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Dream debut for Dickinson

Image: Dickinson: Deadly double

Liam Dickinson enjoyed a dream debut as he scored twice for Blackpool in a 2-1 win at Plymouth.

On-loan striker scores twice to earn Blackpool the points

On-loan striker Liam Dickinson enjoyed a dream debut as he scored twice for Blackpool in a 2-1 win at Plymouth Argyle. The hosts appeared to be on their way to three points when Paul Gallagher broke the deadlock midway through the second half. But substitute Dickinson, who joined on loan from Derby on Thursday, equalised on 78 minutes and three minutes later grabbed a winner at Home Park. Plymouth had the better of the opening exchanges and full-back Mathias Doumbe made a surging run towards goal but was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle. Gallagher was the next to have an opportunity as he was found by a good ball from Luke Summerfield but he dragged his shot wide. And Summerfield was involved again as Argyle had their best chance of the match so far. The midfielder put a good free-kick into the box and Marcel Seip looked certain to score but he somehow managed to put his header over the bar.

Foothold

Blackpool were struggling to create chances but nearly broke the deadlock with a long-range effort as Kyel Reid let fly from 25 yards but Romain Larrieu was equal to his shot. The Seasiders were at last beginning to get a foothold in the game and just after the half hour mark top-scorer Ben Burgess put a header across goal which Keith Southern got a left boot to but his shot went wide. Steve Kabba was beginning to cause the home defence problems towards the end of the half and he was inches away from giving his side the lead as Reid put a cross in which the former Sheffield United man could not quite reach. Simon Grayson's men came flying out of the blocks in the second half and Kabba was once again agonisingly close to giving his team the lead after Southern whipped in a cross. Chris Barker was then called into action to block away a Gary Taylor-Fletcher shot as Blackpool continued to press but Plymouth's backline was holding firm against the pressure. Seip was then very close to giving away a penalty as he handled just outside the box but the resulting free-kick from Reid was lashed over the bar.
Triple change
The Tangerines had been the better side in the second half but were made to pay for not taking their chances in the 67th minute as Gallagher gave the home side the lead. Substitute Steve MacLean found the striker on the edge of the box and Gallagher turned quickly and unleashed a shot which gave Paul Rachubka no chance for his seventh of the season. Grayson then made a triple substitution as he attempted to regain the momentum with Dickinson, Hamill and David Fox coming on for Kabba, Taylor-Fletcher and Lee Hendrie and the results were almost instantaneous. Dickinson pulled them level in the 78th minute as he latched onto a Rachubka goal kick to give Larrieu no chance. And his dream debut continued just three minutes later as Reid put a ball across the face of goal which the former Stockport man slotted away to seal the victory.

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