Millwall punished for poor finishing as Blackpool triumph after Thomas Ince’s brace

by Tom Moore, at The Den Saturday, August 18, 2012
4:56 PM

Championship: Millwall 0 Blackpool 2

The only difference between Millwall and Blackpool was the finishing as Thomas Ince showed Andy Keogh how it was done.

The Lions had looked the better side for the first half hour but were made to pay for their missed chances as Ince curled his shot home to give Blackpool the lead.

But when Keogh missed from two yards out, after firing his first-half shot straight at Matt Gilks when clean through, it looked as if it was not going to be the south Londoner’s day and so it proved.

The young, highly-rated forward grabbed his second goal for the game to all but seal the victory after a fantastic bursting run.

After a cagey start it was Lions defender Danny Shittu who had the first chance of the game when he met James Henry’s corner with a fierce header that was blocked by the Tangerines defence on the line.

Josh Wright came close on the quarter hour mark when but his long-range effort was deflected wide by Alex Baptiste.

Millwall should have taken the lead midway through the first half when Andy Keogh found some space in the middle of the penalty area.

The striker controlled the ball but Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks produced a stunning save to deny the former Wolves man.

The Lancashire side had their first opportunity when Kevin Phillips combined well with Thomas Ince but his weak shot was straight at Maik Taylor.

The Lions came roaring back on the half hour mark and Wright’s long ball sent Keogh away down the left – he cut inside but his curling shot was easy for Gilks.

Phillips’ second shot was much better than the first and Taylor had to be alert to palm the shot away as the Tangerines looked dangerous on the break.

And moments later they scored as Ince combined superbly with Tiago Gomes to fire a low shot from the left that curled into the far corner.

Millwall should have been level inside the first five minutes of the season half and it was Keogh again the man who missed after a tasty cross from Henry.

But they were two goals down on the hour mark as Ince charged through the middle from Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s through ball and fired into the roof of the net.

Keogh and Isaiah Osbourne then had an on-field disagreement which culminated in the Tangerines man cynically tripping the Lions striker. Both were cautioned for their pushing and shoving.

Wright came close to pulling one back with a darting run into the area but his blistering effort from 10 yards was just wide.

Millwall: Taylor, Shittu (Dunne 46), Wright, Trotter, Henderson, Lowry, Henry, Ward, Keogh, Smith (Feeney 59), Malone.

Substitutes Not Used: Forde, Marquis, Batt, Abdou, Osborne.

Blackpool: GIlks, Crainey, Eardley, Evatt, Gomes (Dicko 57), Phillips (Cathcart 81), Ince, Taylor-Fletcher (Grandin 61), Baptiste, Ferguson, Osbourne.

Substitutes Not Used: Roberston, Halstead, Barkhuizen, Angel.

Referee: Oliver Langford.

Attendance: 11,010.