Thursday, February 3

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside…

Blackpool 1 West Ham 3

Fantastic result in another save-our-season-at-the-seaside game. My heart has several palpitations with ten minutes to go while watching live updates on bbcsport.com, although we seem to see the game out without too much trouble.

Watching Match of the Day it’s all down to Victor again. The Obinna enigma goes close early on producing a good save. We take the lead when he torments Cathcart to send in a near post shot that Kingson inexplicably fumbles into the net. A clanger, but if you don’t buy a ticket for the lottery, Gary, etc.

Our second arrives after Piq’s knock-down sees Vic have two shots well saved by Kingson before Keane scores with an angled volley. A classy finish and an instant repayment for Grant’s faith.

Being West Ham, we concede just before half-time, Adam’s corner daisy-cutting its way through our defence and straight into goal. There’s no-one on the post, Green is off his line and it’s another calamity.

But 90 seconds later Parker finds Obinna who lashes an unstoppable left footer into the tip corner from 35 yards. THERE’ SOMETHING IN THE AIR… IS VIC THERE? He certainly is! Great strike. The boy has talent – now he needs to show it every week. Five goals in four days isn’t bad though and he’s now our joint top scorer.

Second half sees Eardley hit the bar with a free kick and Keane have a goalbound shot saved. While the away fans give Pool sub Marlon Harewood a nice cheer. But the game’s been won before half-time and we hold out, even though sub Beattie causes problems for our two young centre backs Reid and Tomkins.

One final negative thought, those online live updates brilliantly illustrate our knack of sometimes turning attack into defence. You're forever reading:
75 mins Noble short corner.
75 mins 10 secs Blackpool attack.

A great result and it drags Blackpool, with six defeats in seven matches, right into the struggle.

It seems out top team is now Green: Jacobsen, Upson, Tomkins, Bridge: O’Neil, Parker, Noble, Obinna: Piquionne, Keane. Plus an experienced bench with the likes of Cole, Ba, Spector, Da Costa, Boa Morte, Barrera and soon Hitzlsperger to choose from.

Third from bottom and I’m almost feeling optimistic.

1 comment:

matt said...

Grrr...Average Grant has had 4 goes at trying to work out a way to combat Zigic this season, and failed all 4 times. Yet how well has Zigic done against other teams? Even his own fans don't rate him. This time he actually started the game, so you might have thought even Average would have come up with something, but no, same old story. They can't score from dead balls, and they can't defend them,so seriously what do they do in training? WBA sacked their manager today, we have to do the same if we are to have any hope of staying up.