Brighton 6-1 Blackpool: Match Report

20 April 2013 18:01
Brighton 6-1 Blackpool: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.


Barnes bags brace in big win

Ashley Barnes bagged a brace on his return from a seven-match suspension as Brighton thumped Blackpool 6-1 to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches.

Will Buckley put his side ahead in the ninth minute before Matt Upson scored his first goal in a Brighton shirt from six yards out 14 minutes later.

Andrea Orlandi made it 3-0 in the 45th minute before David Lopez scored straight after the half-time break. Dean Hammond's own goal made it 4-1 before Barnes added two late goals on his return.

The hosts were boosted by the return of striker Barnes who came back from a seven-match ban he picked up for appearing to trip referee Nigel Miller in his side's 1-0 defeat to Bolton in March.

Winger Buckley came in following his recovery from a hamstring injury, with Leonardo Ulloa and Andrew Crofts making way for the duo.

Blackpool boss Paul Ince made no changes to the side who played out a goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday in midweek.

The Seagulls were quickest out of the blocks with Buckley causing Blackpool's defenders all sorts of problems in the early stages. The former Rochdale man tried his luck from range in the opening minute but his effort was gobbled up by Tangerines stopper Matt Gilks.

Brighton defender Gordon Greer picked up a booking in the seventh minute when he felled Nathan Delfouneso to halt the visitors' counter-attack.

Gus Poyet's men continued to dominate and it came as no surprise when they broke deadlock in the ninth minute.

Brighton poured forward in numbers and Barnes played the ball forward to Buckley, who cut inside before curling the ball high into the corner of the net from 20 yards out, leaving Gilks stranded.

Further misery was piled onto Blackpool in the 23rd minute when Orlandi's fantastic cross was headed back across goal by Inigo Calderon and Upson bundled the ball home from close range to make it 2-0.

Brighton continued to attack, with Barnes having three good opportunities to extend his side's lead in the space of six first-half minutes.

Albion made it 3-0 on the brink of half-time when Orlandi played a wonderful one-two with Lopez before finding the bottom corner of Gilks' net with a neat finish with the outside of his foot.

Brighton began the second half as they ended the first and Lopez made it four within two minutes of the re-start. Barnes flicked the ball on to Lopez on the edge of the box and his deflected effort went into the roof of the net.

Tom Ince had a couple of opportunities to get on the scoresheet in the early stages of the second half but it was Matt Phillips who set up his side's goal.

The former Wycombe winger launched the ball into the area in the 53rd minute and his cross was turned into his own net by Hammond.

Kuszczak was replaced by Casper Ankergren in the 64th minute after the Polish goalkeeper clashed heads with Blackpool substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

Brighton made two further substitutions with Kazenga LuaLua and Bruno Saltor replacing Buckley and Wayne Bridge respectively. LuaLua made an instant impact four minutes after coming on when he crossed for Barnes to tap in from close range to make it 5-1.

Barnes made it six in the 90th minute when he stroked the ball home from Orlandi's cross.

Source: PA