Ince’s men show Bark and bite to set early pace in Championship
BLACKPOOL 1 READING 0
BLACKPOOL’S good start to the season continued as Tom Barkhuizen climbed off the bench to score his first goal for the club.
The home side enjoyed the better of the first half, with Ricardo Fuller dangerous in attack, but the Royals went closest to breaking the deadlock through Royston Drenthe’s free-kick, which was saved by Matt Gilks, and Jem Karacan’s 18-yard effort that came back off the crossbar.
Gilks then saved at the feet of Adam Le Fondre in the second period, but sub Barkhuizen stole the show with a run and finish after 75 minutes to seal the points for the hosts.
Blackpool started the afternoon on the front foot and Fuller fashioned the game’s first opportunity on 18 minutes, as he tested Alex McCarthy with a shot 25 yards from goal.
Reading’s midfield pairing of Karacan and Danny Guthrie struggled against the Tangerines dominant midfield trio, and Paul Ince’s side fashioned their best opportunity of the half midway through the opening period.
After good work from Nathan Delfouneso 25 yards out, Angel Martinez bent a fine cross into the area with the outside of his boot, only for Neal Bishop to head wide of a top corner, with Alex McCarthy rooted to the spot.
The visitors had been subdued, particularly given the gung-ho nature of their 3-3 draw with Watford seven days ago, but they rallied at the end of the first half and could easily have gone into the break 1-0 up.
Drenthe found the unmarked Karacan with a free-kick on 43 minutes, but his left foot volley was cleared away by Gary Mackenzie, before the former Real Madrid man warmed the gloves of Gilks with a curling free kick.
And with the half-time whistle looming, Karacan struck the crossbar with a lofted effort from the edge of the box after Bobby Grant cleared a corner-kick straight to his feet.
The frenetic end to the first half continued at the start of the second period, as Grant drew a comfortable save out of McCarthy, 25 yards out. Nigel Adkins then brought on Le Fondre for Garath McCleary after 57 minutes and the substitute would’ve opened the scoring with a close-range effort following Drenthe’s mazy run and cross, but for the bravery of Gilks.
There was a sense that a goal was in the offing and on 75 minutes the deadlock was broken at last. Sub Barkhuizen broke with the ball 20 yards out, and after sidestepping two defenders, the 20-year-old fired home his first goal for the club.
And Ince’s men saw the game out in the remaining 15 minutes, with the win taking the Seasiders to the top of the Championship.