The Independent
Coid does the trick as Blackpool win for Flynn
(Andy Tilley)
BLACKPOOL SECURED their second LDV Vans Trophy in three years with a 2-0 victory over Southend at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium yesterday.
The Seasiders, who had beaten Cambridge United 4-1 in the 2002 final, triumphed after goals from John Murphy and Danny Coid put paid to the Shrimpers’ challenge.
Only one minute and 14 seconds had elapsed when Blackpool struck following a shot from Tony Dinning from the edge of the box. Southend appeared to have survived the early attempt, only for the partially blocked ball to fall to Murphy to fire it home, despite appeals for offside.
The Southend goalkeeper, Darryl Flahavan, was tested again shortly afterwards as he came off his line sharply to save at the feet of Coid in the 20th minute. But five minutes later, Blackpool fluffed a golden chance to double their lead.
Martin Bullock powered along the right wing, beating two challenges and finding Murphy with a perfect centre. But when a shot on the turn was called for, the striker instead failed to find Mike Sheron and momentum was lost.
Playing towards their own supporters in the North Stand, Blackpool were breaking in waves and Coid became next to threaten, with a cross-cum-shot which improbably bobbled through the six-yard box and out of play.
But Coid seemed destined to score, and the Second Division side doubled their lead in the 55th minute. A Sheron cross found Coid unmarked at the back post, and he turned and hit the ball home.
Man of the Match: Flahavan
The Times
Blackpool Rock – McMahon happy to reign in battle of Seasiders
(Russell Kempson)
TWO MONTHS AGO, Steve McMahon resigned as manager of Blackpool because of a difference of opinion with Karl Oyston, his chairman. Shortly after making his decision, at his farewell press conference, he announced that he had second thoughts. He wanted to stay at Bloomfield Road.
Yesterday, at the Millennium Stadium, McMahon’s change of mind was vindicated as Blackpool sauntered to victory against Southend United in the LDV Vans Trophy final. It might not rank alongside the triumphs that he experienced regularly with Liverpool, but he was delighted nonetheless.
McMahon found it difficult to express his inner content afterwards – he rarely smiles – but he knew what it meant to his players. Success in the “kiss-me-quick” final, the clash of the seasiders, should not be taken lightly or easily forgotten. “I kept preaching to the players that it could be their last final, that it could be mine as well, so you have got to enjoy it”, McMahon said. “You have to take it all in and savour it. Yes it’s well-documented that I nearly left and I don’t really want to go down that route again. But it’s funny how it works out sometimes.”
It had been grim outside, the River Taff whipped into a frenzy by a relentless gale. Sleet and hail cannoned into the glass of the concourses as the proprietors of Penrhiw Farm Meats struggled to pack up their street stalls of organic Welsh lamb and beef before the joints blew away.
Inside, the wisdom of the clubs’ decision to have the roof rolled across was quickly apparent. A patchy pitch could have become a quagmire had it been exposed to the elements; instead the surface was firm and true, allowing Southend and, more often, Blackpool to display their wares to the full.
Only 74 seconds had elapsed when Blackpool went in front. Simon Grayson crossed from the right and after Leon Cort’s partial clearance had been thumped back in by Tony Dinning, John Murphy latched on to the deflection to beat Darryl Flahavan with a low drive
It was his tenth goal of the season and the second-fastest to be scored in the stadium, with Murphy becoming only the third player – alongside Michael Owen and Fredrik Ljungberg – to have scored in more than one final in Cardiff. Muted appeals of offside from the Southend players were rejected by Roy Pearson, the referee. “Possibly it was offside”, McMahon said. “But it stood, that’s the main thing.”
The Tangerine dream of a third victory from three outings at the Millennium – to go with wins in the 2001 third division play-off final and the 2002 LDV final – was alive. Only Liverpool have won more matches in the Principality – four times from five attempts – and already the Southend banners appeared to hang limply from the tiers. The “Spanish Shrimpers” may have made a long trip but they were going to go home disappointed.
Blackpool were the classier act, from Mike Sheron’s wily wandering up front to Martin Bullock’s rampaging runs down the right flank. In contrast, Southend relied too much on the aerial prowess of Drewe Broughton, which was expertly nullified by Mike Flynn. The Men of Essex had no Plan B.
“Blackpool’s quality shone through in the end”, Steve Tilson, the Southend manager, said. “It was disappointing to concede a goal so early and it not only puts you on the back foot but it means that you have to go chasing the game as well. Our final ball into the box was poor.”
Even without the services of Scott Taylor, the 27-goal leading scorer, who is injured, Blackpool should have increased their lead twice in the first half. Both chances came from typical Bullock surges but Murphy and Sheron crossed wires and wasted the openings.
Southend, though persistent, lacked the creative ability to trouble Lee Jones, the Blackpool goalkeeper, seriously. Their wait to win a trophy of significance, all of 98 years since their formation, would continue.
