A game that had started at a furious pace and with everyone's nerves stretched to the maximum ended well for both sides, as a draw left Blackpool safe in the Championship for next season, and Watford in the playoffs. Indeed by the end both teams were aware that they had done what they needed to, and the three minutes of added time passed without a ball being kicked, as both sides wasted time shamelessly and without argument. In the end this was the result that every Blackpool fan had been hoping for, and a final position - nineteenth - two better than the minimum target that Simon Grayson had set himself last August. It is a mark of how close this division has been that Leicester were relegated with 52 points, and Blackpool, had they won this afternoon, would have finished fifteenth, above Preston. Never mind - this was success, safety and another season in the Championship, and Bloomfield Road celebrated afterwards. There is a lot of work to be done - this squad will not survive next season, and there will need to be many new faces after the break, but now the players and fans can relax for a moment and look back with some satisfaction on the roller-coaster ride just ended.
So at last Blackpool were taking part in Championship Super Sunday, and after weeks when results simply would not go their way, they were still unsure of their fate. Back when the fixtures first came out many people were hoping that we would not need to get a result against Watford, but here we were, needing at least a point for safety. Things could have been worse - Watford have had a poor season, compared to expectations, and themselves still needed a point to make the playoffs. And even if Blackpool lost, Southampton, Leicester, Coventry and Wednesday all had to get results to send them down. Nevertheless there was a very tense atmosphere on the seaside this afternoon, and a keen desire to ensure that results elsewhere were not required. Blackpool made three changes to the team which played so poorly at Plymouth, with Ben Burgess coming in to replace Paul Dickov, whose loan spell has finished. Danny Coid got the left back spot, and Kaspars moved into the centre, displacing Michael Jackson. Most surprising of all, on the left wing Joe Martin, on loan from Man City (and son of Alvin) was given his debut in place of Green, with Hoolahan moving to the right. Watford, of course, included Danny Shittu at the heart of their defence.
The ground was packed - two and a half stands-worth - as Blackpool kicked off, attacking the north end. In their first attack they won a corner, which Hoolahan took from the left. Watford are a large team, especially in defence, and a long high ball was unlikely to be of much use. Instead Hoolahan hit a low ball towards the near post, about waist height, and McPhee tried a bicycle kick, but it was blocked. However the rebound dropped just a few yards out to Burgess, who struck it on the volley, back into the goalmouth and into the net. Less than two minutes gone, and Blackpool had given themselves a little breathing space.
Watford, of course, had everything to play for now and they pressed forward intensely. Blackpool were immediately in last-ditch defensive mode, and within a few minutes we had two melees in the area, with the ball bobbling about until a defender managed to get it away. Blackpool conceded a free kick on their left, and it was swung over to the far post, where Gorkss did well to head away under pressure from Shittu - another Watford player who was under the pair of them as they landed required lengthy treatment. Another long ball to the far post by Watford was knocked back into the centre by a forward, Henderson, but the referee spotted that he had used his hand and booked him.
The game was end to end, and while Watford had more of the pressure, Blackpool were creating chances too. The work-rate from both Burgess and McPhee in this half was disappointing, and several times McPhee failed to chase after a ball which would have put the keeper under pressure. Hoolahan was working hard on the right, helping out frequently in defence and curbing his tendency to try suicidal tricks in his own area. On the other wing Martin had an impressive debut - he has good ball control and also looks strong in the air. Twice he rose in the area to win crosses and took them cleanly, something Burgess does not often manage. The first was headed down into the middle of the area, hoping for the ball to bounce up invitingly for an attacker, but it clipped a defender's leg. The second one was headed for goal, on target but easy for the keeper. Several times Martin won the ball well on the ground, but then seemed uncertain what to do with it - possibly because he has never played in this team before, but this was his only obvious weakness.
Watford had another series of corners which required some tough defending by Blackpool, and from one Rachubka did well to turn the ball away. The pressure was ended when Shittu committed a foul in the area, and from the resulting long kick the ball was trapped between Burgess and Shittu and, not surprisingly, burst. Watford pushed forward again and this time a good move saw a forward free in front of goal. He shot but Rachubka made a fine save, diving to his right to palm the ball away. However it bounced out nicely for another Watford player, who drove it fiercely towards the goal. Rachubka had scrambled to his feet and now threw himself across in front of the shot, blocking it away for a corner. Two outstanding saves in the space of a second, and he had kept Blackpool ahead.
