Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ICE ONE, MY SSON!
Brave Dan shoulders the Seasiders burden
BLACKPOOL’S battered and bruised Icelandic defender Daniel Gretarsson had a big smile on his face in the dressing room – even though he might not have known his team had won.
Gretarsson, who dislocated his shoulder in a goalmouth melee, showed the resilience and determination typical of a side who, thanks to an unbeaten 16-game run, seem booked in for the promotion play-offs.
Manager Neil Critchley revealed: “I don’t know whether he’s smiling because we won or it’s due to the pain relief. We’ll have to see how he is in the next day or two.”
A scrambled deflected goal from full-back Luke Garbutt settled a game which Sunderland dominated, Aiden Mcgeady striking the inside of the post moments before the Blackpool winner.
A third straight defeat means Lee Johnson’s side visit table-topping Hull tomorrow night with the play-offs, rather than automatic promotion, the likely outcome for the season.
“We think we’re a good side and can go to Hull and cause them a problem,” said Johnson. “We respect they are top and a good side. We know it’s going to be a difficult game but at the same time we won’t fear it. So it’s about getting a result and building momentum.”
Skipper Max Power added: “It doesn’t take a genius to work out now that it’s going to be very difficult to get an automatic promotion place.
“It’s not being negative it’s me being realistic.
“What’s important now is concentrating on what is ahead of us.”
The sides meet again later in the month and there could be another two games after that if they paired against each other in the play-offs semi-finals.
They wouldn’t be Critchley’s first choice.
He admitted: “The staff and I have been saying that Sunderland are the best team we’ve faced this season. I don’t remember us being under as much pressure as we were.
“I thought our grit and resilience from the defenders and the protection they got in front of them was fantastic.”
BLACKPOOL: Maxwell 7, Turton 7, Gretarsson 7 (Thorniley 75), Ballard 7, Garbutt 7, Dougall 7, Ward 6, Mitchell 6 (Gabriel 80), Kaikai 6 (Husband 80), Simms 6 (Robson 90), Yates 7
SUNDERLAND: Burge 5, Power 7, Wright 6, O’nien 6, Mcfadzan 6 (Hume 65, 6), Jones 6 (Diamond 75, 6), Leadbitter 7, Scowen 6 (Gooch 90), Mcgeady 7, O’brien 6 (Stewart 75, 5), Wyke 6
MOTM AIDAN MCGEADY (SUNDERLAND)