Seven minutes into the second half, Sheron and Danny Coid having already missed good opportunities, Blackpool went farther ahead. Sheron’s cross caused panic in the Southend area, nobody was able to clear the danger and Coid drilled his shot past Flahavan. Again Blackpool bodies appeared offside; again, Pearson ruled otherwise. Coid cannot drive a car let alone an LDV Van and is forever begging lifts from his team-mates. In future, Murphy, a frequent chauffer, will not mind a jot.
And that was about it. The town of Southend has a longer pier than the resort of Blackpool but their proud boast counted for little in the Welsh capital. Blackpool, 27 places higher up the league ladder, had too much experience, too much knowledge. Once Leon Constantine had lobbed weakly at Jones in the 69th minute, Constantine’s markers all standing and claiming offside, that really was it.
McMahon’s steely glare rarely wavering over the closing moments, nor when he spoke later, but he did reveal a sentimental flaw when, in the 90th minute, he brought on two of his remaining four substitutes. One of them was Stephen McMahon, 19, his son.
The old Anfield enforcer does do emotion after all.
The Daily Telegraph
Field of glory for Blackpool
(Nicholas Harding)
DENIED a record-breaking score that had, at first, looked the most likely prospect, Blackpool still managed to join the celebrated ranks of the Millennium Stadium’s most victorious clubs when they regained the LDV Vans Trophy yesterday.
Only Liverpool, with four triumphs in the arena, have succeeded more frequently now than Blackpool, who have now matched Arsenal’s feat of three successes after disposing of Southend.
“It’s a fantastic record”, agreed Steve McMahon, whose side took the Third Division play-off in 2001, the year before they captured the LDV Trophy for the first time.
John Murphy, who had put Blackpool ahead within six minutes in 2002 en route to their 4-1 win over Cambridge United, was even quicker off the mark this time. Only 74 seconds had elapsed when Leon Cort headed Simon Grayson’s cross out to Tony Dinning. His shot was deflected off Lewis Hunt’s body to Murphy, who drilled a volley past Darryl Flahavan’s dive, to the justified annoyance of Steve Tilson. “There was no doubt that he was offside by a couple of yards”, the Southend manager said.
Blackpool remained well on top thanks mainly to the lightning acceleration of Martin Bullock. The winger created chances for Mike Sheron, Danny Coid and Murphy which all went begging.
Southend had little to offer up front in comparison. Drewe Broughton looked pedestrian leading their attack and Leon Constantine missed their only chance when, believing he was offside, he lifted the ball tamely into the hands of Lee Jones.
By then Blackpool had made the game safe, Coid shooting home from Sheron’s right-wing cross.
The Guardian
Blackpool’s Millennium bug
(Grahame Lloyd)
Perhaps it is the south Wales air, the retractable roof or, as is more likely, the infamous will to win of their manager Steve McMahon: whatever the reason, this stadium has become a home from home for Blackpool.
In their third appearance here, the Second Division side maintained their 100% record by winning this trophy for the second time in three seasons – leaving Southend to concentrate on their fight to retain Football League status.
The battle of the seaside resorts was comfortably won by the Lancashire club, who also won at the Cardiff venue in the 2001 play-offs. Their latest success means Blackpool have recorded as many victories at the ground as Arsenal.
“Any game at the Millennium Stadium is special”, said McMahon. “I keep preaching to the players that it could be their last so they have to enjoy the day – and when you win, it’s even better.”
Having reached the first final in their 98-year history, Southend never recovered from falling behind in the second minute. Blackpool, without their injured leading scorer Scott Taylor, enjoyed a whirlwind start on a day that the stadium’s roof was closed to keep out the stormy weather.
A Simon Grayson cross from the right was headed clear to the edge of the Southend penalty area by Leon Cort. As Tony Dinning shaped to shoot, Lewis Hunt slid in to block his shot and while Southend’s defence appealed for offside, the deflected ball dropped nicely for John Murphy – who was clearly in an offside position – to fire home emphatically for his eighth goal of the season.
Far from buckling, Southend settled down to play some of the best football of the match but the final pass or cross rarely matched the quality of their approach play as Kevin Maher, Hunt and Mark Gower all shot wide.
Blackpool’s main threat, Martin Bullock, continually tormented the Shrimpers’ defenders with his strong running on the right flank. In the 26th minute, a glorious break from his own penalty area led to the ball being squared to Murphy, who, instead of shooting, opted to set up Mike Sheron, and Mark Warren cleared the danger.
Ten minutes after the break, Bullock sent Sheron clear and although the cross evaded three of his team-mates, the unmarked Danny Coid was waiting at the far post to score with a low right-foot shot.
Southend’s only chance arrived 20 minutes from time when Leon Constantine sprang the offside trap after Gower’s free-kick but failed to lift the ball over the onrushing keeper.
“Our quality in the final third wasn’t good enough”, admitted the Southend manager Steve Tilson, who, since succeeding Steve Wignall in November has engineered an impressive revival.
“I was obviously disappointed that they scored so early and, having looked at the video, I think Murphy was offside by about two yards but Blackpool’s quality showed through in the end.
“Now we’ve got to make sure we stay in the league – that will be a bigger achievement than had we won today.”
Man of the match: Martin Bullock (Blackpool).
Round-up by Robert Craven
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