Holloway outfoxes Keane

Holloway: Welcome win

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It was third time lucky for Blackpool boss Ian Holloway on Saturday as he saw off Roy Keane's Ipswich.

The Seasiders had already tasted defeat against the Tractor Boys twice this season, but secured a welcome 1-0 win at Bloomfield Road in their latest meeting.

A poor playing surface made life difficult for both sides during a keenly-fought contest, but Holloway was delighted to see his tactical rethink pay dividends.

"In the first half we were a little bit sloppy in one or two situations where perhaps we made the wrong choice," he said.

"Those chances can be vital on a pitch that doesn't help either team at the moment.

"Roy knows how to play against us and he's beaten us twice already this season so I threw a bit of a curve ball at them by not picking Ben Burgess and going for a bit more movement.

"I call their two central defenders the twin towers as you have to keep the ball away from them by getting out wide."

Confidence

Holloway was also pleased for skipper Jason Euell, who helped to silence his detractors with a 54th-minute winner.

"It's nice to have the fans cheering him," he added.

"Scoring goals breeds confidence and now he's got one, lovely jubbly, I can pick him a bit more often."

Town boss Keane saw his side slip back to within a point of the Championship relegation zone after another disappointing defeat, and admits his side's failure to put the ball in the net is costing them dear.

"We had a number of chances in the game but it's getting like groundhog day," said the former Sunderland boss.

"If you don't take your chances, you get nothing. If you don't hit the target, you don't get much.

"I was disappointed with both ends in the second half. We gave a bad goal away and to miss the chances we had was criminal."