The pressure was still not all one way, and Blackpool had another chance when Coid fed the ball to Southern in midfield. He took it forward and as he approached the area, decided to have a go himself rather than pass out left to McPhee - unfortunately the effort, though well struck, was high and wide. As half time approached Watford put the pressure on again and Blackpool needed Barker on the line to keep out a ball headed across goal. Just before the break Henderson charged in on Rachubka who had caught a through ball, but the referee decided not to book him.
After half time Blackpool came out strongly, and it looked as though McPhee had been given a rocket, because he was chasing much harder, putting the keeper under pressure and causing problems. The game was still end to end, but Blackpool seemed to be using the right wing more, looking to get McPhee running onto the through ball. A couple of efforts were pulled back for offside, but after about ten minutes there was an exchange between Hoolahan, Jorgensen and Burgess on the right, which ended with the big forward hitting a long ball up to McPhee. He controlled it well, taking it into the box and beating his man before firing a hard shot past the keeper. Unfortunately it struck the inside of the near post but rebounded just out of the goal on the left.
A minute or two after this and the ball was headed forward from the Watford right wing towards the Blackpool area. As Gorkss went to head it he was struck from behind by Henderson, and this time there was no reprieve, it was a second yellow and Watford were down to ten men.
As often happens - the Ipswich game being a good example - the sending-off only encouraged Watford, and they continued to press. The ball was loose in midfield on the Blackpool right, and a Watford player collected it and set off on a run. He cut across field towards the far side, and then turned towards the Blackpool box, while the home team stood off and let him run. As he arrived in the area he hit a shot, along the ground and curving but not too difficult it seemed - however Rachubka did not get his hand down to it and the ball was in the back of the net. You could blame the keeper for not saving it, but the real fault was with the defenders who had not closed the man down.
Blackpool were now on the back foot again, and despite their man advantage most of the pressure was coming from Watford. A series of corners and long throws kept the home defence stretched, and at one point Rachubka lost a high ball, dropping it in the goalmouth, where fortunately a defender was able to clear. Jorgensen was important in this phase, helping out with several important blocks and headers in the area. Blackpool were still trying to turn defence into attack, but the forwards, Burgess in particular, were now ineffective again.
Blackpool were now clearly looking to run the clock down, and Rachubka did this well, holding the ball at his feet in the corner of the area until a Watford player ran all the way forward to make him pick it up. He did this a couple of times, and then it started to become apparent that Watford, too, were in no hurry to get on with things. Word had got through that a point would be enough for them, unless Wolves scored twice quickly, and the game began to die. Blackpool brought on Morrell to replace Martin, who had done well, and not long afterwards Fox and Holt (on loan from Forest) replaced Burgess and McPhee. Burgess actually stopped to adjust his laces as he walked off, but nobody protested. Blackpool took the ball into the corner and played triangles between Hoolahan, Barker and Southern until Wes gave it away, but even then the break was not terribly rapid. Coid committed a foul on the left wing and it took several minutes before it was taken. As we went into the three added minutes the ball went out for a throw, the Watford fans refused to return it, and then Watford themselves made a slow motion substitution. The throw was taken and headed straight back into the crowd, at which point the referee decided to call it a day, and Blackpool's future in the Championship was secure for another year.
The teams left the pitch to good applause - Watford waited to hear that the Wolves game was over and they were confirmed in the playoffs, and Danny Shittu was given a fine send-off by the home crowd. The Blackpool players came out again to celebrate with the crowd, and for several of them it may be the last time they appear in tangerine. Gorkss and Hoolahan have both been targeted for transfers, and Morrell and Jackson must be close to the end of their careers. Coid and Burgess may be retained as cover, but they are not really up to first choice status at this level. Blackpool have essentially survived with the same basic squad which saw them promoted last year, only Crainey having fully established himself as a new face in the team - McPhee is close but not quite convincing. There was a definite feeling that this game marked the end of an era - if Blackpool are to do anything next year apart from struggle, then there will need to be a substantial infusion of new blood before we all meet again in August.
Team: (4-4-2): Rachubka, Barker (Capt), Evatt, Gorkss, Coid, Hoolahan, Southern, Jorgensen, Martin (Morrell 75), Burgess (Fox 89), McPhee (Holt 89)
Subs not used: Flinders, Jackson