Saturday May 22, 2010 Final Finished Wembley

Blackpool 3 - 2 Cardiff City

  • Adam 13’
  • Taylor-Fletcher 40’
  • Ormerod 45’
  • Chopra 9’
  • Ledley 37’

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  1. Blackpool reach Premier League

    Blackpool reach Premier League

    Blackpool reached the Premier League with a 3-2 victory over Cardiff in an action-packed Championship play-off final at Wembley. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Blackpool
    • Cardiff City
    • 90+4' The final whistle goes and the Tangerines return to the top-flight of English football for the first time in 39 years. BLACKPOOL 3-2 CARDIFF
    • 90+3' Blackpool on the cusp of the promised land.
    • 90+2' Barry Bannan replaces Vaughan.
    • 90+1' Whittingham's cross is met by the head of Ledley but his header is straight into the hands of Gilks.
    • 90' There will be four minutes of added time.
    • 89' Campbell's cross is headed behind for a corner.
    • 88' Burgess is in acres of space in the penalty area but Campbell fails to find him as Cardiff gamble.
    • 87' Gerrard springs the offside trap but passes up a great chance to shoot and the chance is lost.
    • 86' Cardiff have thrown Gerrard, the cousin of Liverpool's Steven, into attack.
    • 85' Adam's free-kick is flicked away.
    • 84' Blackpool win a free-kick deep into the Cardiff area which will use up precious seconds.
    • 83' Blackpool fans in the stands. Match Image
    • 82' Holloway on the touchline, urging his players on for one last effort.
    • 81' Surging run from Blake into the penalty area but his shot is straight at Gilks.
    • 80' Although both sides made it out of the Football League's bottom tier in 2001, it took Blackpool four years longer than Cardiff to reach the Championship, finally doing so in 2007 after the Bluebirds won promotion via the play-offs in 2003. Now they are 10 minutes away from the Premier League.
    • 79' Cardiff are throwing more and more men forward but this time Evatt heads away.
    • 78' Cardiff starting to dominate possession and Crainey is forced to make a crucial headed clearance at the back post.
    • 77' McCormack drags his shot in to the side netting.
    • 76' Gilks is very lucky as he makes a complete hash of a floated cross under pressure from Chopra and he watches the ball goes through his hands and it is only inches away from nestling in the far corner.
    • 75' Adam drives into the penalty area but Etuhu just puts him under enough pressure to prevent him from picking out a team-mate.
    • 74' Anthony Gerrard replaces the Scottish full-back.
    • 73' Kennedy's cross is hooked clear as McNaughton prepares to depart proceedings.
    • 72' Chopra appeals for a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area after seemingly being blocked off by Crainey but referee Marriner waves away the claims.
    • 71' The Tangerines have won promotion via the play-offs on each of the last three occasions they have gone up a division. Can they make it four?
    • 70' Sure to be some tired bodies as we enter the last 20 minutes - the pitch side thermometer still reads 106 degrees.
    • 69' Adam shoots and scores from a free-kick. Match Image
    • 68' Crainey in acres of space down the left but his cross is headed away by the diving McNaughton.
    • 67' McCormack drives a shot from 20 yards past the post.
    • 66' McPhail needs treatment after a collision with Southern in the centre circle.
    • 65' Etuhu stings the palms of Gilks who tips the shot around the post for a corner.
    • 64' Adam's corner is hooked on to the roof of the net by Evatt.
    • 63' Hudson needlessly gives away a corner - he had all the time in the world but couldn’t direct his header back to Marshall.
    • 62' Surging run from Southern and his 20-yard effort is not too far over the top.
    • 61' Ormerod is replaced by Stephen Dobbie, on-loan from Swansea.
    • 60' Joe Ledley beats Gilks at the near post but his flicked header from Whittingham's corner drifts just past the far post. Half of Wembley thought that was in!
    • 59' Chopra probing down the right channel once more and forces a corner.
    • 58' Adam's first-time shot from the edge of the penalty area curls wide.
    • 57' Burke limps off and is replaced by Ross McCormack.
    • 56' Chopra hits the crossbar for a second time. The ball is poked through to the striker whose 20-yard drives flicks the top of the woodwork.
    • 55' Some empty seats at Wembley as not all the corporate seats have been taken.
    • 54' Ormerod scores their third goal of the game. Match Image
