Blackpool vs Peterborough United. Sky Bet Championship.
Bloomfield RoadAttendance9,745.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackpool and Peterborough at Bloomfield Road as goals from Keshi Anderson, Sonny Carey and Jerry Yates sealed a comeback win for the Tangerines
Saturday 18 December 2021 18:50, UK
Battling Blackpool completed a courageous comeback late on to beat Peterborough 3-1 at Bloomfield Road in the Sky Bet Championship.
Siriki Dembele rifled the visitors into the lead after only 11 minutes with a sweet left-foot finish from a tight angle.
But winger Keshi Anderson levelled for the hosts just before the half-hour mark, lashing into the roof of the net from close range.
And then second-half substitute Sonny Carey scored his first league goal to put the Seasiders ahead with just three minutes remaining.
There was even time for fellow sub Jerry Yates to score as well, tapping in at the second attempt in the last minute to end a seven-game winless run.
Blackpool boss Neil Critchley made five changes to his struggling side, with Dan Grimshaw replacing injured skipper Chris Maxwell in goal.
Joel Tomlinson and Jonson Clarke-Harris came into a Posh team looking to clinch only their second away win of the season and it was the visitors who started the brightest in one of just a handful of matches played in the Championship among a raft of Covid-19 enforced postponements.
Midfielder Harrison Burrows had a powerful left-foot shot charged down after six minutes and Posh had to wait just five more minutes to take the lead.
Dembele latched on to a fine through-ball from Josh Knight and fired home to stun the hosts.
Gary Madine powered a header wide two minutes later from Ryan Wintle's inswinging cross as the home side came within a whisker of equalising.
Clarke-Harris smashed a left-foot shot high and wide as Darren Ferguson's side looked to double their lead but it was Anderson who restored parity having moments earlier been thwarted by a smart save from 'keeper David Cornell.
The Welsh shot-stopper produced an excellent save to deny Anderson but the winger made no mistake at the second time of asking as he fired home from Josh Bowler's pinpoint pass into the box.
Midfielder Jack Taylor had a goalbound shot blocked five minutes after the restart before Bowler went close with a curling shot which was deflected wide for a corner.
Burrows saw a shot blocked on the edge of the box as Posh kept pushing, while Shane Lavery's strike was charged down as the Seasiders also looked for the pivotal next goal.
Carey missed a great chance to put the home side ahead with 13 minutes remaining, shooting over from Reece James' perfect cutback.
But he had a second bite of the cherry late on and fired his side in front with a clinical strike, before Yates was on hand at the end to cement a fine fightback.
Carey also blasted wide in added-time but the hosts had done enough and deserved their welcome win.
Blackpool's Neil Critchley: "I've got full belief in this group of players, I was confident the players would perform. We did it the hard way, going 1-0 down, but we showed how much character we have. I'm just delighted the players got the rewards for their hard work.
"We're been very fortunate to have played today considering the number of games called off because of coronavirus, so it was great to send the fans home happy. We all need a bit of happiness at the moment with what's going on in the world. I thought we started a bit tentatively, which was to be expected given the run we've been on. Peterborough got control of the second half but our goalkeeper had nothing to do."
Peterborough's Darren Ferguson: "It's a hard one to take because we felt it was a real opportunity to get back-to-back wins. We just can't seem to get the momentum we need at the moment. Our away form is horrendous, it's the only word I can use to describe it. Our home form is what's going to have to keep us in the league.
"We just keep getting beaten away from home, but I didn't think we deserved to lose. I'm extremely disappointed and shocked how we've lost that game, to be honest."
