HATS OFF, BOWLER
Critchley hails his match-winner but Fulham lacks park
NEIL CRITCHLEY admitted the pressure was building on Blackpool and saluted matchwinner Josh Bowler for easing it after the Tangerines stunned high-flyers Fulham to pick up a first Championship win of the season at the sixth time of asking.
Two draws and three defeats from their opening five league games, combined with the previously unbeaten table-toppers coming to town, did not seem like a recipe for success for Blackpool.
But in front of a rocking Bloomfield Road crowd, Bowler collected Kevin Stewart’s 49th-minute pass, raced clear down the right and slotted home from an acute angle to give the Tangerines a lead they grimly held on to for the remaining 40 minutes.
And after inflicting a first defeat on the Cottagers, the relief was flowing for boss Critchley. He said: ‘It’s a good feeling for everyone, but I’m particularly delighted with the performance. The longer you go without a win the pressure does build, but I knew it wasn’t far away.
‘This group of players surprise me sometimes but I know exactly what they’re capable of. For us to get the win and a clean sheet against a really strong Fulham team has been an outstanding effort.
‘We played some really good football, it was a fantastic effort from the lads. Defensively we looked pretty solid too. Overall we were outstanding.
‘I don’t want to single out any player, but I was pleased for Josh Bowler because he’s worked so hard and he’s deserved that. And I’m really happy for the fans. Their support is immense and there’s no better atmosphere than when they get going. It was unbelievable.’
Fulham manager Marco Silva was in no mood to make excuses, saying: ‘Congratulations to Blackpool. They played their game well while we were not good enough.
‘The chances overall probably balanced out the game, but we didn’t create enough. We’ll go away and analyse why these things happened. We have to play the game faster and with much more intensity.
‘We were full of confidence going in, but it’s just not happened for us. We’ve had the international break of course, but that’s not going to be an excuse.’