Freddie Sears scored twice and Christophe Berra once as Town beat already-relegated Blackpool 3-2 at Portman Road. The Blues fell behind to Andrea Orlandi’s fourth-minute goal, prior to Sears striking twice before the break, then Henry Cameron levelled for Blackpool, but Berra sealed a win which really should have been more routine in the 83rd minute.

Tyrone Mings returned from his two-match ban at left-back, while Teddy Bishop was back in midfield and Sears up front.

Zeki Fryers dropped out of the 18 completely, while Richard Chaplow and Chris Wood were on the bench, alongside Jonny Parr, back from his hamstring problem. Already-relegated Blackpool included former Blues loanee Darren O’Dea from the start.

The game got off to the worst possible start for Town with Blackpool taking the lead with the first serious attack of the afternoon in the fourth minute.

Henry Cameron was played in down the left by Jamie O’Hara and cut the ball back to Orlandi breaking unchecked from midfield and the former Swansea man swept home from 10 yards.

The Blues immediately looked to get back on terms, Tommy Smith was unable to get enough on a header from a corner, then Daryl Murphy was stopped in his tracks by a Peter Clarke challenge just inside the area.

On nine Bishop curled an effort wide from the edge of the box, then a minute later Jay Tabb sent Sears away towards the area but Seasiders keeper Elliot Parish came off his line quickly to challenge.

Luke Varney, who opened his Town goals account at Huddersfield on Monday, should have equalised on 12 when he was allowed a free header from Bishop’s left-sided corner but nodded the ball well wide.

Cole Skuse dispossessed Charles Dunne midway inside the Blackpool half on the quarter hour, but his low cross towards Murphy was cut out by O’Dea.

Town continued to keep up the pressure, Murphy overran the ball having made a strong run down the left, Tabb was unable to get in a shot from a Mings cross, then Murphy hooked the ball back across the edge of the six-yard box but it wouldn’t fall for a Town player.

On 23 Sears volleyed over from the edge of the box, then Paul Anderson replaced Varney, who went straight to the dressing room having apparently suffered a knock.

Within seconds of the change, Town were back on terms. Smith sent a freekick to the left of the area from deep on the right, Mings nodded it down and Sears turned a half-volley beyond Parish and into the roof of the net. It was the former Colchester man’s sixth goal for the Blues and his 20th of the season.

Four minutes later, Sears made those totals seven and 21 and the scoreline 2-1 to the Blues.

Skuse fed Murphy to the right who turned it back into Chambers as he broke into the area on the right.

The Blues skipper looked to find Tabb with a low pass across the area but Orlandi intercepted but inadvertently diverted the ball into the path of Sears, who gleefully slipped under Parish from close range.

Ex-Blues loanee O’Dea was replaced by David Ferguson on 32 following a spell of on-field treatment, the former Celtic man appearing to have broken his nose.

Town claimed a penalty in the 37th minute when Anderson fed Sears inside the area and the ball struck Clarke’s raised arm. However, referee James Linington showed no interest in the Blues players’ appeals.

In injury time, Anderson scuffed Mings’s cross from the left wide before referee Linington ended the half.

After being rather caught cold by Blackpool’s early goal, the Blues quickly got themselves on top and the rest of the half was virtually all Town pressing and probing for openings in the visitors’ defence.

Town probably ought to have been ahead prior to Sears’s two goals, the former Colchester and West Ham man continuing the excellent start he has made to his Town career with two fine finishes.

Shortly after the restart Anderson sent Murphy away on the left of the area but the Irishman took the ball too wide and screwed his shot wide.

There was a scare for the Blues on 50 when Berra’s back-header beat the advanced Bartosz Bialkowski, who was pleased to see the ball run wide of the post as he chased towards his line. Three minutes later, Murphy headed Sears’s left-wing cross wide.

Berra saw a header blocked inside the six-yard box on 58, then Tabb skipped into the area and fed Sears, whose low shot was saved down to his left by Parish.

The Blues striker had another opportunity a minute later when, having been sent away by Mings, he cut in from the left but saw Parish block his shot.

As the clock reached the hour mark, Sears again cut in from the left but this time screwed well wide, then soon afterwards he almost profited from Skuse winning the ball on halfway, but Parish came off his line quickly to clear ahead of him.

