Source: Daily_Mail
Blackpool 3 Tottenham 1: DJ Campbell puts sorry Spurs in a spin
[LNB] Harry Redknapp may not believe in miracles but Ian Holloway just might after seeing his Blackpool side survive a series of close scrapes to breathe new life into their Premier League survival campaign at Bloomfield Road.[LNB] A close-fought, incident-packed encounter that lived up to every expectation delivered a misleadingly one-sided scoreline, as Blackpool performed with heroics at both ends of the pitch. [LNB]The Tottenham manager had claimed it would take a miracle for his travel-weary team to force their way into the Champions League again. His judgment was based on the fortunes available to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, but he may now conclude that fortune could also play a part. [LNB] All smiles: DJ Campbell celebrates with Kornilenko after scoring Blackpool's second against Spurs [LNB]No-one could begrudge Blackpool their slice of luck after the impact they have made in their first ever Premier League season, but Redknapp was almost tempted to, as he reflected on a rash Sebastien Bassong challenge for an 18th-minute penalty and two glaring misses by Roman Pavlyuchenko. [LNB]'That was a scandalous challenge for the penalty,' fumed the Tottenham manager. 'It was diabolical, reckless and clumsy. [LNB] Spot on: Charlie Adam opens the scoring after 18 minutes [LNB]'It was just as bad at the other end.It was incredible sitting there watching chance after chance gobegging. What can you do when the ball is dropping on your striker'shead four or five yards out and he fails to score? We kept creatingchances and squandering them, and I'm afraid our strikers just haven'tscored enough goals this season.[LNB]'It was just unreal, but that's just how it goes - full credit to Blackpool, they have done fantastic.' [LNB]Holloway had laid down a pre-match marker for Charlie Adam by challenging him to match Tottenham's illustrious midfield, and the Scot wasted little time proving he was up for the challenge. A couple of weaving runs had already put Tottenham on their guard when he demonstrated how a [LNB] On target: Campbell scores from close range after an excellent move by the home side [LNB]Tottenham went perilously close to an equaliser three times before halftime. Steven Pienaar had a pointblank 28th-minute shot blocked, and when Jermain Defoe raced on to a Pavlyuchenko pass six minutes later, it took even greater heroics to prevent a Tottenham leveller.[LNB] Richard Kingson left his line in the mistaken belief he could reach the ball before Defoe, then froze as he realised his error. Defoe lifted a chip over the stranded keeper and was turning away to celebrate a goal, when Craig Cathcart charged back and headed the ball off the line. [LNB]When Kingson flapped at a cross in the 44th minute, a Defoe equaliser looked assured, until Baptiste's outstretched boot came to the rescue. Defoe was still cursing his luck when a backheel from Kornilenko set up James Beattie for a precise cross that the lurking Campbell finished off at the far post.steady nerve can be added to his other more obvious attributes. [LNB]On- loan debutant Sergey Kornilenkowon the aerial duel for Neal Eardley's right-wing cross in the 18thminute and chested it into the path of DJ Campbell. The Blackpoolstriker still had plenty to do, just inside the area, but was sparedthe bother as a clumsy Bassong challenge sent him sprawling, in frontof referee Chris Foy.[LNB] Itwas the clearest of penalties, and Adam coolly dispatched it into theleft corner, just beyond the despairing reach of Heurelho Gomes.[LNB]A two-goal cushion hardly constituted acomfort zone for Blackpool, whose nerves remained on edge during morefrenzied Tottenham pressure in the second half. [LNB]Pienaar should have done better thandrag a close-range chance wide in the 47th minute, after more sterlingwork down the right by Aaron Lennon, and the same could be said ofPavlyuchenko with two pointblank headers. [LNB][LNB] Captain fantastic: Adam leaps for joy after scoring the first goal of the game[LNB]Kingsonreacted with stunning reflexes to claw them out of the air. If therewas a growing feeling the game was up for Spurs, confirmation came inthe 73rd minute when a stretched Blackpool defence could only look onhelplessly at the sight of Luka Modric drawing Kingson and calmlylifting the ball over him. [LNB]As it bobbled gently towards anunguarded net, Baptiste appeared from nowhere to complete yet anotherunlikely goal-line clearance. Ten minutes from time, substitute MattPhillips went on a typically forceful run into the area that looked tohave been halted by Benoit Assou-Ekotto. [LNB]Butthe Tottenham full back failed to spot the lurking Brett Ormerod, whogleefully rammed home the close-range chance to earn the distinction ofscoring for Blackpool in all four divisions. [LNB][LNB] Three and easy: Ormerod (left) slides Blackpool's third underneath the on-rushing Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes [LNB] [LNB]Pavlyuchenko reduced the arrears with a stunning, dipping injury-time volley from 25 yards.[LNB]A delighted Holloway said: 'They haven't invented a word that couldadequately describe how pleased I am with my boys, but now we have tobuild on this with a good performance at Wolves.[LNB]For all those scenarios that could have happened, and in the second half, looked like they were going to happen, and how depressed I would have been if Tottenham had gone on and taken a few more of their chances, I still don't believe my boys would have deserved that.[LNB]'I don't think we got what we deserved against Manchester City or Manchester United here and it looked like Tottenham were going to be too good for us, but we got the third goal at an absolutely vital time.[LNB]'I'd like to say thank you to all my lads.'[LNB] I can't do miracles! Redknapp plays down Champions League expectationsHolloway desperate for home comforts in Blackpool's Premier League survival fightLIVE: Blackpool v Tottenham - all the action from Bloomfield Road as it happenedAll the latest Blackpool news, features and opinionAll the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Sebastien Bassong, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Charlie Adam, Harry Redknapp, Luka Modric, Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe, James Beattie, Ian Holloway
