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An earlier start due to the Friday evening kick off.
Going into this one, Lincoln City have not won away from home in their last 4 league matches.
We’re of the opinion that Lincoln City could find themselves struggling to break down this Blackpool side who we reckon should get the win and a maybe even keep a clean sheet as well. We therefore think that it’s going to be a hard-fought contest, finishing with a 1-0 winning margin for Blackpool when the referee blows for full-time. Expecting it to be tight.
Team Focus: Blackpool
Formed: 1887 Nickname: The Seasiders Stadium: Bloomfield Road Stadium (17,338) Captain: Jay Spearing Chairman: Simon Sadler Manager: Simon Grayson Competitions: League One position 6, EFL Trophy (Group G - North)
Going into this game, the form guide shows that Blackpool:
- haven't lost in the league to Lincoln City in their previous 2 matches. - have not won at home in their last 2 league matches.
Star Man: Sullay Kaikai
Customarily played in the Left Wing position, Sullay Kaikai was born in Southwark, England. After having made a senior debut playing for Crawley Town in the 2013 - 2014 season, the dangerous Forward has struck 3 league goals in this League One 2019 - 2020 season to date in 9 appearances.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Who Will We Be Shouting At This Week? — Blackpool v Lincoln City
The Football League has now announced the officials that will take charge of the match between Blackpool and Lincoln City in Sky Bet League One.
Blackpool host Lincoln City on Friday, September 27 for the game at Bloomfield Road and the match carries a 7.45pm kick-off.
Referee: Ollie Yates. Assistants Refs: Thomas Harty and Steven Rushton. Fourth Official: Matthew Parry.
Ollie Yates has been the man in the middle for 3 matches involving Lincoln City:
22/09/15: Lincoln City 1-1 Altrincham (Conference) — 2 yellow cards 28/03/16: Lincoln City 1-1 Gateshead (Conference) — 4 yellow cards 22/01/19: Yeovil Town 0-2 Lincoln City (League Two) — 5 yellow cards
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Who Will We Be Shouting At This Week? — Blackpool v Lincoln City Featured Image Date: 25th September 2019 at 6:30am Written by: Julian Burley AddThis Sharing Buttons Share to Facebook Share to TwitterShare to RedditShare to WhatsAppShare to FlipboardShare to More
The Football League has now announced the officials that will take charge of the match between Blackpool and Lincoln City in Sky Bet League One.
Blackpool host Lincoln City on Friday, September 27 for the game at Bloomfield Road and the match carries a 7.45pm kick-off.
Referee: Ollie Yates. Assistants Refs: Thomas Harty and Steven Rushton. Fourth Official: Matthew Parry.
Ollie Yates has been the man in the middle for 3 matches involving Lincoln City:
22/09/15: Lincoln City 1-1 Altrincham (Conference) — 2 yellow cards 28/03/16: Lincoln City 1-1 Gateshead (Conference) — 4 yellow cards 22/01/19: Yeovil Town 0-2 Lincoln City (League Two) — 5 yellow cards
He received an average rating of 6.89 following the 2-0 win away at Yeovil Town last season. Some of the comments can be found below:
Jamesimp: “Thought he was calm and grew into the game, got the yellows right, wasn’t going to be pushed into sending off Toffolo for his inadvertent high challenge so overall 7/10.”
Huntsward: “Let the game flow and allowed fair physical challenges. Looked a bit indecisive at times but performed well enough that it wasn’t about him. He got the Toffolo decision wrong. It should have been a sending off, so an extra mark for that. 8/10.”
PerthImp: “6.5 for me. First half-hour he appeared very lenient and was letting some challenges go when maybe they were free-kicks. Alternatively, seemed determined to let the game flow. Very odd when the Yeovil player went down on the edge of the box and he refused their trainers to come on for what seemed like ages, then reversed and allowed them on. Kept his cool throughout but really should have sent Toffolo off.”
Ollie Yates: 2019/20 Stats:
03/08/19: Bradford City 0-0 Cambridge United (League Two) — 3 yellow cards and 1 red card 13/08/19: Oxford United 1-0 Peterborough United (EFL Cup) — 4 yellow cards 20/08/19: Fleetwood Town 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers (League One) — 2 yellow cards 24/08/19: Colchester United 1-0 Northampton Town (League Two) — 2 yellow cards 03/09/19: Macclesfield Town 2-1 Newcastle United U21s (EFL Trophy) — 2 yellow cards 14/09/19: Ipswich Town 0-0 Doncaster Rovers (League One) — 6 yellow cards 21/09/19: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Sunderland (League One) — 6 yellow cards
Ollie Yates was the man in the middle for 37 matches last season. In those matches, he showed a total of 140 yellow cards and 5 red cards.