The second half had been all Town but on 64 the Blues were caught sleeping for a second time and the Tangerines levelled.

Orlandi took a quick freekick from halfway on the right and fed Gary Madine. The on-loan Sheffield Wednesday crossed low to Henry Cameron, who slid into the net from close range to claim his first senior goal.

It was another poor goal for Town to concede, having had plenty of chances to add to their two goals and really should have had the game well won by this stage. On 66 Mings turned and shot over from eight yards when he might have laid the ball back to Murphy.

Jonny Williams replaced Tabb for the final 14 minutes with the Welshman taking up a role behind the front two. Three minutes later, Madine headed over for Blackpool from an O’Hara corner.

Town restored their lead in the 83rd minute when, after a freekick had been cleared, Mings played to Chambers on halfway. The skipper found Murphy on the right of the area, the Blues top scorer turning his man before chipping a superb right-footed cross to the far post from where Christophe Berra nodded in his sixth goal of the season.

Jonny Parr replaced Mings for the final five minutes and the Blues saw out the remaining minutes without any further drama, midfielder Bishop completing a full 90 minutes for the first team for the first time.

Having established the 2-1 lead at the break, the result really should never have been in any doubt and Town had plenty of chances to increase their lead before conceding their second sloppy goal of the afternoon.

Fortunately, against a poor Blackpool side they were always going to get further chances to win it and Berra duly took his opportunity when it came via Murphy’s excellent cross.

The victory and results elsewhere see the Blues move back up to sixth, ahead of Brentford and then Wolves - who lost 2-1 at Birmingham - on goal difference and a point behind fifth-placed Derby, ahead of Tuesday's home game against Cardiff City.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings (Parr 85), Berra, Smith, Skuse, Bishop, Varney (Anderson 23), Tabb (Williams 76), Murphy, Sears. Unused: Gerken, Hunt, Chaplow, Wood.

Blackpool: Parish, Maher, Dunne, Clarke, O’Dea (Ferguson 32), Perkins, O'Hara, Cubero (Delfouneso 86), Cameron (Osayi-Samuel 70), Orlandi, Madine. Unused: Boney, Ferguson, Oliver, Barkhuizen, Telford. Referee: James Linington (Newport, IoW). Attendance: 19,290 (Blackpool: 175).

Photo: Action Images

blueherts added 18:23 - Apr 11 Parr at LB and Mings at LM would be interesting !! Hope Bru is fit as he does give us other creative option Hope JW starts getting more game time At this stage if the season anything can and will happen just look at Birmingham and Huddersfield today - i really is all about 3 points nothing else
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blue86 added 18:24 - Apr 11 Well done town! It's never easy being a town fan is it? Lol even backed town today on my accumulator which won so can't be bad :) oh and freddie sears is on fire! Nice to be back in the top six... Just hope we can stay there. Doesn't matter how we got the points today just needed the win desperately. COYB
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carsey added 18:26 - Apr 11 3 points is all that can be said after that terrible performance. Aside from the back 4 issue which everyone else in the country can see there are all sorts of issues in every position but it all comes down to MM and his "style". Whenever the ball is in the hands of the 'keeper every single player without exception turns his back and runs away so it can be hoofed up the pitch. Never does anyone run wide to create space for it to be thrown out. Rarely does a midfield player come to take the ball and god forbid it ends up with Berra or Smith because there is only one thing going to happen...............hoof towards Murphy. If we get a free kick in or around our penalty area the 'keeper hoofs it up to Murphy/Chambers. I could go on but the point is successful teams all around the world don't play like this therefore it must be obvious that it doesn't work - long term. We have been found out hence the results since Christmas have dropped off and the likes of Blackpool and Huddersfield are causing us problems. I shall keep going because Ipswich are my team but FFS somebody tell McCarthy to play football.

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bluefeast added 18:26 - Apr 11 If we had been playing anyone else we would of lost ,our form in terms of performances has been woeful ,part of the reason for that is disjointed defines ,it looks like the rest of the outfield players are scared to make runs as our defence needs covering all of the time. Chambers season has been dreadful ,not his fault ,smith is lost on the right side ,kings is young and learning and its now really showing. Come on MM look at balance and build a side with that as your primary objective and then let the players go and play.

