Holloway living a Tangerine dream

29 December 2010 07:00

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway admitted he is living his dream in the Barclays Premier League after yet another brilliant away day at Sunderland.

DJ Campbell's double secured a fifth win of the season on the road as the Black Cats created a flurry of chances - 32 attempts on goal and 16 on target - but could not score. The win took the Seasiders to 25 points and lifted them into eighth place to leave their manager purring.

Asked how much he has enjoyed the last year, Holloway said: "Yeah, we just don't want it to stop. Unfortunately, in a couple of days' time, it is going to be 2011. I don't want to go back to 2008 - that wasn't good - but 2010 has been an absolute belter because we have got a bit of a thing going and it is a nice fit and I am more than happy."

He added: "Ask any one of our fans who are now driving home how they feel about the place and how they feel about their club and how my lads are trying to play.

"From the day I started, they didn't moan, they could see what I was trying to do. They want us to pass the ball, they want to be entertained for their money, and any time we didn't give them what they wanted, which is a proper result, they didn't moan at us, so it's a dream come true."

Sunderland had only themselves to blame after creating more than enough chances to win the game, but failing to take any of them. That was partly due to goalkeeper Richard Kingson's stubbornness and some dogged defence, while Darren Bent was denied by the crossbar with a late free-kick.

However, Bent, - now without a goal in five games - record signing Asamoah Gyan and the in-form Danny Welbeck were guilty of passing up a series of gilt-edged opportunities, and Blackpool took full advantage.

Manager Steve Bruce was left bemused by what he had seen. He said: "I have never witnessed anything like that, not at this level, anyway - maybe when I was at school.

"There's nothing I can say. We absolutely hammered them and lost 2-0. I can't remember ever being involved in a Premier League game where we have had so many chances.

"It could have been 10, it could quite easily have been 10."

Source: PA