Blackpool had come from behind twice against a well organised Bolton outfit to come away with the points at Stanley Park. Bolton took a deserved lead after ten minutes after a well struck shot from the top of the area found the roof of the net past Nick Rainbow. Blackpool replied soon after when Steve Whitley collected Dave Morgan’s through ball and neatly lifted the ball over the advancing keeper. The home side had been sloppy in possession early in the game, but were beginning to find their groove with Sam Bury making inroads down the left flank. However, before Blackpool could convert their pressure into a score line advantage, a heinous touch at the back from a long ball gifted Bolton a second. It appears Rob Abbott isn’t particularly pleased with the retraction of the ‘own goal rule’ and has now turned his hand to ‘own-assists’. Once again Blackpool equalised as Morgan and Whitley combined at a penalty corner for the latter to bag his second of the match with a smart finish into the bottom left corner.
Stern words from Captain Rainbow at half time for his team’s slovenly performance so far seemed to spark them into action. The passing and tempo was much increased in the second period with Blackpool happy to zip the ball across the park to utilise the full width of the pitch. Ian Swaine, back in his familiar position up-front put Blackpool in the lead with a miss-timed shot that, with the help of Dave Morgan’s distraction beat the confused goalkeeper. Bolton protested that Morgan interfered with play and the goal should be disallowed, but after the umpire confirmed his initial decision, Bolton hit back in the best way they could. Straight from the push-back, they rushed the Blackpool area and found an equaliser no more than thirty seconds after going behind.
Blackpool’s hard work would not go unrewarded though as Swaine lashed home a ferocious second to give Blackpool the lead, with fifteen minutes to go.
The closing moments of the game were frantic as Bolton went in search of an elusive equaliser. They tested out Rainbow, but the Blackpool keeper was up to the job pulling off an excellent save low to his right. Josh Boyne was sent to the side-lines for deliberately breaking down play, but Blackpool hung on via a combination of man of the match Whitley , Morgan, Josh Payne and Rob Dingle winding down the clock for another three points that sees Blackpool sitting top of the division at the half way stage.