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warktheline added 18:32 - Apr 11 Too many on forum prior to kick off talking nonsense, 'how many are we gonna win by?' If only it was that simple, how many teams have we smashed this season? Again wrong back four, what's new! Sorry to say gang but, if we fail to reach play off, then many will point to McCarthy's stubbornness in regards to this ongoing saga. Apart from that, personally I believe we have enough ability to cause any team in Championship problems, with the likes of Varney, Sears, Bishop, Williams and Murphy. It's all about holding our nerves here on in. Again 3pts a must against Cardiff, then let's take a look at table and see what's still required. Must admit , a huge sigh of relief when Bent scored today for Derby! PLEASE MICK, PARR, CHAMBERS, BERRA, MINGS. I live in hope!

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Jimmy86 added 18:33 - Apr 11 We won and that's all that really matters, especially at this stage in the season, but my god we make things hard for ourselves and today was a lot more harder than it needed to be. The 2 goals we conceded were just so poor and against better teams would have cost us. 3 points is Def the main thing though and it's good to be back in the top 6, COYB
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blueherts added 18:34 - Apr 11 We all know the short comings but at this stage of the season - it is all about 3 points I frankly dont care AT THIS STAGE of the season if we concede 3 as long as we score 4 !
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dannyrr added 18:39 - Apr 11 A shame Varney went off injured but Ando was looking knackered from the moment he came on the pitch. He normally gives it loads of pace running all over the pitch with no end product but today he didn't do a lot of running and looked exhausted. This should have been a convincing win but made it really hard for ourselves. The back four needs to be solid for the rest of the season. Pick the right four. Make it solid. We need a win on Tuesday. COYB

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Juanforthemoney added 18:40 - Apr 11 I am sorry but as much as I appreciate his commitment, To my Smith is getting no better, he is clueless in possesion and cannot put a pass to a blue shirt. The a back 4 for me electorate a more balanced look and Parr would bring that if Chambers move to the centre. Why was Anderson on? He is another one who is totally clueless, surely we have better wide options? Midfield generally was good today and Bishop will be all the better for 90 minutes. How good would it be to see Bishop, Williams and Sears all starting? but I doubt we will have the appetitive to be so bold. I am pleased to get the 3 points but I still fear for the playoff position if we don't tighten up at the back.

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Vizslaraner added 18:42 - Apr 11 FFs I'm a wreck! Let's just win Tuesday how ever we can and go to wolves with something to play for! Let's stay in there for a change and not bottle it. Wanna Watford style performance next sat and a point there Wd b great. Like Derby and brentford they have to play Wigan and mill wall so just for the first time in 40 years watching town let's try and do something the easy way! COYB

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StowTractorBoy added 18:44 - Apr 11 That was a very lack lustre performance from a play off chasing side and I left the ground seething at how poor we were. Now I am home I am elated and so relieved to get 3 points against an awful Blackpool team - my goodness how the mighty have fallen since our 6-1 drubbing at Bloomfield Road 3 seasons back. Sears came out with flying colours and Skuse and Mings played well but the overall performance of the team was thoroughly disappointing and will need to improve vastly on Tuesday. Murphy was so frustrating today making good runs and having great opportunities but wasted them. Thank goodness he was clever enough to provide Berra with the winner. Finally if Chambers and Smith continue to play out of position especially after their performances today then MM will never change it. We got away with it today but MM has got to change it - then again we have been saying that for weeks now.

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warktheline added 19:06 - Apr 11 Really don't think it's fair to blame Smith, we all know how difficult it is to play on your weaker foot, and let's not forget we're not talking about Sunday morning football here! Valid point Timmy and others in reference to Parr playing LB or LM, but for me, Chambers needs to move back to where he belongs, RIGHT CB, and Parr to play RB, we are more balanced as a team when McCarthy selects this back four. Mings is young and it is no surprise to see the season take its toll on him. The lad from C.Palace hasn't done himself any favours, therefore again we are restricted with personnel. Anyway like the man said, FOXTROT OSCAR!

