Cherries put on the spot
NEIL CRITCHLEY admitted he feared a hammering before seeing his Blackpool side fight back to claim an unlikely point at Bournemouth.
It looked as though the Cherries would run up a cricket score after storming into a two-goal lead thanks to a Dominic Solanke double with less than 20 minutes played.
But a second-half comeback, which saw two goals in three minutes via James Husband and Jerry Yates, earned brave Blackpool their second point of the season.
Seasiders boss Critchley said: “We said at half-time if we could get the next goal then the momentum of the game could change – and it did change.
“We didn’t sit deep, we wanted to be on the front foot. It was an entertaining game.”
Solanke’s first goal came as Junior Stanislas cut in from the right flank and picked out the Cherries’ front man who smashed the ball into the far corner.
For Bournemouth’s second, David Brooks linked up with Emiliano Marcondes, whose cross deflected off Luke Garbutt and into the path of
Solanke who nodded home his third of the season.
The Cherries should have been home and hosed but fell apart after the break.
Solanke could have sealed his hat-trick when Marvin Ekpiteta slipped to give him a free run on goal.
But he hesitated, giving Husband long enough to race back for the challenge.
Blackpool’s route back came as Philip Billing deflected Garbutt’s freekick against his own post and it bounced back for Husband to stab home from close range.
Then with their tails up, the Tangerines incredibly found an equaliser, this time from the penalty spot.
Zeno Ibsen Rossi was the offender, clumsily bringing down striker Keshi Anderson after he had raced on to a pass from Tyreece
John-jules.
Yates confidently smashed home and the travelling faithful, who had embarked on a 600-mile round trip, were in dreamland.
How Scott Parker must wish he’d signed former England defender Gary Cahill a few days earlier.
Cherries chief Parker said: “Those experiences are something that Gary would have felt in his long career – when you’re on cloud nine and then the game turns. He can push and drive others along.”
BOURNEMOUTH: Travers 6; Mepham 7 (Davis 79), Rossi 4, Kelly 6, Zemura 7; Stanislas 7 (Marcondes 16, 6), Kilkenny 7 (Pearson 72, 6), Billing 5; Brooks 8, Solanke 8, Anthony.
Unused Subs: Nyland, Taylor, Saydee, Camp.
BLACKPOOL: Maxwell 7; Connolly 6, Ekpiteta 7, Husband 7, Garbutt 6; Bowler 7, Dougall 7, Ward 6 (James 65, 6), Anderson 7; Yates 7, John-jules 6 (Lavery 65, 6).
Unused Subs: Grimshaw, Carey, Casey, Hamilton, Keogh.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Dominic Solanke. Two well taken goals and a whisker away from his hat-trick with the final touch of the game.
REFEREE: Stephen Martin 7.