Score predictions - Blackpool away

Arguably the biggest game of the season. 8th placed Blackpool, and another swing at securing a play off berth. The Reds go into this winless in 4, but still 4 points clear of 7th placed Lincoln. Equalling or bettering their result on Saturday, with at least a draw confirms a play off place. The Reds are 12/5 outsiders to upset a Blackpool side who have found themselves back in the play off picture, having won the last 3. The hosts are 12/11 to pile more misery and send the chase to the last game of the season.

At Bloomfield Road this season, Blackpool have been solid. They had the best record in the division for a long time, but have drawn a few on home soil in the second half of the season. They are unbeaten in their last 12 at home, including a heavy win over local rivals Bolton Wanderers and a goalless draw with Portsmouth. They've been fairly inconsistent all season though, which is why they've found themselves outside of the top 3; whilst they're currently on a 3 game losing streak, they've generally rotated between a win, a draw and a defeat regularly over 3 game periods.

Our record at Bloomfield Road is mixed, though slighyl in our favour in recent memory. We've lost on 3 of our last 4 visits, though 2 of those were in cup competitions. We won our last meeting there in League 1 in 2018, courtesy of a second half Cam McGeehan effort (who coincidentally is having a decent first season back in English football). Of our meetings this century, we've played 17, won 6, drawn 6 and lost 5, though 2 of the draws and 2 of the defeats were in the Cup. Neither side has won a league meeting by more than 1 goal at Bloomfield Road since Chris Shuker and Robbie Williams netted for the reds on the final day of the 04/05 season. I've tried counting our overall record about 3 times and keep losing count, but it's something like 15 wins, 16 draws and 19 defeats at Bloomfield Road.

Blackpool will be without Jordan Rhodes, whose penalty (Jordan Rhodes penalty? Never) was the decisive goal in the reverse fixture. The journeyman striker has netted 15 times this season, a quarter of all of the Seasiders goals. 21 year old Karamoko Dembele is having a groundbreaking season for Pool, having netted 7 times and set up a further 11 goals during his loan spell from Brest. Blackpool have found goals hard to come by of late, but have been tight defensively. Only 1 of the last 10 Blackpool games has had more than 1 goal in it (their 2-0 win over Shrewsbury), suggesting Blackpool might shut up shop if they hit the front, or find it difficult to rally if they go behind. Their forum seems to suggest that they're very reliant on the loan players they have, particularly Rhodes and Dembele.

Referee Sunny Gill has had a busy season. He's taken charge of 45 games, averaging 3.8 cards a game, which is on the low side. This is the 3rd time he has taken charge of the Reds this season; it could be deemed a good omen that we won the other two, away from home, without conceding (Cheltenham and Horsham). He's quite high up the ref watch table for his previous performances; his score of 7.78 for the game vs Cheltenham is the best performance of the season of any ref. He last took charge of Blackpool in the FA Cup in January, when they threw away a 2 goal lead to draw with Premier League Nottingham Forest.

I personally thought the Reading game showed some signs of improvement, and the Portsmouth game was thoroughly encouraging despite the result. We do seem to be creeping closer to hitting some sort of form. A pair of wins to end the season would certainly steady a few nerves ahead of the play offs. Considering that Blackpool don't score or conceded many, the first goal could be crucial. McAtee had a field day at their place in the Cup prior to getting injured, and he's one player who's form doesn't seem to be dipping. I'm going for 1-2 with McAtee getting a brace in the fi rst half.

 

2-1 blackpool squeaky bum time.

 

The hope from the performance against Pompey outstrips the disappointment of the loss for me. 2-1 us. Cole with both.

 

We'll win.

 

A game made more difficult by Blackpool being in the hunt. I think we'll lose 2-1 but still make the playoffs.

We could really do with maintaining 5th position as Peterborough look as woeful as we do.

 

0-1 Reds

 

1-176

 

1-3 to the reds and a party in Blackpool after

 

1-1. With Cheltenham also getting a draw to secure our play off spot.

 

3-1 Blackpool

 

Colliers 3 - 0

 

3-2 Blackpool. We just can't defend to save our lives.

 

2-0 to Blackpool.

 

We can't defend 3-1 Blackpool

 

We can defend, we just make too many individual errors, there's a huge difference.

 

2-0 Reds and pitch invasion.

 

2-2

Cole, Phillips.

We go ahead twice, they equalise twice.

 

0-3. Heavy defeat.