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mow_the_lawn added 19:09 - Apr 11 Positives from today: - We won - Sears yet again proved to be the difference for us - Derby, Brentford and Wolves all dropped points - Wood and Chaplow didn't come on
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blueherts added 19:12 - Apr 11 But glad chaplow came on against Watford - Correct Mowthe lawn ?
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bennyitfc added 19:13 - Apr 11 As positive as we all try to be, it's impossible not to predict the opposition scoring sometimes with Ipswich! We really should have been out of sight when they equalised. Credit to Blackpool though, I thought they kept the ball better than we did today
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spanishblue added 19:29 - Apr 11 Well good job we don,t support wolves or brentford tonight you would have something to moan about we,re in the playoffs ffs from no where at the beginning of this season stop moaning MM in charge thank god otherwise we,d be in div 1 he deserves praise not this constant backstabbing
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hinchers1066 added 19:32 - Apr 11 A result today, but why oh why are we still playing a disjointed back four. We have the personnel to deal with this but continue to play very good players out of position. Tommy Smith is a very good player as is Luke Chambers and Jonny Parr, so why not play them where a) they are most comfortable and b) Mings and Parr on the flanks could and should allow us to supplement the midfield. Add to this the dynamism of Bishop and/or Williams to provide the cutting passes for the front two of Murphy and Sears would surely take away the pressure on the back four. So it's not rocket science that our personnel would surely be much more comfortable playing a flexible 5-3-2 in defence and 3-5-2 in attack. A recipe for confusing the opposing teams because hey ho we wouldn't be relying hoofball. Just a thought but I am not MM am I !!!!!!!!

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bennyitfc added 19:35 - Apr 11 Agreed @spanishblue, but I wish wish wish we could play just A BIT of football sometimes! Second goal was an example of how it works...
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gorse added 19:44 - Apr 11 The only way you'll see Parr at RB is if Williams is fit enough to start on the LW, and if Mick is willing to set up in an attacking way for that match, plus is willing to risk a defensive reshuffle at this stage. I'd be happy to eat those words but don't hold your breath. Also MM has already stated it would take too long to adjust to a wing back system this season.
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BlueInBerks added 19:47 - Apr 11 Had our Germany friends visiting last w/e and living in Reading meant the only game we could get to whilst the girls shopped was Reading vs Cardiff. Gawd it was awful, kick and rush it reminded me of our scout football team (26th Ipswich). From what I saw, we shouldn't be too troubled. And how we have ever lost to Reading I do not understand.
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alfromcol added 20:10 - Apr 11 Dreadful but 3 points, let's move on to Tuesday. Another dreadful performance and 3 pts on Tuesday will be great.
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halsteadblue added 20:38 - Apr 11 Chambers again found wanting,this "Parr-Gate" saga may well ultimately cost us our play off spot,hope I`m wrong.It`s so clearly obvious the defence is unbalanced.But a win is a win and we take it any day of the week.Agree with earlier post re Blackpool fans,hats off to each and every one of you,true supporters.Good luck for next season.
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jas0999 added 20:45 - Apr 11 Delighted to get the three points and even happier to be back into the top six. That's all tomorrow's newspapers will report. But was this performance good enough? Not for me. We looked only slightly better than a very poor Blackpool team ... Who are so abysmal they have already been relegated. They scored two at our place and it took a 83 rd minute goal to beat them. We must do better in the last four games. The defence was poor. Chambers terrible, Smith even worse. Midfield lacked that creativity and pace. Apart from one move, Tabb continued to hump the ball aimlessly forward and miss place passes. Anderson not much better. Sears was great. Murphy worked hard, but recent goal scoring record not great. But, we are in the mix! Remarkably. Still doesn't take away from how far we have slipped in 2015, but promotion still on and that's all that matters.

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billlm added 20:55 - Apr 11 Was a chambers fan mm making him look awful sad to see grow a pair mm
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PJH added 21:09 - Apr 11 Well, we made that difficult. As all are saying,it is the 3 points that matter. I thought Skuse was again outstanding and I think that he has been our best/most consistent player since the turn of the year. We need 3 more points on Tuesday and it would be nice if Wolves dropped points again. Will need a Watford away type performance next Saturday.
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