Yates showed 7 yellow cards on four occasions during the 2018/19 season: Northampton Town 2-1 Forest Green in Sky Bet League Two and Peterborough United 0-2 Scunthorpe United, Southend United 1-2 Bristol Rovers and Bradford City 0-1 Fleetwood Town in Sky Bet League One.
During the 2017/18 season, Yates oversaw 7 matches, showing a total of 24 yellow cards and no red cards.
He showed 5 cards on two occasions, of which both matches were in League One: Blackpool 1-2 Doncaster Rovers (5 yellow cards) and Rochdale 1-1 Bradford City (5 yellow cards).
Match Day referee Yates took in 12 matches in 2016/17, showing 36 yellows cards and 4 red cards.
He showed 6 cards on two occasions. Both matches were in League Two: Stevenage 0-2 Exeter City (5 yellow cards and 1 red card) and Cambridge United 2-1 Accrington Stanley (4 yellow cards and 2 red cards).
Sources: EFL & Soccer Base.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Who Are The League One Managers? - Simon Grayson (Blackpool)
Starting his playing career at the age of 14 with local club Leeds, Ripon-born full-back Simon Grayson has enjoyed a lengthy career in the game as both a player and manager. Basing his career mainly in the north of England, Grayson has completed an unusual hat-trick: he has both played for and managed three different clubs.
As a player, his career did not exactly take off at Leeds. Having become an apprentice at 16 and signing professional forms in June 1988 at the age of 18, Grayson appeared only twice for the first team. They were exciting times at Elland Road, with the Second Division title won in 1989; shortly after Grayson departed, Leeds became the last club to win the old First Division prior to the advent of the Premier League. Grayson was not an integral part of it, returning to the second tier with Brian Little’s Leicester City for £50,000 on 13 March 1992.
It proved to be an excellent move for Grayson, who went straight into the Leicester first team and helped the club to reach the playoffs in May 1992. Unfortunately, it ended in disappointment, beaten 1-0 by Blackburn at Wembley. In his first full season of 1992-93, they were back in the playoffs, this time going down 4-3 to Swindon in the final. Grayson missed that final, having suffered a series of injuries that season. Leicester were well-placed to win automatic promotion in 1993-94, but a run of two wins in their last twelve games left them in the playoffs again. This time promotion to the Premier League was secured with a 2-1 win over Derby; Grayson was appointed captain for the final, thus becoming the first captain in the club’s history to lift a trophy at Wembley. He also picked up the Player of the Season award for the first time.
Leicester struggled badly in the Premier League, winning just six games as they were relegated straight back to the First Division. The 1995-96 season followed a very familiar pattern as Leicester reached the play-off final for the fourth time in five seasons; this time, a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace took them straight back up again. Leicester turned in a great season in 1996-97, finishing 9th in the Premier League and winning the League Cup at Hillsborough with a 1-0 replay win over Middlesbrough. Grayson was again voted Player of the Season.
Leicester had qualified for Europe, but Grayson would not be there to take part. In the close season, former Leicester boss Brian Little took him to Aston Villa for £1.3 million. Villa had themselves qualified for Europe by finishing fifth in the Premier League, and Grayson made his European debut in the first round match at Bordeaux. He was to make six appearances in the competition as Villa swept past Bordeaux, Athletic Bilbao and Steaua Bucharest before falling to Atletico Madrid on away goals in the quarter-final. League form was not so good, and Little resigned in February with Villa in fifteenth place and just six points above the drop zone. New manager John Gregory inspired an immediate revival as Villa won nine of their last eleven games to qualify for Europe in seventh.
Villa had another good season in 1998-99, beating Stromgodset in the UEFA Cup before going out to Celta Vigo. There was to be disappointment in the league, finishing sixth and missing out on a European place by two points. There was more disappointment for Grayson, who lost his place at the end of February after a run of five defeats in six games and was sold to Blackburn for £750,000 in July 1999.
