Shayne & the glory
By LINDSAY SUTTON at Bloomfield Road
SHAYNE LAVERY didn’t need the luck of the Irish to crack home the winner – just persistence and will.
The Northern Ireland international striker had come close twice, being denied first by Millwall keeper Bartosz Bialkowski, and then hitting his next effort just the wrong side of a post.
Minutes later, he got it just right, after CJ Hamilton had broken through, only to see his shot saved by
Bialkowski. The ball spun back out, and Lavery, who could have passed square to the unmarked Josh Bowler, spun round to lash home a fierce left-footer.
Blackpool coach Neil Critchley said: “We scored when we were on top and apart from the one save, we saw the game through relatively comfortably. Shayne is a constant menace and causes problems. His goal was a real centre-forward’s finish and I’m really delighted for him.”
Millwall boss Gary Rowett felt his team had let themselves down, saying: “I’ve never lost three in a row before and it hurts. We started the second half poorly and almost let the other team take the game by the scruff of the neck.
“Now we need clarity about the ins and outs, and that will happen at the end of the week, but we have to show character and come out fighting.”
If Lavery took the goal honours, much of Blackpool’s menace came from their man of the moment Bowler, who tormented Millwall’s defence as he raced down the right flank.
For Millwall, Murray Wallace came close and sub Tyler Burey forced a save at the death, but Blackpool ended worthy winners.
BLACKPOOL: Grimshaw 6; Sterling 6, Ekpiteta 6, Keogh 7, Garbutt 6 (Gabriel 61, 6), Bowler 8, Connolly 5, Dougall 7, CJ Hamilton 7 (Dale 89), Madine 6, Lavery 8 (Yates 78).
Subs not used: Moore, Stewart, Casey, Beesley.
MILLWALL: Bialkowski 7; Hutchinson 6, Cooper 6, M Wallace 5; McNamara 6, Evans 5 (Burey 58, 6), Kieftenbeld 5, Mitchell 6, Malone 6 (Mahoney 74, 5), Bennett 5 (Burke 58, 6), Afobe 6.
Subs not used: Long, Thompson, Muller, Lovelace.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Josh Bowler. Blackpool’s constant threat on the right flank ran Millwall ragged.
REFEREE: David Webb 7