Blackpool stun Forest in play-offs

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  • xman
    Admin
    • Sep 2006
    • 24007

    Blackpool stun Forest in play-offs




    DJ Campbell scored a dramatic second-half hat-trick as Blackpool sealed their place in the Championship play-off final with a devastating display of counter-attacking football at Nottingham Forest.

    Blackpool twice came from behind to defeat a Forest side that had been unbeaten in 20 home games and had not conceded at the City Ground in more than 12 hours.

    The last team to win at Forest had been Blackpool, who have now beaten Billy Davies' team in all four meetings this season and are just 90 minutes from returning to the top flight of English football for the first time since 1971.

    Davies indicated after his team lost Saturday's first-leg tie 2-1 that he expected a strong performance at home - and when Robert Earnshaw struck early for Forest that appeared to be on the cards.

    But Campbell's deft strike after the break levelled and despite Earshaw smashing another for Forest, Pool struck three in seven devastating minutes to seal victory.


    Substitute Stephen Dobbie had a hand in all three, scoring with a deflected strike after 72 minutes before creating an opening Campbell converted and then seeing his strike parried for the Tangerines' red-hot striker to complete his hat-trick.

    Dele Adebola struck a close-range consolation but Blackpool took a 6-4 aggregate victory as Ian Holloway's team continued a scintillating run of form that had seen them win seven of their previous nine games.

    There was little sign of the second-half drama when Forest's bright start to the game was rewarded when Earnshaw put them in front.

    Alex Baptiste should have dealt with Radoslaw Majewski's through ball but it was allowed to reach the Wales international, who struck it across Matt Gilks and into the bottom corner.

    A looping through ball shortly afterwards found Earnshaw onside once again but this time Baptise manage to block the striker's effort, while Chris Cohen narrowly missed with a low strike and Dexter Blackstock ended a jinking, penetrating run with a weak strike.

    Forest looked to have a grip on the contest and Holloway could be seen imploring his players to play higher up the pitch.

    But although Blackpool struggled to build any sustained first-half pressure, they looked to deliver troubling crosses into the Forest box whenever possible and certainly appeared to have drawn some of Forest's sting by the break.

    They also came agonisingly close to an equaliser when the inspirational Charlie Adam drew an amazing fingertip save from Lee Camp with a savage long-range strike that looked destined to find the top corner.

    The Forest bench had been frustrated on the stroke of half-time when a touch-and-go offside decision denied Blackstock a clean run at goal.

    And they were incensed when Earnshaw had the ball in the net shortly after the restart only to be foiled once again by the offside flag, although replays suggested the decision was correct.

    A scrappy period of play followed but that came to an abrupt end when Campbell struck, superbly lifting the ball beyond Camp after collecting Adam's through ball.

    There was an understandable new-found urgency to Forest's play and their desperation was clear to see when Earnshaw imploringly appealed for a penalty after a 20-yard strike from the striker was blocked by Baptiste.

    Frustration turned to celebration after 66 minutes when Earnshaw buried his six-yard strike into the roof of the net after Blackstock nudged a cross from the right-hand side into his path.

    An increasingly dramatic match turned in Blackpool's favour once again when Dobbie's long-range strike took a wicked deflection and left Camp powerless, levelling the scores at 2-2 and putting the Tangerines 3-2 ahead on aggregate.

    Forest almost immediately replied but Gilks denied Blackstock's six-yard poke and saved Earnshaw's follow-up with his legs.

    The tie took a decisive turn when Dobbie continued his impressive cameo by exchanging passes with Campbell, who struck the ball beyond Camp with a curling strike.

    And after Camp could only parry a strike from Dobbie, Campbell tapped home the rebound to complete his hat-trick and seal Blackpool's place in the play-off final at Wembley.

    Campbell almost scored a fourth but his strike crashed off the crossbar, while Adebola's close-range finish was nothing more than a consolation for a Forest team that will have to try again next season.

    Blackpool manager Ian Holloway:"I am very proud."

    "We knew it would be tough and I didn't know if we would have the answers to the questions they asked.

    "I said it would have to be the best we have ever played if we were to do it - and I think it was the best we have ever played."

    "We are still learning and still evolving but we have achieved something mega.

    "We are within 90 minutes of playing in the Premier League and that is unbelievable."

    Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies:"In big games you have to be confident enough to get on the ball and show composure and bravery and an arrogance second to none, but we didn't do that tonight.

    "Credit to Blackpool, they handled it better than we did. We had too many players freeze on the night.

    "These young players froze on the night. Young players that have been outstanding all season and who did great to finish third - it was just too much tonight.

    "But don't take anything away from Blackpool, they deserved it and I wish them all the best in the final. I hope they win it."

    Blackpool21 Gilks03 Crainey06 Evatt15 Baptiste31 Coleman04 Southern11 Vaughan26 Adam (Edwards 90+4)10 Ormerod yellow card (Dobbie 69)12 Taylor-Fletcher (Burgess 77)19 CampbellSubstitutes01 Rachubka,24 Edwards,29 Bannan,07 Clarke,09 Burgess,18 Euell,33 DobbieRef: ClattenburgAtt: 28,358BLACKPOOLPossessionNottm Forest 52%Blackpool 48%Attempts on targetNottm Forest 8Blackpool 7Attempts off targetNottm Forest 6Blackpool 4CornersNottm Forest 4Blackpool 4FoulsNottm Forest 10Blackpool 8This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.


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