Wednesday May 9, 2012 Semifinal Finished St. Andrew's

Birmingham City 2 - 2 Blackpool

  • Žigic 64’
  • Davies 73’
  • Dobbie 45’
  • Phillips 48’

109 comments | Write your comment

  1. Blackpool resist Birmingham recovery to reach final

    Blackpool resist Birmingham recovery to reach final

    Blackpool survived a spirited Birmingham recovery to win their Championship play-off semi-final, a 2-2 draw giving them a 3-2 aggregate win. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Birmingham City
    • Blackpool
    • 90+5' There goes the final whistle! Blackpool will face West Ham at Wembley on May 19. They are intot he play-off final for the second time in two years.
    • 90+3' Heading for the last minute of the match as Baptiste wins the ball from King. N'Daw then heads over from Redmond's cross.
    • 90' We are into five minutes of time to be added on....
    • 89' Dicko is penalised for challenging Doyle. Heading for injury time now...
    • 88' Taylor-Fletcher is booked for thumping the ball away. Trying to waste a few seconds here.
    • 87' King tries to pick out Burke on the run, but he can't keep the ball in play. Blackpool have it deep in their own half.
    • 86' Dicko caught offside for Blackpool. Clock is not on Birmingham's side here as we head for the closing moments of the 90 minutes.
    • 85' Matt Phillips departs to be replaced by Kevin Phillips for Blackpool.
    • 84' Clever play by King to dash into the box. Just offside as he drills the shot into the side netting.
    • 83' Zigic clears off the line from Dicko's header. Decent delivery by Matt Phillips.
    • 82' Ramage catches Matt Phillips with a late tackle. Blackpool have their own corner here.
    • 81' Crainey is well placed to head clear the danger. Blackpool struggling to keep the ball for any length of time.
    • 80' Ferguson squanders possession in the middle of the park. Those Blackpool fans suddenly feeling the nerves of this occasion.
    • 79' Davie rises at the back post to power a header over the bar from Mutch's corner. Taylor-Fletcher complaining that he was being fouled.
    • 78' Redmond sees a shot deflect behind for another corner to the home team.
    • 77' Dobbie departs to be replaced by Nouha Dicko for Blackpool.
    • 76' The away goals rule does not count remember so Birmingham only need one more goal in this match.
    • 75' The Birmingham fans going wild here. Lovely delivery by Mutch from the corner. Birmingham need one more to force this to extra-time.
    • 74' GOAL! Davies powers a header into the net from five yards out. 2-2 on the night. Game on now.
    • 73' Crainey doing well to block the cross by Burke. Birmingham have another corner here.
    • 72' King gets plenty of power into a shot form 30 yards, but not the direction. On we go with Blackpool 3-1 ahead overall in this tie.
    • 71' Gilks doing superbly well seconds earlier to claw out the cross by Burke.
    • 70' Gilk makes a brilliant stop to keep out the shot by King. Great run and cross from Redmond. Birmingham almost level on the night.
    • 69' Ince departs to be replaced by Keith Southern for the visiting side.
    • 68' Matt Phillips drives a shot at goal, but well over the bar.
    • 67' Zigic rises to head wide of goal. Gilks with another goalkick. That goal has perked up Birmingham.
    • 66' Doyle with a long free-kick down the park from the park. Straight over Zigic and out of play for a goalkick to Blackpool.
    • 65' Redmond just overhits a cross from out wide. Holloway looking a bit more concerned after that goal.
    • 64' GOAL! Zigic is offside from Burke's pass, but the flag stays down. And he slots past Gilks. A 2-1 lead now for the visitors. 3-1 on aggregate.
    • 63' Ferguson with the cross for Blackpool, but picked up by his former Rangers team-mate Burke who tries to push on for Birmingham.
    • 62' Nathan Redmond has been thrown on by Birmingham to take over from Townsend.
    • 61' King caught offside for the home side. Not really been his night tonight.
    • 60' Solid piece of defending by Davies to win the ball from Ince. King goes down in the box, but that is a clear dive.
    • 59' This is an incredilble 62nd game of the season for Birmingham. Has perhaps caught up with them.
    • 58' Ince just fails to keep a ball in otherwise Blackpool were again in behind the home rearguard.
    • 57' King tries to bring some hope to the table for Birmingham only to screw a shot well wide of goal. Gilks slams the goalkick down the park.
    • 56' Martinez brought down by Zigic and that is a foul then to Blackpool.
