Four-most Seasiders ‘can still get better’
BLACKPOOL made it four wins in a row with victory at Southend – but boss Terry McPhillips still feels there is more to come from his side.
Armand Gnanduillet’s 83rd-minute header secured the win after the Shrimpers’ Jason Demetriou had cancelled out Oliver Turton’s opener.
But McPhillips felt Blackpool fully deserved their victory, which took them up to seventh.
“I thought we shaded it and I thought we had the better chances,” said McPhillips. “The stats are even enough, but I think we had the chances to kill the game off, but thankfully we scored at the end.
“It was a great game and the effort of the lads was supreme, but we can play better. In the first half we were OK and we got in the lead, but we knew we could play better and we didn’t really.
“But the effort was always there and great credit to the players because this is the fourth long camel ride we’ve had.”
Southend – who had Michael Turner sent off for violent conduct four minutes from time – came close to taking an early lead when winger Michael Kightly struck the inside of
the left post with an audacious effort.
But Blackpool broke the deadlock with Turton firing home Marc Bola’s fine left-wing cross from close range.
Seasiders’ skipper Jay Spearing struck the crossbar with a screaming long-range shot at the start of the second half before Southend drew level in the 74th minute with Demetriou heading home Timothee Dieng’s left-wing cross.
However, Blackpool were not to be denied and, seven minutes from time, Gnanduillet headed home Harry Pritchard’s left-wing cross.
The Shrimpers’ misery was compounded by a late red card shown to Turner following an off-the-ball incident.
It was Southend’s third successive defeat, and manager Chris Powell admitted: “This is a dogfight of a season already for us.
“We started off well and I thought we were on top to start with, but then we gave away a poor goal again.
“I’m angry and frustrated and a striker just can’t have a free header in the box like that. It just can’t happen.”