Blackpool beaten at Burnley

Simon Grayson accurately summed up the result in his after match press conference. ‘We got what we deserved,’ the gaffer correctly stated.

Even the best efforts of another tremendous away following could not rouse Pool from their slumbers. And when parts of the vociferous following from the Fylde trickled out of Turf Moor with ten minutes remaining, with them went Pool’s unbeaten Derby record since returning to The Championship.

The night started badly for Pool before the game had even started with the news that Steve Kabba was out injured with a dead leg. In came David Vaughan for a first start in a Pool shirt, and Keith Southern with David Fox dropping to the bench.

The formation Pool adopted was difficult to follow with players switching positions at various stages. Gary Taylor-Fletcher started as Ben Burgess’ partner up front but proceeded to play on both the left and right of midfield swapping with Adam Hammill at will.

This contributed to a disjointed performance all night as Pool lacked any sort of cohesion against a more aggressive Burnley team.

Paul Rachubka kept his team in the game in the first period. He kept out Chris McCann’s vicious free kick and saved well from Clarke Carlisle’s header.

The only real effort Pool could muster in a poor first period was an Ian Evatt header which was easily collected by Burnley keeper Brian Jensen.

The second half saw a marginally better performance from the away team. David Vaughan began to assert himself in the middle and was comfortably Pool’s most composed player in possession.

But it was Burnley who broke the deadlock, ironically during Pool’s best period of the match.

The hard working Martin Paterson collected the ball on the Burnley right and cut inside Mo Camara. With no Pool players closing him down the livewire striker curled a left foot shot towards the far corner of the net beating Rachubka’s dive.

Pool continued to huff and puff frequently giving away possession and looking more lethargic than Owen Coyle’s side. Surprisngly Claus Jorgensen, who was more effective than most, was subbed along with Mo Camara for Alan Gow and Joe Martin.

But it was soon game over when Ref Jon Moss took advice from his linesman and awarded Burnley a penalty after some pushing and shoving at a corner. It was impossible to tell what had gone on from the Cricket field stand and it seems Pool had once again been hard done to by the officials.

Graham Alexander tucked away the penalty sending Rachubka the wrong way for his third goals in two games.

With the clock ticking past 9.35pm Blackpool mustered their first and only meaningful effort on goal, Adam Hammill curling one towards the corner and forcing Jensen into a save.

That said it all really. One shot in the whole game which didn’t arrive until stoppage time at the end of an already lost game.

The 2,700 or so Pool fans left dissapointed on the back of a performance best forgotten about.

A fit Steve Kabba and a much better performance is required for this Saturday’s daunting trip to Brimingham City.