It’s all over!!! Blackpool will play in the Premier League next season after an absence of 39 years from top division football. What a game that was, the second half faded a little but five goals in the first half speaks for itself. Blackpool thoroughly deserving winners and personally I can’t wait for Ian Holloways’s post match press conferences next season. Charlie Adam was brilliant for the Seasiders as was Ireland’s Seamus Coleman at right back. Terrific game at Wembley, that’s all from me folks. Final score Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff City
Ben Burgess could have wrapped it up for Blackpool but he delayed his finish for too long and Marshall held on.
Bannan comes on for Vaughan to eat up some more time for Blackpool. 90 seconds to go at Wembley
Ledley with a header for Cardiff but it was way too far out to trouble Gilks, doesn’t look like it’s going to happen for the bluebirds.
DJ Campbell in acres of space with two of his team mates in the box. Takes the wrong option and tries to beat the last defender, but at least he wins the throw deep in the Cardiff half. More precious seconds eaten up.
Both teams tiring in the heat, have Cardiff got in in them to make one last push? Blackpool soaking up the pressure without too much difficulty at the moment.
Darcy Blake with a super run into the box, beating two or three players on his way into the area but his left foot effort is weak and is gratefully lapped up by Michael Gilks.
Cardiff starting to turn the screw slightly as they go in search of an equaliser. They need something soon, only ten minutes left.
That’s three substitutes for Cardiff so Stephen McPhail will have to play through the pain barrier for the last fifteen minutes.
Steven Dobbie on for Brett Ormerod for Blackpool and Anthony Gerrard comes on for the injured Kevin McNaughton for Cardiff.
McPhail is back on but he’s moving gingerly at best. Just over 20 to go at Wembley
Stephen McPhail is down and hurt. Keith Southern fell on top of him after a tackle and the Irishman is holding his knee and wincing afterwards. He’s up and about again but may not be fit to continue. Hopefully he can go on, especially after all he’s been through this year.
Etuu forces a save from Michael Gilks in the Blackpool goal. Good build up play and it’s Wittingham again who tees it up for Etuhu. The substitute’s shot is powerful but straight at Gilks who tips it over for a corner.
Cardiff go close again. Whittingham whips in the corner, Ledley beats Gilks to the ball at the near post and glances a header narrowly wide. At the other end, Chris Southern makes a burst and drives his left foot effort over the bar.
After a fairly dull ten minutes, by the standard of this game anyway, the game has sparked to life again. Charlie Adam has a go for Blackpool from the edge of the box. Not the cleanest of strikes but not far wide in the end.
Ross McCormack replaces Chris Burke for Cardiff City.
Chopra hits the bar for the second time today. Chris Burke toe pokes it through to him and Chopra takes a touch before rifling a shot on to the bar from the edge of the box. Very unlucky for Chopra
Charlie Adam with an outrageous effort from the halfway line that bounces three or four times before crawling over the endline a good fifteen yards wide. Shows you how confident the Scot is feeling today though
Ben Burgess coming on to replace Gary Taylor-Fletcher for Blackpool, who is no longer fit to continue. At least he’ll have a goal at Wembley to add to the memory bank.
Not much happening in the second period so far, but we’ll forgive the lads out there after what they gave us in the first half.
The second half is underway at Wembley
Charlie Adam celebrating after his wonderful free kick
If the Heineken Cup and Champions League finals can live up to this, it could be one of the greatest days of sport of all time. I doubt Mourinho would allow some of the haphazard defending that has gone on though. Kick off at the Bernabeu is at 7.45 pm. JOE had a chat with José ahead of the final and you can read it all here.
It’s 37 degrees at Wembley by the way, no wonder there’s been so many mistakes. The players are not going to be able to keep this pace up, I would be very surprised it there’s not at least a couple of more goals in this one.
The ball is in the back of the net again, but this time a linesman’s flag rules it out. Darcy Blake with the finish for Cardiff, but replays show he was at least a yard off. Half time at wembley, what a game this has been.
5 goals and it’s not even half time. Seamus Coleman plays a large part in this one, cutting in from the right and laying it off the DJ Campbell. Campbell slips while trying to shoot and three Cardiff defenders fall over with him, ball falls kindly for Ormerod who slips it under Marshall at the near post. Ridiculous stuff at Wembley…
GOAL!!! Cardiff City 2-3 Blackpool (Ormerod 45 mins)
Thoroughly deserved equaliser for Blackpool, who have been by far the better side in this first half. There’s definitely more goals in this one by the way, it could be a classic
God I thought there’d would be at least another goal in this game but hardly this soon. A minute after hitting the post with a half volley from the edge of the box, Gary Taylor-Fletcher nods home at the far post after an almighty scramble in the penalty area, the ball had been cleared off the line twice before Taylor Fletcher put it over the line. What a game this is 2-2.