    • 53' If they win, Blackpool will become the first club to win four play-off finals and the first to win one at every level.
    • 52' Taylor-Fletcher has picked up a knock and is replaced by Ben Burgess.
    • 51' McNaughton in the wars again after a collision with Southern.
    • 50' Taylor-Fletcher finds Campbell in the penalty area but his shot is charged down.
    • 49' Etuhu's first real involvement as he uses his pace to get clear down the left but he can't pick out Chopra with his cross.
    • 48' Chopra's cross from the right only finds the roof of the net.
    • 47' Kevin McNaughton takes an early knock and has to get some treatment.
    • 46' Here we go for the second-half - no changes to either side.
    • 45+3' HALF-TIME! Five goals, both teams have hit the woodwork and an effort ruled out for offside. What a half!
    • 45+2' Darcy Blake pokes home a free-kick at the back post but he is ruled offside - a correct decision.
    • 45+1' The 13th goal of the season for the veteran Ormerod in his second spell with the club.
    • 45' GOAL BLACKPOOL!! DJ Campbell wriggles into the penalty area and slips when he attempts to shoot but the ball falls nicely to Brett Ormerod who finds the bottom corner.
    • 44' Two minutes of added time.
    • 43' Referee Andre Marriner has let the game flow.
    • 42' The pitch side thermometer is reading 106.7 degrees fahrenheit.
    • 41' What a breathtaking opening period.
    • 40' GOAL BLACKPOOL! It's 2-2 - Cardiff fail to deal with a corner and although Evatt's hook is cleared off the line by the thigh of Kennedy it pops up to Taylor-Fletcher who heads home from close range.
    • 39' Taylor-Fletcher hits the post! The ball is chested down to him 20 yards out and his strike curls against the upright.
    • 38' GOAL CARDIFF! Joe Ledley lays off to Whittingham and continues his run into the penalty area. Gilks comes off his line and that allows Ledley to fire into the corner.
    • 37' Etuhu has a nose bleed and has to leave the pitch.
    • 36' Chopra finds Whittingham and then continues his run and forces a corner.
    • 35' Vaughan's delivery is cleared by Cardiff who can counter.
    • 34' Campbell finds space in the penalty area but Hudson gets back and Blackpool win their first corner.
    • 33' Should Cardiff win, they will end a 27-year Welsh absence from the top flight, since Swansea City were relegated from the old Division One in 1983 after a two-year stay.
    • 32' Only Bradford City (71 years), Oldham Athletic (62) and Notts County (49) have spent longer in the lower divisions before returning to the summit of the league pyramid than these sides.
    • 31' A purposeful run down the right by Gary Taylor-Fletcher is ended by Cardiff full-back Mark Kennedy, a veteran of Wolves' play-off final win over Sheffield United.
    • 30' Chopra again finds space in the penalty area but fails to make any real contact with his volley.
    • 29' Whittingham's delivery is headed away at the near post by Crainey for another corner. Cardiff then play it short and Whittingham's audacious shot from the angle screws out for a throw-in.
    • 28' A rare foray into the opposition half by Cardiff and Chris Burke forces a corner.
    • 27' A mazy run from another on-loan Blackpool player, Seamus Coleman - the right-back from Everton - and he pulls back to Keith Southern whose prod into the penalty area is hacked away.
    • 26' Whichever club wins will emulate Fulham, Wigan Athletic and Hull City by playing in all four divisions since the Premier League was formed in 1992.
    • 25' A diagonal shot by Adam is screwed well wide from 20 yards.
    • 24' Campbell is on loan from Leicester and would have not been able to play if the Foxes had beaten Cardiff on penalties in the semi-final.
    • 23' Both sides appeal for handball in the penalty area - certainly no spot kick as the ball strikes the chest of Cardiff's Mark Hudson after Campbell's prod.
    • 22' Blackpool have not beaten Cardiff since a 1-0 win at Bloomfield Road in October 2002.
    • 21' A driving run from the Welshman in the Blackpool team David Vaughan and it is a decent strike from 20 yards but just drifts wide of Marshall's left-hand post.
    • 20' An air shot from DJ Campbell. He has a wild stab at a driven ball from the left and fails to make any contact when in space 18 yards from goal.
    • 19' Ormerod almost ghosts in behind the Cardiff defence but Marshall is off his line sharply.
    • 18' Cardiff fail to clear a free-kick and it requires a fantastic hooked clearance from Blake to prevent a whipped ball from the right finding a Blackpool player in the six-yard box.
