seasiders turned things on their head on this occasion.

Instead, Blackpool were awarded a penalty inside 40 seconds after making an electric start to the match.

CJ Hamilton’s pullback caused chaos in the QPR box, with the ball falling to Morgan Rogers whose shot was blocked. Jerry Yates tried his luck on the rebound but his effort was stopped by the arm of a QPR defender.

Yates, who hadn’t scored in the league since October, made no mistake from the penalty spot, tucking his spot kick away with aplomb, smashing the ball high into the top corner.

Bloomfield Road was bouncing, but the roof was lifted off 11 minutes in when one became two.

Once again Hamilton was at the thick of it, getting in behind his markerf to pull the ball back for the onrushing Andy Lyons to sweep home his second Blackpool goal.

It was scarcely believable when Blackpool added a THIRD with only 14 minutes on the clock as Curtis Nelson capitalised on a goalkeeping howler.

Seny Dieng came rushing out of his goal to deal with a long ball into the box but he made an absolute hash of it, giving Nelson an absolute gift as he turned the ball home into the back of the empty net.

QPR thought they had pulled a goal back when Lyndon’s Dike’s effort fell to Chris Martin, but James Husband somehow managed to get back and make a miraculous block.

The first-half was one of those halves where everything was going Blackpool’s way, even the referee siding with the home side in virtually every 50-50 call, which made for a welcome change.

With nine minutes of the first-half still to go, a good number of QPR fans headed for the exits as Blackpool added a fourth.

Jordan Thorniley was the man to get in on the act, heading home virtually unmarked from a corner.

It was a hugely significant moment for the defender on a personal level as it was his first ever goal in tangerine.

The Seasiders couldn’t hold onto their lead until the break though, with QPR pulling a goal back on the stroke of half-time through Martin’s diving header.

The hosts weren’t resting on their laurels though, they came out on the attack once again at the start of the second-half, hunting more goals.

Lyons almost added his second with a rising shot that Dieng did well to tip over, but the keeper couldn’t deny him from the resulting corner as the right-back nodded home from close-range to make it FIVE.

“We’ve had a shot”, was the response from the travelling QPR fans as Lyndon Dykes headed wide of Maxwell’s upright.

The Seasiders were inches away from adding a sixth when Morgan Rogers curled a teasing effort against the inside of the post.

Tangerine smoke soon spread out onto the pitch as the North Stand launched a tribute to Tony Johnson in the 55th minute. Fans immediately sprung to their feet to join in, while the QPR supporters also lended their applause.

The game entered a lull at this point, which suited Blackpool just fine. QPR made wholesale changes while McCarthy also got the chance to give a deserved breather to Fiorini and Yates, who were given a huge ovation as they left the field.

The Hoops ought to have added a second 12 minutes from time when Sam Field was left with a free header but could only direct it wide of the far post.

Pool still had time to hand Keshi Anderson a first appearance since November as the midfielder replaced Charlie Patino with just seven minutes remaining.

Fellow sub Kenny Dougall almost added his name to the scoresheet seconds afterwards, side footing over from James Husband’s left-wing cross.

The midfielder made amends three minutes from time though, steering home from inside the box after QPR had failed to deal with a routine long ball over the top.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Maxwell, Lyons, Nelson, Thorniley, Husband, Connolly, Patino (Anderson), Fiorini (Dougall), Hamilton, Rogers (Thompson), Yates (Carey)

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Bowler, Poveda

QPR: Dieng, Drewe, Dickie, Dunne, Field, Kakay, Dozzell (Johansen), Iroegbunam (Amos), Lowe (Armstrong), Martin (Richards), Dykes (Adomah)

Subs not used: Archer, Gubbins

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 10,051