GOAL!!! Cardiff City 2-2 Blackpool (Taylor-Fletcher 39 mins)
Lovely goal by Cardiff City, even if its totally against the run of play. Joe Ledley plays it to Wittingham and continues his run into the box, Wittingham picks him out with an inch perfect pass and Ledley finishes extremely neatly on his left foot. Hardly deserved but David Jones won’t mind, 2-1 Cardiff.
GOAL!!! Cardiff City 2-1 Blackpool (Ledley 37 mins)
Chopra involved again for Cardiff on the break, combines first with Wittingham and then with Ledley before winning the corner, if the Bluebirds are going to win it, you feel that Chopra will have a big part to play
Players taking a bit of a breather at the moment after a lightning start, the heat and the heavy pitch will more than likely take its toll later on aswell.
Better from Cardiff and its Wittingham and Chopra that combine yet again. Wittingham floats one over from the left and it falls perfectly on the volley for Chopra but he miscues the shot badly. That pair are continuing to cause Blackpool problems
Wittingham and Burke work a neat short corner on the right to give Wittingham a shotting chance. looks dangerous when it leaves his boot but ends up going out for a throw in on the far side!
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Cardiff can’t get a hold of the ball, they are camped within their own half. Seamus Coleman seeing plenty of ball on the right wing, his latest attempt at a cross is a bit of a waste though.
Blackpool have responded extremely well since going behind. As well as equalising they’ve dominated possession and have had a few chances as well. David Vaughan with the latest one, a left foot effort from the edge of the area that flies narrowly wide.
DJ Campbell with a chance for Blackpool, but he kicks fresh air on the edge of the area. Pitch could have had something to do with that one
Weather hasn’t done anything for the pitch since the FA Cup Final last week, the ball is still bobbling all over the place. Far better game so far though.
Jay Bothroyd has been replaced for Cardiff by Etuhu. He hasn’t looked comfortable since the first whistle, bit of a blow for Cardiff, Etuhu has bags of pace but he’s a bit raw.
That didn’t take long did it. Brilliant free kick from Charlie Adam, curled it with his left peg into the top corner at the near post. Marshall had no chance. What a game so far, we’ll take another 75 minutes of this thank you very much.
GOAL!!! Cardiff 1-1 Blackpool (Adam 13 mins)
Stephen McPhail handles it on the edge of the area, his hand must have been two yards above his head. Lucky to escape with a yellow!
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Whittingham and Chopra combine again but this time its in the back of the net. Chopra was standing about ten yards offside, but just got himself back on line by the time Whittingham toe poked it through to him. Super finish by Chopra from right to left across Gilks into the bottom corner. He looks well up for this. Blackpool need to wake up. Game on.
GOAL!!! Cardiff 1-0 Blackpool (Chopra 9 mins)
Whoever wins today they’ll be heading for the top division for the first time in a long time. Blackpool haven’t been there for 39 years while it’s been 48 years for Cardiff. No pressure then.
Chopra hits the bar for Cardiff. Wittingham whips it over from the near post and the former Newcastle man gets ahead of the defender at the near post and smacks it against the bar. Difficult chance for the striker but a let off for Blackpool.
Wembley has been well and truly tangoed, the Blackpool fans have brought great colour to Wembley as has the great Ian Holloway with a fabulous orange tie. We’re all set for off…
The boys at Heineken will be happier than most at the sight of the beautiful weather today, people will be flocking to the pubs for their much promoted Star Saturday. Frankly, I’d be there myself if I wasn’t working. Not that I’m complaining of course…
Plenty of Irish interest on display. This will probably represent the last chance that Cardiff’s Mark Kennedy and Stephen McPhail will get to return to the Premiership while Seamus Coleman has been brilliant since joining the Seasiders on loan from Everton. Looks like he will have an extremely bright future, he’s just after signing a four year contract at Goodison Park.
Bookies slightly favour Cardiff at 7/5 to win with Blackpool at 15/8. The draw is available at 23/10. Both sides are a tempting 10/1 to win via penalties…
Blackpool: Gilks, Crainey, Baptiste, Evatt, Coleman, Vaughan, Adam (c), Southern, Campbell, Taylor-Fletcher, Ormerod. Subs: Rachubka, Clarke, Burgess, Euell, Edwards, Bannan, Dobbie.
Cardiff: Marshall, McNaughton, Hudson (c), Blake, Kennedy, Burke, McPhail, Ledley, Whittingham, Chopra, Bothroyd. Subs: Enckelman, Quinn, Gerrard, Capaldi, Wildig, McCormack, Etuhu.
Afternoon folks and welcome to JOE’s exclusive coverage of the Championship play-off final. It’s a cracking day at Wembley and it’s a cracking day throughout the country so get the deck chair out, bring the laptop outside, open up a few cold brewskies and let JOE bring you all the action as it happens. Traditionally these games are smashing occasions and today should be no different. Just over ten to go to kick off. Team news to follow shortly.
