'You're going to think I'm a lunatic': Neil Critchley on Blackpool's demolition of Birmingham City

The Seasiders ended a run of five games without a win in emphatic style as they put Lee Bowyer’s side to the sword, easing to a 6-1 victory.

Jake Beesley had a first start to remember as he bagged a brace, while CJ Hamilton, Kenny Dougall, Jerry Yates and Callum Connolly also got in on the act.

While their biggest win of the season could have been even heavier, Critchley believes their display wasn’t as near-perfect as the scoreline suggests.“It’s been a great day,” Critchley said.

What we’ve been today is clinical, which we’ve not been in previous games.

“You’re probably going to think I’m a lunatic or something, but what we’ve done today is take our chances. Our general play, I promise you, was better in some of the games we’ve played recently but we’ve lost.

“The counter-attack goals, the first two goals, are real quality goals. But those same situations occurred against West Brom on Friday and we failed.

“When you take those opportunities, it gives everyone a lift and everyone is full of confidence and it’s different.

“For 20 minutes, I’ve got to be honest, I didn't think we were very good. We turned the ball over a lot, they got a lot of corners, some chances on counter-attacking chances and then we scored a third from a really well-worked corner.

“It was a good bit of quality from Charlie Kirk, a good delivery and a good header - so it’s 3-0 at half-time, we’ve taken our chances but really our general play in the flow of the game was just okay.

“In the second-half, Bees was fantastic. It’s a fantastic fourth goal and then we get a penalty, but the exact same incident happened here against Forest - Gary (Madine) spins around the back and the guy hugs him and the referee doesn’t give it, but today he gives it and we score.

“Yesterday I was saying to the players, some of them were practising free-kicks - Keshi (Anderson), Kev Stewart and Callum Connolly - and I joked with them ‘I don’t know why you bother’ because we haven’t scored a direct free-kick in two years of me being here.

“Callum said to me at the end ‘there you go, gaffer’. That’s the first one.

“It’s been a great day, loads of goals, great entertainment, the supporters I imagine have had a great time and are happy.

“We’ve needed this as well. We’ve been on a run where we haven’t picked up a good winning result, but really if I’m honest the performances have been no different to today.”