Blackpool 4-1 Bristol Rovers
Sky Bet League One, Bloomfield Road, Saturday 3 May
Bristol Rovers concluded the 2024/25 Sky Bet League One season with a 4-1 loss to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
The Gas were attempting to end the campaign on a positive note and gained the lead through Gatlin O'Donkor, who displayed persistence out of possession to put Tangerines goalkeeper Harry Tyrer under pressure, sliding the ball away from the shot-stopper and into the back of the net.
The hosts looked to hit back immediately. Tom Bloxham slammed the post before grabbing the equaliser with a simple finish after Niall Ennis' original attempt was parried into his path by Jed Ward.
Albie Morgan then turned the score around for Blackpool with a powerful effort into the bottom corner in the second half. The Pirates threatened a leveller, with Michael Reindorf forcing a smart save out of Tyrer. However, Ennis raced onto CJ Hamilton's pass to score Blackpool's third before Ryan Finnigan completed the scoring from close range.
Iñigo Calderón handed 17-year-old academy graduate Ollie Dewsbury his first start after several appearances off the bench, with Taylor Moore and Isaac Hutchinson also coming into the side.
Hutchinson had the first opportunity of the contest, driving towards the edge of the box and blasting his effort well over before the Gas took the lead. Tyrer took too long in possession next to his own goal, with O'Donkor rushing forward to put him under pressure before sliding in the opener.
His goal lifted the superb Gasheads, who made the long trip to Lancashire, and the Seasiders attempted to respond immediately. Morgan slipped a pass down the left side of the area to Bloxham, who slammed his low strike against the post.
Kofi Shaw was making his eleventh consecutive start since returning from his loan at Yeovil Town and was making things happen in the midfield. The exciting prospect turned into space, attempting to open his account in League One, but lifted his strike from range over.
Blackpool were building their way into the contest and levelled five minutes before half-time. Ennis' curling strike across the goal from the left side of the box was saved by Ward, but he could only push it into Bloxham's path to finish from close range.
Blackpool retained the momentum they gained in the first half and gained the lead ten minutes after the restart. Bloxham marched down the left and rolled a clever ball into the heart of the area. Ennis' strike was blocked but only as far as Morgan, who fired his shot into the bottom corner.
Bloxham had plenty of confidence and attempted to score Blackpool's third with an ambitious strike soon after. He flicked the ball over Sil Swinkels just inside Rovers' half and spotted Ward off his line but directed his shot high and wide.
Rovers turned into the team chasing a goal and started to hold the ball in Blackpool’s half. Lino Sousa, who missed the previous seven fixtures through injury, knocked the ball down to Romaine Sawyers, but his powerful drive was blocked. The Gas kept the attack going, with Dewsbury blasting an effort from the edge at the goalkeeper.
Reindorf came on with 20 minutes to play and immediately tested Tyrer with two efforts on target. First, the forward came in from the wing and whipped a right-footed strike towards the corner, with the goalkeeper getting down low to push it wide before collecting a tame header from the Cardiff City loanee.
The Pirates were threatening to level. Instead, the Seasiders added a third goal. CJ Hamilton ran down the left and slid a clever ball across to Ennis, who finished with composure. The Tangerines then scored again with a matter of minutes left to play. The visitors could not clear the ball away after a scramble in the box, with Finnigan getting the final touch before the ball crossed the line to earn Blackpool a 4-1 triumph.
Blackpool: Tyrer, Pennington (Lyons 72), Evans, Morgan, Baggott, Bloxham (Gabriel 72), Coulson, Casey, Ennis, Hamilton, Apter (Fletcher 61)
Subs not used: O’Donnell, Husband, Beesley, Finnigan
Goals: Bloxham 40, Morgan 55, Ennis 76, Finnigan 89
Bristol Rovers: Ward, Moore, Wilson, Mola (Sousa 57), Taylor, Hutchinson (Lindsay 71), O’Donkor (Sawyers 57), Swinkels (Thomas 71), Butcher, Shaw, Dewsbury (Reindorf 71)
Subs not used: Hall, Forde
Goals: O’Donkor 18
Booked: Butcher 69
Referee: Benjamin Speedie
Attendance: 10,534