    • 17' This is the first time since 2000 that both teams have scored in the final in the regulation 90 minutes.
    • 16' Blow for Cardiff as Bothroyd is forced off and is replaced by Etuhu.
    • 15' Chopra finds space once again but this time Stephen Crainey gets across to cover.
    • 14' What a start to the final! Just four and a half minutes between goals.
    • 13' GOAL BLACKPOOL! What a strike from Charlie Adam who curls a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner, leaving David Marshall with no chance.
    • 12' Free-kick to the Tangerines in a dangerous area after a handball by Stephen McPhail.
    • 11' Brett Ormerod's first-time cross is cut out by Darcy Blake in the penalty area.
    • 10' Bothroyd still speaking to Dave Jones about his knock but it's the Cardiff fans who are making all the noise.
    • 9' The last time Blackpool manager Ian Holloway faced Cardiff in a play-off final he lost. His Queens Park Rangers side were defeated at the Millennium Stadium in the final of the old Division Two (now League One) play-offs.
    • 8' GOAL CARDIFF! A perfectly timed run from Chopra who finds space between the left-back and centre half and drives Peter Whittingham's pass into the far corner past the diving Matthew Gilks.
    • 7' Kelvin Etuhu would be the natural replacement for Bothroyd.
    • 6' In both league meetings this season, Cardiff opened the scoring before Blackpool salvaged a 1-1 draw.
    • 5' Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd is moving a little gingerly.
    • 4' Of course the team in blue hit the woodwork six times at Wembley a week ago - that day Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
    • 3' Michael Chopra hits the crossbar! The striker gets ahead of Ian Evatt to meet Peter Whittingham's cross from the left at the near post but his poke from six yards strikes the woodwork.
    • 2' Blackpool in white shirts and orange shorts dominating early possession.
    • 1' The pre-match formalities are out of the way, here we go for a place in the Premier League.
    • 14:55 The teams come out before a sea of orange and blue.
    • 14:50 Cardiff midfielder Joe Ledley has refused to reveal whether this will be his final appearance for the club. Ledley cagey over Bluebirds future
    • 14:45 Cardiff winger Chris Burke is hoping childhood friend Charlie Adam does not become an enemy this afternoon. Burke wary of old pal Adam
    • 14:40 Ian Holloway has just spoken to the TV: "I don't see us as underdogs. We've tried to get them calm over the last couple of days, we've got to play the game not the occasion. We are here on merit and we want to give a good account of ourselves."
    • 14:35 Dubbed the world's richest football match with £60million available to the promoted winners, the Championship play-off final has produced some classic finals. Play-off final: Classic moments
    • 14:30 So unchanged sides for today's final. City's top scorer Peter Whittingham shrugged off a groin injury so boss Dave Jones picked the team which beat Leicester in the semi-final, while Ian Holloway stuck with the line-up which got past Nottingham Forest.
    • 14:25 CARDIFF: 1. David Marshall 2. Kevin McNaughton 23. Darcy Blake 5. Mark Hudson 3. Mark Kennedy 11. Chris Burke 7. Peter Whittingham 10. Stephen McPhail 16. Joe Ledley 8. Michael Chopra 9. Jay Bothroyd /// Subs: 20. Peter Enckelman (GK) 12. Tony Capaldi 14. Paul Quinn 15. Anthony Gerrard 17. Kelvin Etuhu 28. Aaron Wildig 44. Ross McCormack
    • 14:20 BLACKPOOL: 21. Matthew Gilks 31. Seamus Coleman 15. Alex Baptiste 6. Ian Evatt 3. Stephen Crainey 11. David Vaughan 4. Keith Southern 26. Charlie Adam 19. Dudley Campbell 12. Gary Taylor-Fletcher 10. Brett Ormerod /// Subs: 1. Paul Rachubka (GK) 7. Billy Clarke 9. Ben Burgess 18. Jason Euell 24. Rob Edwards 29. Barry Bannan 33. Stephen Dobbie
    • 14:15 The teams should be in very soon and of course the Wembley pitch will come under some scrunity. Wembley braced for more criticism
    • 14:10 We spoke to fans of both Cardiff City and Blackpool to find out just how much the Championship play-off final means to them. Turns out it's quite a lot. Fan View
    • 14:05 The winner of the showdown at Wembley will return to the top flight after a long absence. Blackpool last graced the old first division 39 years ago, while Cardiff have not played in the top flight in 48 years.
    • 14:00 Welcome to a very hot Wembley for today's Championship play-off final with a place in the Premier League at stake.

