Blackpool vs Bournemouth. Sky Bet Championship.
Bloomfield RoadAttendance11,141.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackpool and Bournemouth at Bloomfield Road as late goals from Jamal Lowe and Siriki Dembele earned the Cherries a late comeback win
Saturday 12 February 2022 18:13, UK
Siriki Dembele was Bournemouth's hero as his strike with just seconds remaining handed his side a potentially precious 2-1 win at in-form Blackpool.
Dembele - making his first start for the Cherries - sidefooted home deep into stoppage time as Blackpool's five-game unbeaten run was curtailed in dramatic fashion.
Substitute Jamal Lowe had equalised in the 86th minute, cancelling out Josh Bowler's opener, while Bournemouth saw Dominic Solanke miss a penalty.
Scott Parker's team notched a third straight win as they moved five points clear of third-placed Blackburn in the race for promotion from the Sky Bet Championship.
Solanke highlighted his huge threat for Bournemouth inside three minutes at a packed Bloomfield Road.
He charged onto Dembele's inch-perfect through ball before seeing a fierce drive superbly tipped over the top by Blackpool 'keeper Dan Grimshaw.
The hosts responded swiftly with CJ Hamilton lashing over from the tightest of angles, then the same player tested goalkeeper Mark Travers with a similar effort from the opposite side.
With Blackpool and Bournemouth both in a decent run of league form, it was not surprising to see composure and confidence on the ball, although the blustery, rainy conditions did not help.
Bowler was the hosts' major threat in the opening quarter of the game, and he saw a shot blocked after a trademark jinking run after 23 minutes.
There was drama soon after when Bournemouth fluffed a penalty chance.
Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel was punished for shoving Jaidon Anthony in the box, but the normally reliable Solanke struck a soft spot-kick, allowing Grimshaw to save comfortably.
Perhaps typically, the Seasiders responded by taking the lead in the 37th minute.
A spectacular goal came out of almost nothing, with Bowler cracking home from 22 yards after Callum Connolly's short pass deflected fortunately into the winger's path.
Bowler was then thwarted by Travers' superb save as the hosts ended the first half well on top.
Conditions worsened after the restart, with Bournemouth seemingly encouraged to get back on the front foot.
Philip Billing took aim from just inside the Blackpool box - an effort which fizzed and bounced up before being well saved by Grimshaw.
Billing then curled a shot inches over the crossbar after being smartly teed up by Dembele.
Gutsy Blackpool then responded with a smartly worked move which culminated with Bowler's sidefooted strike being superbly saved by the diving Travers.
The frame of the goal saved Bournemouth in the 68th minute.
After Connolly's cross was only half-cleared, the ball fell invitingly to Hamilton, whose 20-yard drive crashed against the crossbar and bounced away to safety.
Todd Cantwell and Jordan Zemura both went close for Bournemouth heading into the closing stages as Scott Parker's men upped the tempo.
They were finally rewarded when Lowe pounced from close range after Cantwell's low cross flicked off Gabriel before reaching the Bournemouth substitute.
Dembele then produced his late heroics to seal a dramatic turnaround for the visitors.
Blackpool's Neil Critchley: "Football can be a cruel game sometimes. I'm really disappointed because we've just taken a top team in the division right to the wire. We deserved more I thought, in what were very difficult conditions. I'm so proud of all the players - they didn't deserve that result. We looked confident and overall I thought we were as good as them, but that was a cruel ending to the game.
"We controlled most of the play, relatively well anyway, and we matched them for most of the game. Maybe you need that bit of luck in front of goal sometimes. That was against us at times today. It would have been fitting had Josh's goal won the game, but as I said, football can be cruel. That result wasn't justified, so we have to be positive about the performance overall. We've absolutely nothing to be downhearted about after that, other than the scoreline of course."
Bournemouth's Scott Parker: "The lads deserve great credit for the way they showed all that heart and craft right until the end. We really showed our quality in what was a big game for us. It was an exciting finish of course, but also it's a relief to get over the line like that. Overall, looking back at the whole game, I think we deserved the win. From start to finish the lads were superb.
"In the first half we settled really well and we had control of the game. It was unfortunate to see the penalty missed of course, and then we go and concede a real goal of the month from their lad. That was a great hit. That win wasn't down to luck, though. That came because of the consequences of what we had done earlier. There was quality throughout from the lads, and they showed lots of fighting spirit. We caused a threat all game and had plenty of other moments when we could have scored more."
