Blackpool 1-2 Blackburn: Emerton grabs last-gasp winner for Rovers
Published 17:16 25/09/10 By MirrorFootball
Brett Emerton grabbed a last-gasp winner as Blackburn snatched victory in a compelling Lancashire derby at Blackpool this afternoon.
The Australian struck four minutes into injury time after Blackpool substitute Matt Phillips thought he had earned a point with an 87th-minute equaliser at Bloomfield Road.
Blackburn had led since the 20th minute when the otherwise excellent Charlie Adam inexplicably headed into his own net.
Blackpool had started well with Brett Ormerod forcing Michel Salgado to head against his own bar, but Chris Samba also hit the post for Rovers.
Blackpool reverted to an attacking line-up as they took on neighbours Blackburn for the first time in league competition for 30 years this afternoon.
Manager Ian Holloway admitted he got his tactics wrong after a 4-0 Barclays Premier League thrashing at Chelsea last week and so strikers Marlon Harewood and Brett Ormerod came in alongside DJ Campbell.
Neil Eardley switched to right-back in place of the injured Alex Baptiste while Craig Cathcart and Gary Taylor-Fletcher were also back for the Lancashire derby at Bloomfield Road.
Blackburn had just five of the team beaten by Aston Villa in the Carling Cup in their starting line-up.
That meant a return for former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson while Steven Nzonzi replaced the injured Vince Grella in the only change from last week's draw with Fulham.
Blackpool's attacking intentions were immediately clear as they went close to claiming a second-minute lead.
Eardley first fired in a dangerous cross for Gary Taylor-Fletcher but his volley was deflected wide.
The hosts then hit the woodwork from the resulting corner as David Vaughan's cross was met by a firm Ormerod header.
His effort was on target but Michel Salgado managed to get his head in the way and the ball ricocheted onto the crossbar before being cleared.
Blackpool went close again when Ormerod delivered a dangerous cross but Gael Givet put behind for a corner.
Vaughan then curled a shot narrowly wide but Blackpool's good work was all undone after 20 minutes as Charlie Adam bizarrely headed into his own net.
He appeared in little danger as El-Hadji Diouf's cross fell towards him after a Nikola Kalinic flick.
He attempted to cushion a header back to Matthew Gilks but he completely wrong-footed the goalkeeper and Blackburn celebrated a welcome gift.
Blackburn were then denied a second by the woodwork six minutes later as Chris Samba met a Morten Gamst Pedersen cross with a deft header against the post.
Blackpool struggled to clear but escaped further damage as Kalinic blasted wide after a goalmouth scramble.
Adam had a chance to redeem himself with a 25-yard free-kick after Taylor-Fletcher was checked in full flow.
The Scotland international struck the ball well but the Blackburn wall stood firm.
Kalinic had another good chance before the break but struck the side-netting after being teed up on the edge of the area by Pedersen.
Blackpool were fortunate not to concede again early in the second half as El-Hadji Diouf began to terrorise Eardley down the left.
The former Liverpool forward cut the hosts open before setting up Brett Emerton inside the box but Gilks parried his drive.
Diouf was given a chance to cross again but Kalinic's elaborate attempt at a volley flew wide.
Diouf whipped in another cross soon after and Gilks produced an even better save to keep out a Phil Jones header from point-blank range.
Jones blocked an Ormerod shot at the other end and the veteran Blackpool striker then hit the side-netting after good work by the tenacious Vaughan and Campbell.
N'Zogbia had half a chance at the start of the second half after a good run by Mohamed Diame but he hurried his shot which flew well wide.
Birmingham, who have won only two of their previous 15 league games, seemed off the pace.
Wigan forced four corners in quick succession but they failed to trouble the home back four.
City still continued to create the best chances and Liam Ridgewell headed wide from an inswinging Larsson free-kick when unmarked after Bowyer had been brought down by Hendry Thomas.
Foster comfortably saved a low effort from N'Zogbia at the end of a swift counter-attack by the Latics.
Figueroa flashed a dangerous ball across the Birmingham box but no-one was on hand to apply the finishing touch.
The City fans were becoming increasingly frustrated at their side's below-par performance.
Wigan made their first change after 59 minutes with Stam replaced by Franco Di Santo.
McLeish responded by making a double substitution with Bowyer and Hleb making way for Nikola Zigic and Jean Beausejour.
Dann was booked for a touch-line challenge on Di Santo as the game entered the final 20 minutes.
Kalinic endured more misfortune when he headed over the bar and Adam went close at the other end with a back-post header which drifted across the face of goal. Eardley almost turned it in but agonisingly failed to get a touch.
Blackpool turned up the heat and Taylor-Fletcher forced a brilliant save from Robinson with a shot curling into the corner.
Robinson was then needed again to palm over an effort from Adam which took a wicked deflection.
Pressure finally paid off as Holloway made an inspired substitution by replacing Earley with Phillips.
Phillips had barely been on the field a minute when he jinked his way into the box, beat Givet and found the bottom corner.
Blackpool thought they had claimed a deserved point but Blackburn had other ideas and snatched victory when a Benjani shot was blocked and Emerton stabbed home.