    • 55' Difficult to see a way back here for the home side. Blackpool keeping possession with little or no pressure. They have been the better side.
    • 54' Zigic turns in the area. Smacks the shot at goal, but he pulls the effort well wide.
    • 53' Murphy with the cross. Wallops off Matt Phillips and the home side have a corner.
    • 52' Another speculative cross from King, but Gilks is there to collect the loose ball.
    • 51' Baptiste with the clearance from King's header. Appeals for a penalty, but nothing doing from the referee.
    • 50' Looks all over bar the shouting. Sloppy marking it must be said to give Phillips so much space from only six or seven yards out.
    • 49' Great run into the area by Ince. Almost a third goal for the visiting side. Birmingham scramble the danger clear. A 3-0 lead for Blackpool on aggregate.
    • 48' GOAL! Matt Phillips scores the second goal for the visiting side. Balls hits the post before nestling in the net. A 2-0 lead for Blackpool.
    • 47' Birmingham need two goals otherwise they are facing another year in the Championship. Gilks on the ball in the Blackpool goal.
    • 46' We are off and running in the second period as the rain continues to thump into the turf.
    • 45' There goes the whistle for the break! A 1-0 lead for Blackpool. 2-0 lead on aggregate.
    • 44' Spector has departed the action for Birmingham to be replaced by N'daw.
    • 43' Six goals in nine goals since Dobbie joined on loan from Swansea. What a goal that might prove to be. Shot from six yards out beat Doyle after Baptiste's overhead kick was blocked.
    • 42' GOAL! Dobbie scores for Blackpool! Ball just beats Doyle at his near post. A 1-0 lead for the visitors.
    • 41' Ramage heads behind for a corner from Ince's corner. Blackpool pushing for this goal that would give them a 2-0 lead overall.
    • 40' Ball goes out of play before Muprhy tries to clear. Blackpool continue to get forward whenever they can.
    • 39' Birmingham have only conceded 14 goals in 23 home games this season. Not an easy defence to penetrate.
    • 38' Ramage looks for King down the line before he is again caught offside.
    • 37' King wallops the ball against a post from Zigic's flick-on, but he is offside. King shouldn't be getting caught offside there.
    • 36' Birmingham are chasing promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs for the second time in their history. Four of their previous five attempts were unsuccessful.
    • 35' Martinez guilty of sloppy play in the middle of the field. Eardley then booked for a late challenge on Murphy.
    • 34' Crainey opts to go for goal from distance. Smashes the ball a couple of feet wide. That was worth a bash from the Scotland defender.
    • 33' Matt Phillips drives up the part with some pace to win his side a corner.
    • 32' Ramage with a lovely cross after the patient build-up, but Gilks is out to collect the ball.
    • 31' Zigic turns to hammer the ball at goal from inside the visiting box. Easy enough stop for Gilks.
    • 30' Dobbie breaks up the play for the visiting side. The rain continues to hurtle down out there.
    • 29' Hughton doing plenty of chewing on his gum as Davies knocks the ball back for Doyle to clear.
    • 28' Offside flag goes up against Zigic who is again wandering around without much thought up front.
    • 27' Dobbie having to go off for a few seconds before he returns to the action.
    • 26' Zigic slides through Crainey with a late tackle. Zigic has been booked for that effort. Poor challenge.
    • 25' Townsend wins the ball from Baptiste. Drags the cross across the face of goal, but no takers on hand to convert.
    • 24' Blackpool using the ball really well. Taylor-Fletcher thumps the ball at goal from 30 yards out, but decent stop by Doyle.
    • 23' Burke slips the ball through to Zigic, but he goes far too early and is well offside.
    • 22' Free header from Taylor-Fletcher, but Davies clears the danger. Lovely cross from Ince.
    • 21' Ince drops the dead ball into the home area, but Birmingham doing enough to clear the danger.
    • 20' Taylor-Fletcher takes a bit of a blow to the face from Murphy. The visiting side have a free-kick here.
    • 19' 50-50 in possession so far. This match fascinatingly poised. Holloway out of his box doing plenty of arm waving as is Hughton.
    • 18' Zigic catches Gilks with a late challenge from a poor Baptise backpass. Free-kick to the visiting side.
    • 17' Ferguson almost on the end of Taylor-Fletcher's cross. Inches away from connecting as Doyle picks up the loose ball.