Blackburn had just been relegated from the Premier League and were expecting a swift return. However, Blackburn won just three of their first fifteen games to languish in eighteenth place. Manager Brian Kidd was sacked, and was eventually replaced by Graeme Souness in March. Blackburn limped to a mid-table finish, but it was immediately clear that Souness did not fancy Grayson. A series of loan spells away from the club was to follow, beginning with a month at First Division rivals Sheffield Wednesday at the start of 2000-01 including a game against Blackburn. Grayson joined First Division side Stockport County in January 2001 for three months and returned to Ewood Park just in time to see Blackburn promoted back to the Premier League in second place. Grayson had not made a single league appearance for them. The 2001-02 season followed a similar course with a two-month loan spell at Second Division Notts County from September. A month a First Division Bradford followed in February 2002, but once again Grayson failed to make a single league appearance for Blackburn, who finished tenth in the Premier League and won the League Cup. It was time to move on, and Grayson signed for Blackpool in July 2002 on a free transfer.
Blackpool had a decent start to 2002-03 and were challenging for a Second Division playoff spot at the beginning of March, but a poor run of just four points from their final twelve games saw them finish in the bottom half. The 2003-04 season also saw a bottom-half finish, although the season ended well with a 2-0 win over Southend in the final of the LDV Vans Trophy at Cardiff. There was a new face in the Bloomfield Road hot seat for the 2004-05 season in the form of former Scotland captain Colin Hendry, who made Grayson captain and eventually moved him into midfield. However, there was to be no dramatic rise up the table. A dreadful start left Blackpool bottom of the newly renamed League One with three points from eight games before an improvement led to a sixteenth-place finish. It was during this season that Hendry encouraged Grayson to start studying for his coaching badges and gave him some responsibility for coaching the reserves.
The 2005-06 season was to prove a pivotal one in Grayson’s career. On 10 November 2005, with Blackpool fourth from bottom of League One, Hendry was sacked with Grayson appointed as caretaker manager. Although employed primarily as a player, he decided to concentrate on the management role he had been given and never played again. He managed to slowly but surely drag the side away from danger that season, with safety assured after a 3-3 home draw with Gillingham.
Having been appointed manager on a permanent basis. Grayson officially announced his retirement from playing at the age of 35. In his playing career, he had notched up a total of 533 appearances, scoring 16 goals from defence.
His first full season in management of 2006-07 proved a memorable one. Grayson made drastic changes to the squad prior to and throughout the season and led Blackpool to a third-place finish despite losing their first three games without scoring a goal. Grayson picked up his first Manager of the Month award in December and also led the side to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in seventeen years. A fantastic run of seven successive league wins at the end of the season gave the side great momentum for the playoffs, which culminated in a 2-0 win over Yeovil at Wembley and promotion to the Championship. The run of ten straight wins was a new club record.
That run of victories was extended to twelve as Blackpool won the first two games of the 2007-08 season. Things became a bit tougher after that, and Blackpool hovered around the bottom eight for the majority of the season before finishing nineteenth, just two points above relegated Leicester. Blackpool did reach the fourth round of the League Cup for the first time in 35 years which earned Grayson his first formal contract from the club in December 2007. Blackpool made a reasonable start to the 2008-09 season and were in mid-table when League One Leeds United made a formal approach for their manager in December 2008. Blackpool rejected the approach but Grayson resigned and was confirmed by Leeds the following day. The resulting battle for compensation would not be settled until April the following year.
Back at the club where he started his career, Grayson took over a side that had just lost its last four games in League One and had slipped to ninth place. Having drawn his first game at home to former club Leicester on Boxing Day, form improved dramatically. Leeds won eleven and drew three of their final fifteen games, including winning their last eleven home games, to finish fourth. The promotion dream ended with a 2-1 aggregate defeat to Millwall in the play-off semi-final, but there was to be no mistake the following season. Leeds started with six straight wins, and despite a wobble of four successive defeats in March, finished in second place to secure automatic promotion. It was the second time in four seasons that he had led a side from League One to the Championship. Leeds also reached the fourth round of the FA Cup (including a famous 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford) and the northern final of the Football League Trophy in an excellent season.
