Blackpool 2 Middlesbrough 0

IT was a desperately disappointing night for Boro, who missed a penalty as a 10-man Blackpool side completed a double, writes GORDON COX from Bloomfield Road.

For the third successive game the Boro side showed four changes from their previous match as they looked to extend their unbeaten run to seven.

Kyle Naughton, Joe Bennett, Josh Walker and Lee Miller made way as Justin Hoyte, Jonathan Grounds and Jeremie Aliadiere started and Gary O'Neil returned to make his 300th career appearance.

That meant the 21st different back four and 19th different starting back four combination of the season and the 14th different striker partnership.

Blackpool made one change after the derby draw at Preston on Saturday, Charlie Adam returning after suspension to replace Ben Burgess.

On a cold, still night on the north-west coast, it was Blackpool who started brightly, with Adam causing problems through the middle.

Gordon Strachan's men settled but couldn't get their passing game going on a pitch that looked as though it had been rolled flat but was bobbly and making the ball bounce awkwardly.

Boro did, though, create a great chance to take the lead with six minutes played when Willo Flood picked out Aliadiere inside the penalty area, but the Frenchman's first touch was too heavy, allowing Rob Edwards time to clear.

With just over 10 minutes played, a smart turn from Scott McDonald 23 yards from goal took him away from his nearest marker but an ambitious volley flew a yard to the left of Matthew Gilks' left-hand post.

After a quiet spell, the game rendered another chance for Boro as O'Neil, midway inside the Blackpool half, swung over a good free-kick, but Barry Robson failed to make contact when attempting a diving header having lost his marker in the penalty area.

Back came Blackpool, Adam volleying wide from the edge of the penalty area and Ormerod volleying into the side-netting from considerably closer and a more awkward angle a few minutes later.

"You're just a small town in Scotland" chanted the Blackpool fans, who saw their side create a great chance to take the lead just short of the half-hour mark.

DJ Campbell needed a second attempt when he entered the Boro box and, after messing up his first chance, he didn't do much better with a follow up, which he blasted over the bar from 11 yards with just Coyne to beat.

But it wasn't long before the Seasiders created another chance, and this one counted.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher caught out Boro's back-line with a neat backheel on the edge of the box with half an hour played.

Brett Ormerod read the play better than anyone and, cutting in from the left-hand side, picked his spot away to Coyne's left and beat the Boro keeper with a low drive.

The chant of the home fans then changed to "One nil, to the Donkey Boys".

Boro had flattered to deceive and had become largely ineffective but created a half chance when a fine pass from Jonathan Franks picked out Aliadiere and his first time shot across goal from out wide inside the penalty area brought a save for the cameras from Gilks.

Approaching half-time a free-kick from Adam caused problems, as did a follow up corner from David Vaughan, but it was a wicked deflection off a divot that almost caught out Coyne as he dived to deal with a low drive from the edge of the box.

Entering injury-time, one-touch passing from the home side inside the Boro penalty area created a chance for Ormerod to shoot from 13 yards, an effort that Coyne saved with his legs.

Half-time: Blackpool 1 Boro 0

Two minutes into the second half Blackpool ought to have been reduced to ten men when Aliadiere took control and raced for goal ten yards up from the edge of the penalty area. He was caught by Adam who was the last man and was lucky to receive only a yellow card.

The game was becoming feisty and had a definite edge to it which had been missing in the first half, and neither bench was shy in exchanging views.

Referee Mark Haywood didn't help matter a few minutes later when showing a yellow card to Keith Southern, then not to Hoyte for very similar challenges - there was nothing wrong with either of them.

With 61 minutes played Blackpool were reduced to 10 men when, in almost exactly the same way and same area of the pitch Adam had fouled Aliadiere, Edwards brought down McDonald, leaving the referee no option but to show a straight red card.

Boro were causing a lot of problems when playing the ball over the top and in behind the Blackpool defence and Aliadiere missed a great chance to equalise when he headed weakly at Gilks.

Just as at Ipswich in their previous away game, Boro were better in the second half but too often, even with a man advantage, their approach play was too fussy, often laboured and not incisive enough.

When chances came they inevitably feel to Aliadiere, who was not having one of his better night's finishing.

But they were gifted a way back into the game when with seven minutes remaining Ian Evatt brought down Robson inside the penalty area. However, Gilks dived away to his right to save McDonald's spot kick and prompt a mass exodus of Boro fans.

In the final minute of normal time Boro had another chance to draw level when Miller rose to meet a left-wing cross, but he headed weakly over from the edge of the six-yard box.

Two minutes into injury-time Hoyte peeled away down the right and sent over a fine cross which was met by David Wheater, but his header was saved on the line by Gilks.

Boro had pushed so many men forward and, coupled with the way the night had gone, it was perhaps inevitable that they would concede again.

With four minutes of injury-time players, Hameur Bouazza timed a run behind Boro's back line, drew Coyne and rolled a simple pass to DJ Campbell who tapped into an empty net.

Blackpool: Gilks, Edwards, Baptiste, Crainey, Evatt, Southern, Vaughan (Bouazza 81), Taylor-Fletcher (Butler 62), Campbell, Ormerod (Dobbie 81), Adam (Capt). Unused subs: Rachubka (gk); Martin, Husband, Euell.

Boro: Coyne, Hoyte, Wheater, McManus, Grounds (Miller 63), Flood, O'Neil (Capt), Robson, Franks (Arca 46), Aliadiere, McDonald. Unused subs: Steele (gk); Naughton, Bennett, L Williams, Lita.

*For the purposes of statistical analysis, Bouazza was the second Blackpool sub and Dobbie the third.

Referee: Mark Haywood, West Yorkshire.

Sending off: Edwards, 61, foul on McDonald when last man.

Bookings
Blackpool:Adam, 47, foul; Southern, 51, foul.

Boro: Grounds, 32, foul; Robson, dissent (throwing the ball down in frustration), 85.

Attendance: 7,936 (1,227 Boro)

Website Man of the Match: On a poor night for Boro where selection was difficult, Hoyte, Wheater and McManus turned in decent performances, maybe David Wheater edging it.