Blackpool FC 2 Crystal Palace 1 - Match Report

Basham scored a 90th minute winner after emerging from the bench

Blackpool put on a late show to battle back from a goal down and beat Crystal Palace to continue their impressive run of form.

Owen Garvan’s controversial first half penalty gave the visitors the lead, but goals in the final five minutes from substitutes Elliott Grandin and Chris Basham dramatically sealed the points for the hosts who have only lost once in their last nine games.

As the wind battered Bloomfield Road all afternoon, the Seasiders made heavy work of weathering the storm against a weakened Palace side with one eye on Tuesday’s Carling Cup semi-final showdown with Cardiff City.

Dougie Freedman's side made a total of nine changes to the side that drew with Leeds last weekend.

"It looked like it might be one of those days," admitted Ian Holloway.

"It was tough but we showed great togetherness and great skill."

Despite dominating possession for long periods, Holloway's side struggled to break down a resolute visiting defence before a triple substitution on the hour mark triggered a change in fortune.

"To think I’ve got all of them choices, I’m delighted," he added.

"It needs that sort of thing to win games than that."

Promising midfielder John Fleck, who arrived on loan from Rangers two days ago, was handed his full debut, whilst Matt Gilks returned in goal after missing the last months with a groin injury.

Fleck made an instant impression with some neat passes in midfield and curled a wicked left-footed effort narrowly past the upright on 10 minutes.

The visitors responded when Ibra Sekajja met Garvan’s floated free-kick, but the 19-year-old's close-range header was straight at Gilks.

Drama ensued soon later when Palace were awarded a contentious penalty after Barry Ferguson was harshly adjudged to have handled Kieron Cadogan’s cross with his upper arm.

Referee Nigel Miller made no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Garvan powerfully converted Palace’s 2000th goal in second level football, despite Gilks getting a hand to the ball.

Ludovic Sylvestre drew Lewis Price into his first save of the encounter on 36 minutes as his dangerous effort was tipped over.

Tom Ince struck an effort over the top from distance to conclude a frustrating half of football for the Seasiders.

Moments into the second half, Blackpool nearly equalised when Sylvestre rifled the ball into the box, but Gary Taylor-Fletcher failed to get enough on the ball.

Following this, Palace had numerous chances to put the game to bed.

Garvan wastefully shot wide after cutting into the box and Calvin Andrew wastefully blazed over Dumbuya’s cut-back with the goal at his mercy

With half an hour left to play, Holloway introduced Basham, Grandin and Kevin Phillips into proceedings in place of Cathcart, Sylvestre and Fleck.

It instantly injected some new life into his lagging side, with Phillips drawing Price into another smart stop from a crisp strike.

It didn’t look like it was going to be Blackpool’s day when when Basham couldn’t convert from point-blank range in the midst of a goalmouth melee, but an equaliser finally arrived with five minutes remaining on the clock.

Taylor-Fletcher played a through-ball to Grandin, who repeated last week's heroics when he inspired a comeback against Ipswich by smashing home from a tight angle to send the home support into raptures.

As the tangerine contingent got firmly behind the team to push for a winner, it was backs to the wall stuff for Palace in the closing stages of the game.

And they couldn't hold on as Basham proved the match-winner, tapping home from two yards after Kevin Phillips’ header bounced back off the crossbar.

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