  • Summary

    • 76' Gilks is very lucky as he makes a complete hash of a floated cross under pressure from Chopra and he watches the ball goes through his hands and it is only inches away from nestling in the far corner.
    • 56' Chopra hits the crossbar for a second time. The ball is poked through to the striker whose 20-yard drives flicks the top of the woodwork.
    • 45' GOAL BLACKPOOL!! DJ Campbell wriggles into the penalty area and slips when he attempts to shoot but the ball falls nicely to Brett Ormerod who finds the bottom corner.
    • 40' GOAL BLACKPOOL! It's 2-2 - Cardiff fail to deal with a corner and although Evatt's hook is cleared off the line by the thigh of Kennedy it pops up to Taylor-Fletcher who heads home from close range.
    • 39' Taylor-Fletcher hits the post! The ball is chested down to him 20 yards out and his strike curls against the upright.
    • 38' GOAL CARDIFF! Joe Ledley lays off to Whittingham and continues his run into the penalty area. Gilks comes off his line and that allows Ledley to fire into the corner.
    • 13' GOAL BLACKPOOL! What a strike from Charlie Adam who curls a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner, leaving David Marshall with no chance.
    • 8' GOAL CARDIFF! A perfectly timed run from Chopra who finds space between the left-back and centre half and drives Peter Whittingham's pass into the far corner past the diving Matthew Gilks.
    • 3' Michael Chopra hits the crossbar! The striker gets ahead of Ian Evatt to meet Peter Whittingham's cross from the left at the near post but his poke from six yards strikes the woodwork.
    • 14:25 CARDIFF: 1. David Marshall 2. Kevin McNaughton 23. Darcy Blake 5. Mark Hudson 3. Mark Kennedy 11. Chris Burke 7. Peter Whittingham 10. Stephen McPhail 16. Joe Ledley 8. Michael Chopra 9. Jay Bothroyd /// Subs: 20. Peter Enckelman (GK) 12. Tony Capaldi 14. Paul Quinn 15. Anthony Gerrard 17. Kelvin Etuhu 28. Aaron Wildig 44. Ross McCormack
    • 14:20 BLACKPOOL: 21. Matthew Gilks 31. Seamus Coleman 15. Alex Baptiste 6. Ian Evatt 3. Stephen Crainey 11. David Vaughan 4. Keith Southern 26. Charlie Adam 19. Dudley Campbell 12. Gary Taylor-Fletcher 10. Brett Ormerod /// Subs: 1. Paul Rachubka (GK) 7. Billy Clarke 9. Ben Burgess 18. Jason Euell 24. Rob Edwards 29. Barry Bannan 33. Stephen Dobbie

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

    • Starting line-up

      • M. Gilks
      • S. Coleman
      • A. Baptiste
      • I. Evatt
      • S. Crainey
      • D. Vaughan Substitution Out (90′)
      • K. Southern
      • C. Adam Goal
      • D. Campbell
      • B. Ormerod Goal Substitution Out (61′)
      • G. Taylor-Fletcher Goal Substitution Out (53′)

      Subs

      • J. Euell
      • P. Rachubka
      • B. Burgess Substitution In53′
      • S. Dobbie Substitution In61′
      • B. Bannan Substitution In90′
      • R. Edwards
      • B. Clarke

    • Starting line-up

      • D. Marshall
      • K. McNaughton Substitution Out (74′)
      • D. Blake
      • M. Hudson
      • M. Kennedy
      • S. McPhail
      • J. Ledley Goal
      • C. Burke Substitution Out (58′)
      • P. Whittingham
      • J. Bothroyd Substitution Out (15′)
      • M. Chopra Goal

      Subs

      • P. Enckelman
      • A. Gerrard Substitution In74′
      • R. McCormack Substitution In58′
      • K. Etuhu Substitution In15′
      • A. Capaldi
      • P. Quinn
      • A. Wildig

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - -
      Defenders
      - -
      - -
      - -
      - -
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out90′ - -
      - -
      Goal - -
      Strikers
      - -
      Goal Substitution Out61′ - -
      Goal Substitution Out53′ - -
      Subs
      Substitution In53′ - -
      Substitution In61′ - -
      Substitution In90′ - -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - -
      Defenders
      Substitution Out74′ - -
      - -
      - -
      - -
      Midfielders
      - -
      Goal - -
      Substitution Out58′ - -
      - -
      Strikers
      Substitution Out15′ - -
      Goal - -
      Subs
      Substitution In74′ - -
      Substitution In58′ - -
      Substitution In15′ - -

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