Stephen Dobbie: Blackpool starting to believe after beating Birmingham

Posted Sunday, April 23, 2023 by PA

Stephen Dobbie insists Blackpool can achieve survival in the Sky Bet Championship after earning their first away win since October with a 1-0 victory at Birmingham.

Substitute Ian Poveda, on loan from Leeds, tapped home in the 74th minute to secure Blackpool’s second win in three games after a dreadful mix-up between defender Kevin Long and goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

The Seasiders are now three points adrift of 21st-placed Huddersfield, who have a game in hand, with two matches remaining.

“We’re still alive and in that dressing room we’re starting to believe we can do it,” said Dobbie.

“I told the players we’d got nothing to lose and that we needed to go for it, so could we get the goal to get us the win to keep fighting until Friday night before the other teams play?

“QPR won but we’re still there and have something to play for. If you’ve have said that six games ago, I’d have taken it.

“The boys will keep fighting. We hadn’t won away from home since late October so that was the pleasing part. I think it showed what it meant to the fans.”

Morgan Rogers set up the goal and Dobbie was delighted with the striker’s performance.

“It’s probably the best game I’ve seen him have in a Blackpool shirt,” he added. “I thought Morgan was fantastic.

“He showed what he can do with his hold-up play, his strength, running the channels and then when he got the ball, making little combinations and making things happen.

“Ian came on but felt his hamstring after missing the game on Tuesday so we’ll have to assess him and see how he is.”

Blues head coach John Eustace admitted his side were well below par.

“The performance was flat, although we were in control of the game,” he said.

“The manner we conceded the goal – we handed it them – was the most disappointing thing. It really knocked us back.

“The lads dropped their heads after the goal, which was disappointing.

“We spoke before the game about the levels of concentration and how important they were going to be.

“The concentration levels weren’t good enough for the goal and then, after that, you could see a lot of heads drop which is disappointing.”

Eustace was also frustrated at the lack of end product, especially as top scorer Scott Hogan is now out for the rest of the season.

He said: “We spoke at half-time about taking the shackles off and who was going to be the one that goes and wins the game, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.

“Scott will be out until the end of the season now. He’s seeing a groin specialist on Tuesday.”