Blackpool relegated to League One after dramatic loss to playoff-chasing Millwall

  • 4/28/2023
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Blackpool were relegated from the Sky Bet Championship after a 3-2 home defeat by playoff hopefuls Millwall. The Seasiders twice hit back from a goal down to level, but even a point would scarcely have been enough as they went down with a game to spare. Millwall, meanwhile, fired themselves back up to fifth as they remain firmly in the playoff picture, with Tom Bradshaw scoring a terrific double. “Of course we’re hurting, we’re all hurting after that,” said the Blackpool interim manager, Stephen Dobbie. “It’s disappointing because we didn’t really pick it up in the second half. I let the lads know at half-time, they’d done OK in the first half, but I felt I needed to remind them just what was at stake. “It was tough to lose out to a penalty so late in the game, for them to eventually win it like that was a big blow, but overall I just can’t fault any of the lads tonight.” Blackpool’s hopes had suffered an early blow at Bloomfield Road as Millwall struck after less than two minutes. Ryan Leonard fizzed a low cross into the path of Bradshaw after a slick move, who slid the ball in from 10 yards. Buoyed by their early strike, the Lions almost struck again 10 minutes later when Bradshaw found space in the Blackpool box but his shot on the turn drifted wide. The Millwall frontman then fluffed a great chance on the break as he fired wastefully off target after latching on to goalkeeper George Long’s clearance. The hosts were struggling to make inroads, and Millwall struck the woodwork in the 25th minute. Duncan Watmore lashed in an effort from inside the box that thumped the post. Blackpool had been second best, but they levelled from the penalty spot nine minutes before the break. CJ Hamilton was tripped by Jamie Shackleton, leaving Jerry Yates to slam home the penalty. Millwall threatened first after the restart, with Zian Flemming heading disappointingly off target from inside the six-yard box. At the other end Morgan Rogers charged towards the Millwall area before curling a shot wide. The home fans were stunned into silence again just before the hour mark, however, when Millwall went back in front as Bradshaw finished coolly after racing on to Watmore’s through-ball. Blackpool were beginning to look down and out, but back they came with a brilliant second equaliser after 66 minutes. Lewis Fiorini took a short pass from Keshi Anderson before arrowing a 25-yard strike in past Long’s despairing dive. However, Blackpool’s hopes of going on to force victory were ended when as the Lions regained the advantage for a third time, courtesy of another penalty. Flemming slotted home to score what proved to be the winner in a pulsating clash after Watmore had been tripped by Fiorini, consigning Blackpool to the drop.

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