Blackpool sink nine-man Baggies

BLACKPOOL claimed their first home Barclays Premier League win last night after promoted rivals West Brom were reduced to nine men in the opening half hour.

Charlie Adam scored from the penalty spot after Baggies defender Pablo Ibanez was harshly sent off as the last man after just 11 minutes.

The away side’s task became even harder when Gonzalo Jara also saw red after 29 minutes, following a ludicrous two-footed challenge on Luke Varney, who scored his side’s second on the hour mark.

It proved the decisive strike as Yousouf Mulumbu pulled a goal back and set up a nervy final five minutes during which Paul Scharner and Steven Reid both almost nicked what would have been a barely believable point for the visitors.

However, Blackpool manager Ian Holloway admitted he did not enjoy the evening’s work.

“No, not really,” he said.

“I think the game as a spectacle, with the rules the referee has got to apply. I’d prefer a yellow card (to Ibanez) and the penalty. It’s a great move, probably the best of the game, a great ball from Charlie to DJ Campbell, who has turned him. But is it really a sending off?

“I thought that ruined the game as a spectacle.”

We made hard work of it,” said goalscorer Adam. “But it’s just nice to get a first win at home and hopefully it’s a good three points.

“It was always going to be a tough match but when they went down to nine men it was even harder for us. When we were playing against 11 we were playing well but it’s even harder with nine. Fair play to West Brom, they dug in well.

West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo was refreshingly honest afterwards.

“It would be nice to see a good football game but obviously it’s been destroyed by events on the night,” he said.

“The first incident probably was a penalty but in my opinion it’s not a sending off, my player is goalside and close to goal.

“The second one (Jara’s dismissal) I think he called it right, the referee. The player lost his head a bit, after the first decision, but he made a terrible tackle and made a mistake.”

BLACKPOOL: Gilks, Eardley (Phillips 57), Cathcart (Carney 57), Evatt, Crainey, Grandin, Adam, Vaughan, Taylor-Fletcher, Campbell, Varney (Keinan 71).

WEST BROM: Carson, Jara, Pablo, Tamas, Shorey, Brunt, Mulumbu, Scharner, Thomas (Barnes 71), Fortune (Dorrans 35), Cox (Reid 14).

Referee: Michael Oliver.