Blackpool vs Watford. Sky Bet Championship.
Bloomfield RoadAttendance11,567.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackpool and Watford at Bloomfield Road as Jerry Yates scored twice in the final 10 minutes to seal victory for the Tangerines.
Saturday 8 October 2022 18:34, UK
Jerry Yates' late double sealed a welcome 3-1 victory for Blackpool against stuttering Watford.
Gary Madine put the home side in front before Imran Louza restored parity before the break.
A draw then looked to be on the cards before Yates two superbly taken goals in the final 10 minutes secured Blackpool's first home win since the opening day of the season.
The Hornets were booed off by the travelling fans as new boss Slaven Bilic watched over a second straight defeat, leaving them 12th on 17 points while Blackpool climbed to 19th with 15 points.
Both sides began the game on the front foot at Bloomfield Road, and that was highlighted after five minutes when Watford's Louza - making his first start of the campaign - charged forward before drilling wide from 25 yards.
The Seasiders then struck with just 10 minutes on the clock. Callum Connolly nodded Dom Thompson's cross perfectly into the path of Madine and the big striker took one touch before smartly lobbing goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.
Madine's strike partner Yates then tested Bachmann as Blackpool continued to threaten.
But there was a warning sign for the hosts midway through an entertaining first period as Ken Sema crossed in for Ismaila Sarr, but he missed his kick from the centre of the six-yard box.
Louza was impressing hugely on his return to action and he levelled the score in the 29th minute.
The Moroccan international curled an angled 20-yard free-kick brilliantly into the far corner, past the out-stretched dive of stopper Chris Maxwell.
The equaliser gave the Hornets a clear lift and they almost notched again when Vakoun Bayo stabbed narrowly wide following smart approach work from Sema.
As the game wore on it was Watford who had the edge, but they were lacking the final touch, as were Blackpool, with neither goalkeeper tested.
That was until the 69th minute, when Connolly's cross was met by Madine and his bullet header was superbly beaten away by Bachmann.
Within a minute, Bachmann was called upon again, this time to palm away Jordan Thorniley's header from close range.
The momentum was swinging, and after an impressive 10-minute spell, Blackpool then struck twice in four minutes to seal their victory.
Substitute CJ Hamilton clipped over a super cross for Yates to volley home sweetly with just nine minutes to go.
Then four minutes later Yates repeated his heroics, dancing into the box brilliantly before coolly side-footing past Bachmann to make it 3-1 and put a little more distance between the Tangerines and the drop zone.
Blackpool's Michael Appleton: "It's a massive win for us. We always knew Watford were going to have their spells in the game, and when they scored to equalise their tails were up. In the second half we were so much better, though. We were aggressive and we were on the front foot. We were a lot braver with the ball, and we created a number of chances.
"You have to earn the right to get back into games and we did that. If we go to Sheffield next week and show the same attitude, we can get a result there. The lads have shown a lot of character today."
Watford's Slaven Bilic: "The story is very simple - the quality we have on paper is just not good enough. We have to start fighting for one another and we can't start pointing the finger.
"I need to see the players show more desire and fight because this is a tough league and it's my job to get that into them. Perhaps it's even about the mentality of the players. I need to see them show that mentality to want to do it for one another in every game."
