Blackpool V Hull City (Bloomfield Road 01/01/2022)

Blackpool V Hull City – Sky Bet Championship (01/01/2022)

Left the joys of the promenade and arcades fo a few hours as I made my down Seasiders away to Bloomfield Road, after a morning spent at the Sea Life Centre. A nice easy walk from near Blackpool Tower to the ground, pretty much a straight road. I got to the stadium at around two o’clock and wandered around to take in the sights, managed to see the Stan Mortensen and Jimmy Armfield statues.

I got through the turnstiles just after twenty past two. Picked myself up a meat and potato pie, a packet of salt and vinegar crisps and a bottle of Tango all for the price of £7.50, the pie was bloody tasty with a good filling of both meat and potato. As I made my way through the concourse to block P, I found myself in a corridor of tangerine which was a hall of fame. The walls were lined with photos of the best Blackpool players from each decade, from Stanley Mathews to Brett Ormerod.

I’ve been to Bloomfield Road a few times now but this was the first time I’d sat in the Matthews West Stand, had a good view from my seat just on the edge of the 18 yard box. It’s a good stadium but the only thing letting it down a bit is the fourth stand which doesn’t look right compared to the other three, as it looks like a temporary stand.

Blackpool started the game the better side and had the best of the early chances, but as the half went on it was Hull who looked more likely to break the deadlock as they were making the most of some mistakes at the back by Blackpool.

But with 30 minutes gone and Gary Madine smashed the ball into the net from the penalty spot after Josh Bowler was brought down inside the box after cutting inside well.

After the goal, the away side still looked the better side and should have really equalised before the break as their attacker Tyler Smith fired wide. It was the Seasiders who went in with the 1-0 advantage at half time though, proving that if you don’t take your chances it could prove costly.

The halftime break must have done the home side a world of good as they came out just how they did in the first, with a trio of good chances but not one could beat the Hull keeper.

In the 66th minute Hull we’re lucky not to be down to 10 men as 24 made a grim challenge but the referee only showed a yellow. I think a red would helped Blackpool control the game even more, as they had easily been the more dominant of the two sides in the second half.

Into the last 10 minutes and it was still all Blackpool but they just couldn’t get the ball in the net, in a rare attack though it was Tom Eaves for Hull who went closest from distance. With 5 minutes added on at the end, Hull sprung into life and went all out attack, if it wasn’t for Daniel Grimshaw making some great saves then they could have easily found themselves level but it wasn’t meant to be.

A good game to be fair with the Seasiders coming out on top with a 1-0 win thanks to Madine’s penalty in the first half. Hull fans could find themselves wondering how they didn’t come away with at least a point though but thanks to the heroics by Grimshaw they left empty handed.