Match report: Blackpool fortunate to progress in Lancashire Senior Cup against Wigan

A strong Blackpool side were fortunate to progress to the second round of the Lancashire Senior Cup with a narrow 2-1 win against Wigan Athletic.
Joe Dodoo scored Blackpool's second goalJoe Dodoo scored Blackpool's second goal
Joe Dodoo scored Blackpool's second goal
Read More
I'll miss chances and score them says Blackpool winger Nathan Delfouneso

A freak goal from goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi and a close-range header from Joe Dodoo put the Seasiders in firm control of the tie at half time.

But the hosts, who fielded a team full of youngsters with the first team in action tonight, pulled a goal back through Kyle Joseph and went on to miss a host of glorious chances to equalise.

Joe Dodoo scored Blackpool's second goalJoe Dodoo scored Blackpool's second goal
Joe Dodoo scored Blackpool's second goal
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Seasiders named trialist Steve Davies in attack, while substitutes from Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Peterborough United - Mafoumbi, Michael Nottingham, Paudie O’Connor, John O’Sullivan, Ryan McLaughlin and Dodoo - were all named in the starting line-up.

Yusifu Ceesay, a 23-year-old winger signed from Alvechurch who has since gone out on loan to Boston United, was also named in Pool’s team, while former academy defender Denzel Williams started for Wigan.

Blackpool made a bright start to the game, which was played out in blustery conditions at Wigan’s Christopher Park training ground.

The first opportunity of the afternoon came their way, as they pressed high up the pitch allowing U18 midfielder Nathan Shaw to flash a dangerous ball across the face of the Wigan goal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At the other end, Mafoumbi rushed out of goal to thwart Joe Piggott as the Wigan striker looked to dink the ball over the onrushing keeper.

A few minutes later, Blackpool took the lead in bizarre circumstances. Mafoumbi looked to roll the ball out from the back but there were no options available to him, so he instead opted to kick a long ball down the field out of his hands.

His kick was carried by the wind, before taking a firm bounce which looped over the Wigan keeper and into the back of the net.

Despite going a goal down, the hosts remain undeterred and came close to levelling on a couple of occasions. Midfielder Chris Merrie saw a vicious shot tipped over by Mafoumbi before Ollie Crankshaw attempted a chip which flew just wide of the Blackpool goal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But they were made to pay for their misses as Dodoo doubled Pool’s lead, heading home into the bottom corner from close range after capitalising on a wayward clearance from a Wigan defender.

The Latics continued to pepper the Blackpool goal, with Mafoumbi saving well low down from Tyler Golden while Crankshaw saw a close-range effort blocked by O’Connor after Mafoumbi had parried away a cross.

The wind was with Wigan in the second half and it told as they dominated play.

Michael Nottingham was forced to make a goal-saving block to deny Piggott after Crankshaw decided to play him in while one-on-one with Mafoumbi.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Nottingham flashed a header inches wide of the far post with Blackpool’s only real chance of the second 45 minutes.

Wigan did eventually pull one back through substitute Kyle Joseph, who lashed home into an empty net after his original header had been saved by Mafoumbi.

The home side went in search of that all-important equaliser but it never came, despite Will McGuffie testing Mafoumbi down to his left with a curling free kick.

They wasted their clearest opportunity to equalise towards the end as Charlie Jolley blazed an effort over the bar when well placed inside the Blackpool area.

TEAM

Blackpool: Mafoumbi, Nottingham, O'Connor, Avon, Graham (Williams), Ceesay, O'Sullivan, McLaughlin, Shaw, Davies, Dodoo