The team took a while to establish itself in the Championship and sat sixteenth at the end of October. However, a run of just two defeats in twenty-four games carried Leeds to within two points of an automatic promotion spot. A downturn in form then derailed the promotion drive and Leeds finished seventh, four points short of a playoff spot. Leeds made a good start in 2011-12 and sat fifth towards the end of October after seven games unbeaten. A spell of indifferent form led to Leeds slipping to tenth by the end of January. Although only a win behind the play-off places, Grayson was unexpectedly sacked on 1 February 2012. Leeds went on to finish 14th under replacement Neil Warnock.
With a very good record, Grayson was not likely to be out of work for long and was appointed manager of League One Huddersfield on 20 February 2012. Bizarrely, previous manager Lee Clark had been sacked the previous week with the side sitting in fourth place in the table with just three defeats in thirty games including an unbeaten run of eighteen games from the start of the season. Whatever the reasons for that, Grayson took over a confident side and maintained the playoff challenge to finish in fourth place. An 8-7 win on penalties over Sheffield United at Wembley gave Grayson his third promotion from League One to the Championship in six seasons.
Huddersfield started the 2012-13 season very well and sat sixth in November, just five points behind leaders Crystal Palace. However, a run of twelve games without a win including a 6-1 thumping at Leicester produced a dive down the table; with Huddersfield in eighteenth-place, he was sacked on 24 January 2013.
Again, he was not unemployed for long, appointed manager at League One side Preston on 17 February 2013. Preston were struggling towards the foot of the table, but a run of five wins and five draws from Grayson’s first twelve games ensured safety by a comfortable margin. The 2013-14 season was a vast improvement on 2012-13, with the side getting away to a nine-game unbeaten run. Two defeats were followed by another unbeaten run of eight games to leave Preston fourth in the table at the midway stage. A third unbeaten run of twelve games led to a fifth-place finish, but the promotion challenge ended with a 4-2 play-off semi-final defeat to Rotherham. The side also reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, losing in a replay to Nottingham Forest.
The 2014-15 season proved pretty consistent, with Preston occupying at least a playoff spot for the majority. A run of twelve wins and six draws from eighteen games secured a playoff spot with ease, and this time promotion was secured with a 4-0 win over Swindon at Wembley, courtesy of a Jermaine Beckford hat-trick. Remarkably, it was Preston’s first success in the playoffs in ten attempts. Perhaps more remarkably, it was Grayson’s fourth promotion from League One to the Championship with four different clubs in the space of nine seasons. The side also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup before going down 3-1 at home to Manchester United. The 2015-16 season was relatively unremarkable, with Preston finishing very comfortably in mid-table. Exactly the same thing can be said for the 2016-17 season, with the side finishing in an identical eleventh place with an identical points total (62) despite losing five of their first six games.
After a couple of seasons of consolidation at Deepdale, Grayson resigned on 29 June 2017 to take over at Sunderland, the compensation package believed to be £750,000. The aim was to stabilise the club after relegation from the Premier League, but the club was in an even bigger mess than anyone believed. After remaining unbeaten for the first three games, Sunderland plummeted down the table. At the end of a run of five draws and seven defeats from twelve games, Grayson was sacked on 31 October with the side third from bottom of the Championship.
On 11 February 2018, Grayson was appointed manager of League One Bradford City to the end of the season. Previous manager Stuart McCall had been sacked after a run of five defeats and a draw had seen the side slip from automatic promotion contenders to sixth in League One. There was to be no League One promotion this time. Grayson lost five of his first seven games, and despite a brief revival towards the end of the season, he was unable to revive their promotion bid. After a final position of eleventh, Grayson left Bradford at the end of his contract.
And now the wheel comes full circle back to Blackpool, the club at which Grayson cut his managerial teeth. Simon Grayson has a record that is second to none from a League One perspective, with those four promotions to the Championship with four different clubs. That is the reason why new Blackpool owner Simon Sadler made a beeline for him during the summer and appointed him on a two-year deal. If the degree of financial support is finally there, Grayson’s Blackpool will be a very dangerous proposition this season. They say you should never go back, but can he make it a fifth League One promotion?
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Grayson offers positive fitness update on Blackpool star ahead of Lincoln City clash
Blackpool manager Simon Grayson has delivered some potentially positive news on the fitness of striker Armand Gnanduillet, ahead of the Tangerines’ clash against Lincoln City on Friday night at Bloomfield Road.