    • 16' This really is all-action stuff. A frantic start to the evening. Ramage again involved in making the clearance.
    • 15' Ramage knocks the loose ball away from Gilks's clearance. Blackpool using the ball well. Possession football.
    • 14' The rain is really hammering it down out there. Blackpool continue to hit on the break.
    • 13' Baptiste across to smash the ball away from Townsend before King lifts a volley just off the bar and over. Fine effort.
    • 12' Burke goes for a swerving shot from distance. Got plenty of action on the ball, but it just swerves wide of the target. Fine effort.
    • 11' Burke knocks the ball off Crainey and the home side have another corner here.
    • 10' Baptitse makes an excellent tackle on Burke as he darted into the area before Blackpool scramble the ball clear seconds later.
    • 9' Taylor-Fletcher darts behind Ramage, but Doyle is quickly out to collect the loose ball.
    • 8' Ian Holloway is far from happy on the visiting bench about that decision. Blackpool trying to get themselves onto the front foot.
    • 7' Doyle saves from Ince, who seemed to be being hauled back by Murphy. That looked a certain penalty, but referee said no.
    • 6' The Birmingham fans really getting behind their side here as Gilks lifts the ball down the park for Blackpool.
    • 5' Zigic rises to connect with the ball, but no harm down. Would have been offside anyaay before Taylor-Fletcher is caught offside at the other end.
    • 4' Ince cuts inside from Crainey's pass. Decent effort but Doyle is down quickly to make the save. Really good save.
    • 3' King caught just offside after Burke's cross is blocked. A very decent start by Birmingham. Zigic could be a real threat here tonight.
    • 2' Crainey bounds down his left flank. Drills over the cross, but the ball flies out of play. Both teams going for this early on.
    • 1' We off and running as Burke slams a shot at goal that is blocked by Crainey. Breathless start here tonight.
    • 19.40 Teams are out on the pitch and we are almost ready to go. No away goals rule in the play-offs remember.
    • 19.35 These clubs have been playing each other for 115 years, and were both relegated from the Premier League a year ago. Blackpool have won 39 and Birmingham 32 of their 90 previous meetings.
    • 19.30 MATCH ODDS: Birmingham 10/11, Blackpool 3/1, Draw 12/5
    • 19.25 Ian Holloway (Blackpool manager): "It's going to take every ounce of everything we've got going down there with their crowd and their passion. I needed a lead, we've got a very slender lead. We won the first game and I think that's a marker to them. We didn't beat them this year. I'm looking forward to it, I can't be worried. I'd be worried if we were not in this situation. I feel my team deserved it on Friday night."
    • 19.20 Chris Hughton (Birmingham City manager): "It is, yes (the biggest game of my career), because it's the one right at this moment. Certainly as a manager it is. I was involved in the coaching staff at Newcastle when the team went down on the last day of the season. This is right up there. It's a massive, massive game for all concerned."
    • 19.15 Blackpool defender Ian Evatt is fit. Evatt suffered a broken nose in training 24 hours before the Seasiders' final regular-season game against Millwall, where he took part and netted a diving header in a 2-2 draw. An accidental clash with Blues striker Marlon King left the centre-back with blood streaming from the injury in the closing stages of last Friday's 1-0 first-leg victory at Bloomfield Road.
    • 19.10 Home manager Chris Hughton has no new injury or suspension problems for the eagerly-anticipated encounter but is unable to welcome back Stephen Carr (knee) or Keith Fahey (groin), while Steven Caldwell (groin) and Boaz Myhill (thumb) are out for the rest of the season. Goalkeeper Colin Doyle is okay despite injuring his arm during the first half of the first leg at Bloomfield Road on Friday night.
    • 19.05 Teams: Birmingham: Doyle, Ramage, Davies, Ibanez, Murphy, Burke, Spector, Mutch, Townsend, King, Zigic..subs: Butland, N'Daw, Elliott, Rooney, Redmond////Blackpool: Gilks, Eardley, Baptiste, Evatt, Crainey, Matt Phillips, Ferguson, Angel, Ince, Dobbie, Taylor-Fletcher..subs: Halstead, Southern, Kevin Phillips, Cathcart, Dicko////Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)
    • 19.00 Good evening and welcome to LIVE coverage of Birmingham against Blackpool in the Championship play-off semi-final second leg at St Andrew's.

