Blackpool boss Ian Holloway hailed Gary Taylor-Fletcher's brilliant winner at Hull on Friday as proof his side can still be a force in the npower Championship despite the loss of Charlie Adam and DJ Campbell.
Taylor-Fletcher, who scored the Seasiders' first Premier League goal on the opening day of last season, lashed home a glorious angled effort nine minutes from time to settle an open game at the KC Stadium.
"It's not all doom and gloom, not at all. Let's see what we can do, everybody's written us off again," Holloway said on Sky Sports One.
"Taylor-Fletcher is just a brilliant footballer, he's got such happy feet. At this level you need that little bit of fantastic skill. He's a wonderful lad, great player. To think he started in non-league, he's ended up playing in the top flight and you can see he wants to get back there. If someone hasn't taken him now then I'm lucky because he's with me.
"I want to prove that it's not just the players we've lost that were good. I want these lads to shine again and for me they did tonight in a very tough fixture."
Hull had enough chances to earn at least a point in the second half.
Matt Fryatt was sent clean through, but a heavy touch allowed Matt Gilks to smother his shot and Nick Barmby curled the rebound over the bar, while Robbie Brady, who was causing all sorts of problems with his pace down the wings, pulled back a low cross for Cairney, who was denied by an excellent block by Craig Cathcart.
Substitute Jay Simpson should have equalised in the dying moments when a long ball found him in space with the goal at his mercy, but he shot horribly over the bar.
Holloway added: "I think that's a rude awakening for all of us. You muck and mess about in the Premier League and think it's lovely stuff. They give you a little bit of time on the ball and they all back off a little bit.
"Now it's hurly burly, but I'm delighted for the lads, we've had a tough few weeks and it's always about getting the game started. We've had a terrible pre-season, we haven't played well at all, but we have tonight so that's all that matters."
Source: PA