Gnanduillet, who has been in fine form at the start of the campaign having registered five league goals already so far this term, missed out on Blackpool’s 1-1 draw at local rivals Accrington Stanley with the forward suffering from a muscle strain ahead of the game.
Grayson elected to pair both Joe Nutall and Ryan Hastie together at Accrington in Gnanduillet’s absence, but the two forwards have struggled to make the same sort of impact as the 27-year-old so far this term, with neither player registering a league goal yet in the early weeks of the season, making the Frenchmen’s return to fitness an even greater priority for Blackpool.
Blackpool head into Friday’s clash against Licoln knowing that a win could move them level on points with second placed Coventry City, ahead of Saturday’s League 1 fixtures, and Grayson will be hoping that Gnanduillet will be ready to return to the same sort of form he has been showing so far this campaign if he is called upon.
Speaking ahead of the game against Lincoln at Bloomfield Road to the Blackpool Gazette, Grayson suggested that the striker could be in line to be included back in his side for the match, saying “He had a fitness test on Friday but we decided we wouldn’t risk him as we’d rather lose him for just the one game than for four or five.
“We will look at things in a different light (for Friday). We will look at our opponents and how they will set up, but I’m always looking at different solutions to problems.
Blackpool manager Simon Grayson has delivered some potentially positive news on the fitness of striker Armand Gnanduillet, ahead of the Tangerines’ clash against Lincoln City on Friday night at Bloomfield Road.
Gnanduillet, who has been in fine form at the start of the campaign having registered five league goals already so far this term, missed out on Blackpool’s 1-1 draw at local rivals Accrington Stanley with the forward suffering from a muscle strain ahead of the game.
Grayson elected to pair both Joe Nutall and Ryan Hastie together at Accrington in Gnanduillet’s absence, but the two forwards have struggled to make the same sort of impact as the 27-year-old so far this term, with neither player registering a league goal yet in the early weeks of the season, making the Frenchmen’s return to fitness an even greater priority for Blackpool.
Blackpool head into Friday’s clash against Licoln knowing that a win could move them level on points with second placed Coventry City, ahead of Saturday’s League 1 fixtures, and Grayson will be hoping that Gnanduillet will be ready to return to the same sort of form he has been showing so far this campaign if he is called upon.
Speaking ahead of the game against Lincoln at Bloomfield Road to the Blackpool Gazette, Grayson suggested that the striker could be in line to be included back in his side for the match, saying “He had a fitness test on Friday but we decided we wouldn’t risk him as we’d rather lose him for just the one game than for four or five.
“We will look at things in a different light (for Friday). We will look at our opponents and how they will set up, but I’m always looking at different solutions to problems.
“Players are giving me the opportunity to change things around. I might have changed things around before the Accrington game but we decided to go with the same team. Obviously Armand wasn’t available, so the team really picked itself.”
The Verdict
Gnanduillet’s return to contention at least in terms of Grayson’s thinking for Friday night will be a huge boost for the Tangerines, as they look to maintain their early season momentum which has seen the club occupy a place in the League 1 play-off places.
The Frenchmen has emerged as Blackpool’s main source of goals so far this term and has displayed the potential to reach well into double figures, if Grayson’s side can keep him fully fit for the rest of the season, and that could make the difference between managing to mount a successful challenge for promotion or just falling short.
The lack of goals from the Tangerines other forwards so far will have put more pressure on Gnanduillet to get back fit and maintain his early-season form, but the 27-year-old has already shown he is ready to become Blackpool’s main striker this campaign.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Lincoln City fans heading to Friday’s game at Blackpool are being urged to allow plenty of time for their journey.
Around 1,200 Imps supporters have already snapped up tickets for new manager Michael Appleton’s first game in charge, with many planning to make a weekend of the trip to the popular seaside resort.
With several events taking place in Blackpool over the weekend, thousands of people will travelling to the town, which is likely to extend journey times.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Name in home country: Neal James Eardley Date of birth: Nov 6, 1988 Place of birth: Llandudno Wales Age: 30 Height: 1,80 m Citizenship: Wales Position: Defender - Right-Back Foot: right Player agent: Omni-Sports Current club: Lincoln City Joined: Aug 3, 2017 Contract expires: 30.06.2020 Date of last contract extension: May 18, 2018
After a trial at Port Vale in July 2017, Eardley joined Lincoln City, newly promoted to League Two, on a short-term contract until January 2018. According to manager Danny Cowley, "Technically and tactically you can see he's played in the Premier League and will be a good role model. He's one of those that makes everyone around him 5% better." Eardley went straight into the starting eleven for the opening fixture of the 2017—18 season, a 2—2 draw away to Wycombe Wanderers. He later extended his deal until the end of the season, and after he was voted Player of the Season he then re-signed until 2020.
