Bournemouth vs Blackpool. Sky Bet Championship.
Vitality StadiumAttendance9,187.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Bournemouth and Blackpool at the Vitality Stadium as the Tangerines fought back from two goals down to steal an unlikely point on the south coast
Saturday 21 August 2021 18:39, UK
Blackpool fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Bournemouth and claim their second point of the season.
The visitors looked well off the pace at half-time when they were fortunate to only be trailing 2-0, but two goals in three minutes in the second half saw the game turn on its head.
Bournemouth needed just six minutes to take the lead as Junior Stanislas drove infield and fed Dominic Solanke who finished precisely into the bottom corner from just inside the area.
The Cherries tore into Blackpool down both flanks and left-back Jordan Zemura saw his shot well blocked by Marvin Ekpiteta in the opening minutes before the Bournemouth defender appealed for a penalty as he went down under Callum Connolly's challenge.
David Brooks was proving no less of a headache down the right. He and Solanke caused many nervous moments in the Tangerines' defence as they struggled to gain a foothold in the game.
It was via that route that Neil Critchley's side found themselves two down before 20 minutes was up. Brooks combined with Emiliano Marcondes, who was an early substitute in place of the injured Stanislas.
His cross deflected off Luke Garbutt and fell perfectly for Solanke to glance home his second goal of the game.
Blackpool's first moment of hope came as Garbutt's swerving free-kick forced goalkeeper Mark Travers into a full-stretch save.
Then from a corner, Ekpiteta diverted the ball narrowly wide after he deflected Keshi Anderson's shot towards goal.
But Bournemouth were never going to stay on the back foot for long and Brooks raced to the byline once more and pulled the ball back for Philip Billing, who somehow could only find the side-netting.
Solanke had a great chance to seal his hat-trick five minutes into the second half after Ekpiteta's slip saw him through on goal. He delayed long enough to allow James Husband to make a last-ditch tackle.
Blackpool were showing plenty of spirit and doing their best to pose Scott Parker's side problems. Tyreece John-Jules evaded the challenge of Zeno Ibsen Rossi to allow Josh Bowler a shot but his effort was weak and easily gathered by Travers.
Shortly afterwards they did find a way back as Husband bundled in from close range after Billing had diverted Garbutt's free-kick against his own post.
Incredibly, Critchley's side were level just three minutes later after Rossi bundled over Anderson as he latched onto John-Jules' pass.
Jerry Yates confidently converted the spot-kick which had been met with few complaints from Bournemouth.
Parker's side could find little by way of response until Solanke almost grabbed his hat-trick in the final minute of stoppage time as Chris Maxwell tipped his header brilliantly over the crossbar.
Bournemouth's Scott Parker: "This is a young side, I think we all recognise that. I just don't think we dealt well with the ebbs and flows of a football match.
"Emotionally we probably didn't deal with the game well in those moments. What brings you through those moments is having experience of those moments."
Blackpool's Neil Critchley: "You fear the worst being 2-0 down away from home against a very good team, but I thought our response to being behind was outstanding.
"We said at half-time if we could get the next goal then the momentum of the game could change - and it did. We didn't sit deep, we wanted to be on the front foot. It was an entertaining game."
