Preview: Blackpool v Barrow

8 September 2020

We take a look ahead to Tuesday night's EFL Trophy game at Bloomfield Road.

Blackpool v Barrow
Tuesday 8^th September 2020, 7pm
Bloomfield Road
EFL Trophy

In Opposition
After finishing in League One’s middle ground at the end of last term, there is a new wave of optimism sweeping around Blackpool as the fresh campaign gets underway.

Highly-rated coach Neil Critchley was appointed to the top job at Bloomfield Road at the start of March but oversaw only two games before the pandemic called time on 2019/20.

However, the former Liverpool Under-23s coach has been able to overhaul his Blackpool squad during the summer and will hope they can have a bigger say higher up the table this time around.

After some years of turbulence behind the scenes at the club, Blackpool fans will be crossing their fingers that there are brighter times ahead under Critchley.

Both Blackpool and Barrow come in to Tuesday’s game on the back of similar weekend results; both teams drew 0-0 with Championship sides away from home in the Carabao Cup before losing on penalties – in Blackpool’s case it was Stoke City who did the damage.

Head To Head
Tuesday evening’s EFL Trophy tie will be the first time Barrow and Blackpool have met in competitive action for almost a century.

The two sides have only ever locked horns in the FA Cup previously – and that occasion came in the 1924/25 campaign when a goalless draw in Blackpool was followed up by a 2-0 Seasiders win in the replay.

Team News
Scott Quigley will be free to feature in Tuesday night’s game because his suspension because the EFL Trophy operates a standalone approach to yellow and red cards.

Matt Platt and Josh Kay both went off injured during Saturday’s curtain-raiser at Derby County so are likely to miss out, while Bobby Burns is still working on his fitness after picking up an injury when The Bluebirds visited Blackpool in pre-season.

Seasiders boss Neil Critchley took his summer signing tally up to 11 last week with three more new faces arriving at Bloomfield Road to give him further options for the fresh campaign.

Among the new arrivals was Demetri Mitchell, released by Manchester United in June, and he could be in line to make his Blackpool debut after earning a deal following an impressive pre-season trial.

Referee
Martin Coy will be the man in the middle for Tuesday evening’s game at Bloomfield Road.

The official is moving in to his fourth season on the EFL’s list of match referees and oversaw his first game of the new campaign on Saturday as Bradford City won 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup.

It will actually be the seventh time that Coy has taken charge of a Barrow game – though it will be the first time he was done so in an away game.

His most recent trip to The Progression Solicitors Stadium came in March 2017 when we defeated Tranmere Rovers 2-1 but he also oversaw big home wins over Torquay United and FC Halifax Town in 2015/16.

Betting
The bookies have installed Blackpool as 1/2 favourites to claim three points in Tuesday night’s opening group fixture, while Barrow are rated a 9/2 shot and the draw is priced at 14/5.

Click here now to take a look at Sky Bet’s range of odds on Tuesday’s action.

Live Streaming
Tuesday night’s game is to be streamed live online via iFollow Bluebirds so Barrow fans can enjoy every second of the action by logging on to the website.

Match Passes are available right now priced at £10, while overseas supporters will pay £7.

Click here now to buy your Match Pass for the game.

Live Commentary
Alternatively, you can join us on iFollow Bluebirds for full live audio commentary of the game from Bloomfield Road.

We’ve linked-up with BBC Radio Cumbria and you will be able to listen to Adam Johnson and former Bluebirds star Mark Boyd describe the action as it unfolds at Blackpool.

You can purchase an Audio Match Pass for £2.50, an Audio Monthly Pass for £4.49 or sign-up for Audio Season Pass which provides all live commentary and video news for just £45.

Click here now to subscribe to iFollow Bluebrds.

Match Reports

Barrow Draw At Blackpool In EFL Trophy

8 September 2020

A photo of Scott Quigley — Scott Quigley in action for Barrow

Barrow produced another disciplined and encouraging performance to take a point from their opening group game of the EFL Trophy at Blackpool on Tuesday night.

David Dunn made eight changes to his starting eleven and they had to ride their luck at times but that mixture of good fortune and determined defending ensured a second consecutive clean sheet in a goalless draw at Bloomfield Road.

Blackpool set the early pace and looked to push Barrow on to the back foot but the best they could muster was a cross from Bez Lubala which looped harmlessly on to the roof of the net.

At the other end, Scott Quigley helped the ball on in to the path of strike partner Luke James who scampered in behind the home defence but saw his shot flash wide via a deflection off a recovering defender.

James then returned the favour by turning swiftly in from the right and showing great vision to slip a ball through to Quigley but the Blackpool defenders just got back in time to thwart the front man.

Dunn’s men were thankful to a wonderful save from Joel Dixon when Teddy Howe’s cross in to the box fell kindly in to the path of Ethan Robson who looked odds-on to open the scoring – only for Dixon to spread himself brilliantly to divert the ball away to safety.

The Seasiders were looking more and more menacing as the half developed though and another ball in from the right flashed dangerously across the face of the Barrow goal but Scott Madine couldn’t quite stretch enough at the far post to apply a finishing touch.

Next to try his luck was Daniel Kemp who darted away down the right hand side for the hosts before cutting inside and firing a low drive on goal which was blocked away by Jones.

Quigley then got a sight of goal at the other end following good work on the halfway line by Scott Wilson, who intercepted the ball and played it in to the striker’s path but his long-range shot flew well over the bar.

Blackpool’s Robson then had a go from a long-range free-kick which took a deflection and almost deceived Dixon, who had to readjust quickly to get back across his goal and turn it round the post.

Moments later Grant Ward came even closer to opening the scoring for the hosts when a cross from the left was cleared to him on the edge of the box and he instinctively volleyed an effort on goal which shaved the outside of the post on its way wide.

The Bluebirds almost stole in front right on half-time when Harrison Biggins whipped in a wicked free-kick from the left which flashed across goal and had to be clawed away by keeper Chris Maxwell.

A competitive opening to the second half did not produce a lot in the way of clear-cut chances, though Dixon did well again to block Lubala’s low drive with an outstretched foot.

At the other end Luke James saw his shot charged down after another energetic run down the right, before Morgan Penfold then engineered an opening for himself on the edge of the area but his shot was deflected wide.

Try as they might, neither side could find a breakthrough and it finished goalless with both sides taking a point in the opening group game.

It was Blackpool who then went on to clinch a bonus point as they held their nerve from the penalty spot to win the shootout 5-3.

Full Time: Blackpool 0 Barrow 0 (Blackpool win a bonus point 5-3 on penalties)

Blackpool: Maxwell, Husband, Thorniley, Williams, Robson (Anderson 71), Nottingham, Madine (Yates 91), Ward, Kemp, Howe, Lubala.
Subs not used: Sims, Turton, Ekpiteta, Hamilton, Shaw.

Barrow: Dixon, J Jones (Beadling 46), Hird, Wilson, Nlthe (Brown 46), Taylor, Gribbin, Penfold, Biggins, James, Quigley.
Subs not used: M Jones, Hardcastle, Angus, Hindle.

Referee: Conor Brown.