My predictions have been way off the mark of late. Not taking anything for granted, even their away form. We need to win this one to solidify our place in the top half of the table.
when the monkey is high you do not stare you do not stare 🥴
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Lincoln Pre-Match on 15:38 - Sep 26 with 182 views
Simon Grayson hopes to be able to call upon top scorer Armand Gnanduillet again for the visit of Lincoln City tomorrow night.
The striker, who has hit six goals this season, missed out on Blackpool's draw at Accrington last weekend due to a muscle injury.
"He's back training and hopefully he declares himself fit for tomorrow night," manager Simon Grayson said.
A few other players will continue to be monitored ahead of kick-off, with a late decision expected on their availability.
"We've got a couple of lads that have got some bumps and bruises from last Saturday. Some have missed training this week and some have joined back in later in the week.
"We'll assess everybody at tea-time tomorrow and see where we go."
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Memory Match: Danny Shittu nets debut goal as Blackpool see off Lincoln City, 2001
Matt Scrafton trawls through the archives to take a look back at the last time Blackpool faced Lincoln City, 18 years ago...
Blackpool 2-0 Lincoln City, February 17, 2001
Blackpool Tower poked its head out above the fog right on cue as for the first time in six months the Seasiders reached the dizzy heights of the top seven.
Fittingly it was a new Seasiders structure, as solid and impressive as the famous seaside landmark, which helped put them there.
Even Danny Shittu himself couldn’t have hoped to make a bigger impact on his first senior appearance in English football.
As well as scoring what until the 90th minute was the only goal to separate the sides, the Nigerian-born defender was rightly voted man of the match. Already a cult hero after just one game, Shittu has the power and presence to push Pool even further towards automatic promotion.
Off the pitch he’s a gently-spoken giant with a beaming smile which says he’s just grateful to have been given his first team chance. On it he’s a man mountain with the raw enthusiasm, pace, power and skill to make him a handful for any opponent.
Shittu said afterwards he started the game not even knowing his team-mates names. By the end there’d been so many changes he was thoroughly confused!
But one thing was certain. His was the name which was being chanted from the terraces. There’ll even be kids rushing to have his name printed on the back of their shirts!
It was six minutes before the break when Shittu made a name for himself by scoring his dream debut goal.
And it came just moments after his first half defensive partner Ian Hughes had gone within a whisker of putting Pool in front.
A foul on Danny Coid by former Seasiders striker Lee Thorpe set up the situation. And when Hughes headed Paul Simpson’s free-kick goalwards Lincoln’s John Schofield did well to clear off the line.
But with Shittu around, the danger wasn’t over. Simpson swung in the corner from the right, John Murphy headed it back across from the far post and Shittu rose by the right hand post to head home.
To be honest Pool’s opener came against the run of play in what was never a vintage Seasiders show. But it says something if you can make it five straight clean sheet wins at home - scoring 15 goals in the process - without hitting the heights.
Pool had started well, with Shittu and his main man of the match rival Richard Wellens making an early impression.
But immediately prior to Shittu scoring, Lincoln had themselves threatened to turn their equal share of possession into a goal. Jon O’Connor, right-back in the first half before replacing the injured Hughes in central defence after the break, had to be in quickly to clear from Thorpe.
And in quick succession, Hughes cut out Paul Smith’s dangerous cross after Mike Milligan had been robbed by Thorpe midway inside the Pool half. And Barnes collected a mis-hit Holmes shot on the line.
Although Lincoln still haven’t won away for almost a year, since a 2-1 win at Shrewsbury on April 1 last year, there was enough to suggest they might emulate the Shrews and steal the points here.
Like the fog which came and went all afternoon, Lincoln’s resilience prevented Pool playing in anything more than patches.
On 15 minutes there was one passage of play in which the three strikers, Murphy, Brett Ormerod and Richard Walker combined to good effect. Barnes pumped it long, Murphy got up for a good flick, Walker’s deft first time touch put Ormerod through on the right but he could only drag his 20-yard shot wide left.
