Blackpool moved to within one point of the Championship play-off places with a 4-2 win away at Scunthorpe.
Seasiders near play-offs; United look over their shoulder
Blackpool moved to within one point of the Championship play-off places with a 4-2 win away at Scunthorpe.
The Seasiders took the lead in the 22nd minute when opposing defender Andrew Wright put through his own net in bizarre fashion, but Scunthorpe equalised just three minutes into the second half through a Grant McCann penalty after he was brought down in the box by Ian Evatt.
The home side's comeback was short-lived, however, as Everton loanee Seamus Coleman put Blackpool back in front with 13 minutes remaining.
Substitute DJ Campbell then came off the bench to score a quick-fire brace, while opposing replacement Gary Hooper netted a consolation for the Iron.
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway predicted the trip to Scunthorpe would be his side's toughest game of the season but they should have been out of sight by half-time.
Charlie Adam was pulling the strings in midfield for the Lancashire side and the former Rangers man crossed for Gary Taylor-Fletcher, who beat Marcus Williams in the air at the back post but looped a header narrowly wide after six minutes.
Taylor-Fletcher then broke free down the middle and laid the ball off for
Stephen Dobbie and his measured right-footed strike was tipped around the post by the agile Joe Murphy.
Gift
But the visitors were gifted the lead 21 minutes in after a moment to forget for full-back Wright.
Coleman drove in a cross to the back post which looped over Burgess and Wright inexplicably cushioned a volley into the far corner of the net to give Murphy no chance.
Dobbie produced a moment of magic to almost double Blackpool's lead 11 minutes before the break, when he spotted Murphy off his line and tried his luck with a cheeky lob from 40 yards out which looped just wide of the far post.
Holloway's charges were almost made to pay for their wasteful finishing right on the stroke of half-time when Garry Thompson broke free but the makeshift striker's finish was tipped over by Matt Gilks.
However, Scunthorpe were level within two minutes of the restart when McCann was bundled over by Ian Evatt and referee Andy Woolmer pointed to the spot.
Northern Ireland midfielder McCann kept his nerve to send Gilks the wrong way from 12 yards.
Adam was a constant threat and he was given too much time to line up a left-footed strike which was palmed away by Murphy.
Playmaker
And Adam was once again the architect for another golden opportunity for Taylor-Fletcher, who produced a tame finish which Murphy saved with his feet with 15 minutes remaining.
But Blackpool were deservedly back in front two minutes later when the impressive Coleman set off on a mazy run from the right and skipped past a couple of Scunthorpe players before drilling a right-footed shot into the top of the net from eight yards.
Campbell added a third with a header at the back post after being picked out by Hameur Bouazza with six minutes remaining, and the on-loan striker tapped in his second goal two minutes later after Adam's shot was saved by Murphy.
A minute later substitute Hooper marked his return from injury by slotting home Thompson's drilled cross from two yards out, but the Blackpool fans were already in party mood by then as thoughts turned to a late-season push for promotion.