  • Summary

    • 83' Zigic clears off the line from Dicko's header. Decent delivery by Matt Phillips.
    • 74' GOAL! Davies powers a header into the net from five yards out. 2-2 on the night. Game on now.
    • 70' Gilk makes a brilliant stop to keep out the shot by King. Great run and cross from Redmond. Birmingham almost level on the night.
    • 64' GOAL! Zigic is offside from Burke's pass, but the flag stays down. And he slots past Gilks. A 2-1 lead now for the visitors. 3-1 on aggregate.
    • 48' GOAL! Matt Phillips scores the second goal for the visiting side. Balls hits the post before nestling in the net. A 2-0 lead for Blackpool.
    • 42' GOAL! Dobbie scores for Blackpool! Ball just beats Doyle at his near post. A 1-0 lead for the visitors.
    • 13' Baptiste across to smash the ball away from Townsend before King lifts a volley just off the bar and over. Fine effort.
    • 12' Burke goes for a swerving shot from distance. Got plenty of action on the ball, but it just swerves wide of the target. Fine effort.
    • 7' Doyle saves from Ince, who seemed to be being hauled back by Murphy. That looked a certain penalty, but referee said no.
    • 4' Ince cuts inside from Crainey's pass. Decent effort but Doyle is down quickly to make the save. Really good save.
    • 19.05 Teams: Birmingham: Doyle, Ramage, Davies, Ibanez, Murphy, Burke, Spector, Mutch, Townsend, King, Zigic..subs: Butland, N'Daw, Elliott, Rooney, Redmond////Blackpool: Gilks, Eardley, Baptiste, Evatt, Crainey, Matt Phillips, Ferguson, Angel, Ince, Dobbie, Taylor-Fletcher..subs: Halstead, Southern, Kevin Phillips, Cathcart, Dicko////Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      4.3 -
      Defenders
      4.1 -
      Goal 6.8 -
      2.8 -
      4.7 -
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out44′ 4.3 -
      4.7 -
      5 -
      Substitution Out62′ 5.6 -
      Strikers
      5 -
      Goal Yellow Card 7.8 -
      Subs
      Substitution In44′ 3.2 -
      Substitution In62′ Yellow Card 4.3 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.7 -
      Defenders
      8 -
      Yellow Card 7 -
      7 -
      7.4 -
      Midfielders
      8.3 -
      Goal Substitution Out76′ 9 -
      Goal Substitution Out85′ 7.9 -
      5.8 -
      Strikers
      Yellow Card 7.7 -
      Substitution Out69′ 7.2 -
      Subs
      Substitution In85′ 9 -
      Substitution In69′ 6.8 -
      Substitution In76′ 6.2 -

Comment 89 - 109 of 109

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  1. Well done Ian and the team. Hope you make it back to­ the Premier League (A LEEDS fan).