But apart from two early attacks where first Ormerod and then Coid got in dangerous byline crosses - both just eluding Murphy in the middle - Pool weren’t really getting in round the back.
Instead with the Seasiders largely restricted to diagonal balls into the box, Lincoln, who had won one and drawn one of their previous cup and league meetings with Pool this season, stood firm.
And if the second biggest home support of the season - 4,315 home fans in the crowd, 11 fewer than Boxing Day - thought Shittu’s goal would prompt a second half onslaught in front of the south paddock they were to be disappointed.
Ormerod did have a wonderful chance to put Pool out of reach on the hour, but arriving on the right of the six yard box on the end of Murphy’s excellent cross he could only balloon his shot over.
Just like the first half, the longer the second period went on the stronger Lincoln got, and the more any Pool chances were restricted to shots from outside the area with Milligan having the most.
Meanwhile at the other end a half time reshuffle, with Hughes having to exit with a hip injury, made the Seasiders slender lead even more vulnerable. Steve Bushell, playing his first match since the Boxing Day defeat to Halifax - the last time Pool conceded a goal at Bloomfield Road - had to fill in at right back .
This allowed O’Connor to move in next to Shittu in central defence with Coid, who has spent much of the season at right back, now on the opposite side! Sensing that this was their chance to capitalise, especially as they threw caution to the wind with their formation late on, the Sincil Bank side again started to exert some sustained pressure.
And with eight minutes left came the game’s defining moment. It’s still hard to know today how the ball stayed out of Pool’s net. Barnes, who was just starting to wobble after another solid game, came to punch a cross from the right but his less than clean connection only sent the ball towards the edge of the box.
Lincoln’s new signing Ben Sedgemore, who came on as a second half substitute, hooked the ball back over Barnes’ head. And even when it came back down off the bar, with Thorpe waiting to pounce it was almost a dead cert there could be no great escape.
But incredibly from almost on the line Thorpe spared his old club by heading over the bar when it looked easier to score.
There was another heart in mouth moment when, with just five minutes left, Barnes needed a second attempt to gather a John Finnigan cross.
But then, better late than never, came the Seasiders sealing second. Fittingly the outstanding Wellens created it with an intelligent ball from midfield which sent Ormerod clean through. Not for the first time this season Ormerod took the ball around the keeper but ended up being forced wide and couldn’t finish it himself.
But he had the tenacity and presence of mind to do the next best thing, pulling the ball back for striker partner Murphy to slam his 18th goal of the season low into the net.
On the face of it and with 90 minutes already gone Murphy’s strike might have seemed secondary compared to Shittu’s debutant scoring antics.
But it’s importance was emphasised by the match officials’ incompetence. Because without Murphy’s goal Pool would have been in for an agonising elongated injury time.
When the fourth official finally put up the time added on board we’d already had two and a half minutes of the four he displayed.
Yet York referee Matt Messias, demoted from the Premier League earlier this season, went on to play eight extra minutes! No wonder when he finally did blow that man of the moment Shittu caught the ball, booted it high into the foggy sky and broke into a giant grin.
Blackpool host Lincoln City under the lights tonight, as the two teams meet for the first time in 18 years.
The Seasiders head into the game having taken four points from consecutive away fixtures, though the focus will be on getting back to winning ways at Bloomfield Road.
The visitors, meanwhile, have a new manager in the dugout, with former Pool boss Michael Appleton taking charge of the Imps. He will be aiming to make an instant impact, having watched a 6-0 defeat to Oxford from the stands last weekend.
Team News:
Top scorer Armand Gnanduillet could be set to return for Blackpool after returning to training this week, though one or two other players face late checks. Nathan Delfouneso (hamstring) continues to miss out.
Lincoln will make a late decision on the availability of Michael Bostwick, who has missed the last two matches due to injury. On-loan midfielder Jake Hesketh is another who could potentially be involved.
Previous Meeting:
Goals from John Murphy and Danny Shittu helped Blackpool record a 2-0 victory in the last meeting at Bloomfield Road, which came in February 2001.
The Referee:
Ollie Yates will oversee proceedings tonight. He has refereed seven matches so far this season and was last at Bloomfield Road on the final day of last season.
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