Blackpool 2-1 Nottingham Forest - Match Report

08 May 2010 15:19

Charlie Adam's second-half penalty ensured Blackpool will defend a 2-1 lead at the City Ground on Tuesday in the second leg of their Coca-Cola Championship play-off semi-final.

Ian Holloway's Seasiders, promoted from Coca-Cola League One via the play-offs in 2007, hit back from a goal down in the first leg at Bloomfield Road to edge their noses in front after Chris Cohen's thunderbolt had given Forest a 13th-minute lead.

Keith Southern levelled for Blackpool midway through the first half and Adam, the £500,000 summer signing from Rangers currently interesting several Barclays Premier League clubs, held his nerve to deservedly edge Holloway's side closer to a return to the top flight of English football for the first time since 1971.

Nathan Tyson crashed a 20-yard shot over the crossbar in the fourth minute and while Blackpool forced a couple of early corners, it was Forest who seized the advantage in the 13th minute.

Blackpool only half-cleared a free-kick into their penalty area and when the ball broke to Cohen on the left edge of the box, the Forest midfielder lashed a rising shot beyond Blackpool's Matt Gilks and into the far corner.

But Blackpool hit back with a well-worked equaliser in the 26th minute. Seamus Coleman weaved his way across the area and found Ian Evatt, who played the ball back across the six-yard line for Southern to convert.

Forest striker Blackstock's header came back off the crossbar moments later and Tyson's follow-up rolled agonisingly wide as both sides threatened when ever they broke forward. Coleman then cleared Wes Morgan's goalbound shot off the line in first half stoppage time.

Blackpool took the lead in the 57th minute. DJ Campbell's brilliant run carried him into the area and after playing a one-two with Brett Ormerod the little striker was tripped by Forest defender James Perch. Staffordshire referee Phil Dowd pointed straight to the spot and Adam stepped forward to coolly place a left-footed penalty into the bottom corner.

Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp did well to smother Ormerod's point-blank shot and Blackpool substitute Stephen Dobbie fired a left-footed shot wide as the Tangerines looked to add a third goal that would have given them more leeway going into the second leg.

Source: PA