    From bubbles, on Thu 10 May 14:42

  2. I'm hoping for an August or May fixture at­ Blackpool; can be a bit grim in mid January.

    From Stalins Ghost, on Thu 10 May 11:22

  3. Dissapointed Blue nose here, who wants to say well done­ to Blackpool and all the best at Wembley. It would be­ nice to see you in the Premiership..

    From Clive, on Thu 10 May 10:24

  4. Stephen dobbie - will rip the west ham defence apart

    From Alan, on Thu 10 May 0:57

  5. I understand exacly what ROBBED means. We were­ relegated too last season because of the simple fact we­ were not good enough.

    From GAVIN H, on Wed 9 May 23:19

  6. Good game.

    From no-one-is-no-one, on Wed 9 May 22:39

  7. Im glad were playing hammers over one match because we­ probably could not do over two

    From The clever one ., on Wed 9 May 22:37

  8. Patricia don't get carried away. I think West Ham­ will be favourites and as I was saying before but Gavin­ misunderstood me, West Ham are more welcome in the PL­ than Blackpool because they are a bigger club­ financially and the PL is only about $ and not football­ anymore. Once is a fairytale but they then did­ everything to send them back down again. I also­ don't believe in Oyston, he doesn't want to­ spend the money and there was already a rift with­ players about their bonuses last time. I'm sorry­ but I'd rather see them near the top of the­ Championship enjoying playing with style than­ struggling and being palpably robbed like 2 years ago.­ I don't blame the other teams because its­ systematically done by the PL. They decide who goes­ down every year.

    From Guest, on Wed 9 May 22:24

  9. another vermin hum free season in the premier..well­ done blackpool

    From J, on Wed 9 May 22:19

  10. Wejj done blackpool. Hope we meet you next season in­ Premiership. You were great last time! From a norfolk­ canary !

    From Mark, on Wed 9 May 22:14

  11. oh richard you have made me laugh, anyway must stop­ this chit chat got to prepair for when bloomfield road­ and the pool back in the prem where we belong. sweet­ dreams dicky boy

    From PATRICA, on Wed 9 May 22:10
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i so hope the big head holloway dont get back in the­ premier league,we got too many big heads in there­ already and this time his head will be even bigger than­ the last time,feck ian.

    From ANDREW69, on Wed 9 May 22:08
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Patricia,I certainly don't support the shyte that­ is Blackpool.

    From RICHARD, on Wed 9 May 22:03

  14. oh Richard no 102 why so bitter do you by chance­ support a toss team!!!!

    From PATRICA, on Wed 9 May 21:58

  15. 68 I think you`ll find West Ham had an easy play off­ because they outplayed the opposition from start to­ finish. Furthermore they earned the right to play­ Cardiff by finishing miles ahead of Birmingham and­ Blackpool. You make it sound like it was just a­ foregone conclusion and the result was just handed to­ them.

    From GAVIN H, on Wed 9 May 21:56

  16. well done Pool, where are all the Birmingham v Cardiff­ mouthy gits gone then eh? not so loud now are ya!

    From steven, on Wed 9 May 21:51
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Pathetic...what pish poor quality if a mickey mouse­ team like Blackpool can get to Wembley.

    From RICHARD, on Wed 9 May 21:49

  18. well done The Pool. We'll be laughin last and­ loudest when we join those snooty types in the prem­ league again!!!

    From PATRICA, on Wed 9 May 21:48

  19. the finle wuill be west ham 5 blackpool 0

    From Eleanor, on Wed 9 May 21:47

  20. 88 ROBBED BY WEST HAM ? What on earth are you talking­ about ? I suppose you think you were robbed twice by­ them this season do you ? And the PL is totally against­ you is it ? Paranoid or what !!!!

    From GAVIN H, on Wed 9 May 21:47
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