Goals from Jon Stead, Jack Colback and Gareth McAuley took the Blues to a 3-1 win over Blackpool, out of the bottom three and extended their unbeaten run to 10 games. Stead curled home in the opening minute, Colback added the second before half-time and McAuley headed in the third after Ian Evatt had pulled one back for the Tangerines, who had David Vaughan sent off for two bookable offences late on.
Boss Roy Keane made two changes to his starting line-up with Jack Colback coming in for Stern John and Jaime Peters taking over from Carlos Edwards with Jon Walters moving up front and Owen Garvan to left midfield.
As was perhaps inevitable after two games entirely without goals, Town went ahead within seconds of the kick-off. Jaime Peters’s cross from the right evaded Jack Colback midway inside the area, the ball ending up at Jon Stead’s feet. The striker curled a shot just inside the post for his fourth goal of the season.
The Blues might have gone two in front in the fourth minute from Owen Garvan’s corner from the right when Gareth McAuley was allowed a free header which he sent well wide.
On 14 Grant Leadbitter fired a freekick into the wall, Garvan sending the rebound wide. A minute later, Alhassan Bangura was booked for a foul on Stead on the edge of the area soon after another foul on Leadbitter. The midfielder took the freekick, which was deflected and half-cleared before Garvan again shot wide.
Town were completely dominant against a Blackpool side hardly looking worthy of their high position in the table. In the 18th minute Walters flicked a Leadbitter freekick straight at keeper Matthew Gilks. If it had gone either side of him it would almost certainly have been a goal.
Three minutes later, Garvan’s cross from the right led to Wright heading to the edge of the six-yard box but Stead and Peters got in one another’s way.
Blackpool came more into the game around the half hour, passing the ball around tidily but failing to test Arran Lee-Barrett in any way, Damien Delaney and Gareth McAuley continuing their excellent central defensive partnership.
On 38 Leadbitter struck another freekick close to the penalty area through to Gilks, then Walters deflected a low Garvan freekick to the former Norwich keeper. Two minutes later, Stead’s shot from a tight angle on the left was well saved by Gilks. From the corner, Walters headed off the top of the bar, the ball falling safely for the visitors.
But Town’s second goal wasn’t too much longer in coming. With the fourth official about to raise the board, a Stead flick played Colback in on goal and the loanee from Sunderland confidently took the ball to the edge of the area from where he fired past Gilks for his second goal of the season.
There might even have been a third just before the whistle when Stead was played through to the right of goal but took the ball too wide and screwed his shot well wide.
Town were well worthy of their lead at the break, the early goal having set the mood for a half in which the Blues probably should have scored more than just the two goals against a disappointing Blackpool side.
The second half started with Grant Leadbitter picking up a yellow card for pulling back Jason Euell. It was the midfielder’s fifth yellow card of the season, meaning he’ll miss next week’s trip to Scunthorpe.
On 56 David Vaughan was booked for a somewhat cynical foul on a breaking Jon Walters. Moments later, the visitors made a double substitution, Keith Southern and Charlie Adam replacing Barry Bannan and Alhassan Bangura.
The Blues continued to look the more dangerous of the sides, Walters just failing to add the final touch to Leadbitter’s cross from the left at the far post.
Garvan played Walters through in the 59th minute but the skipper had turned his back on play and failed to spot that the ball was on its way to him.
On the hour mark, Keith Southern shot over from the edge of the area, then Stephen Crainey was booked for a foul on Liam Rosenior.
The Blues were largely sitting back on their lead looking to catch the Tangerines on the break at this stage and on 66 the visitors pulled a goal back. A short corner was sent into the area and Ian Evatt headed beyond Lee-Barrett.
In the 68th minute, Crainey was lucky to get away without receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Rosenior five yards outside the Town area. Seconds later, Stead felt he should have been awarded a penalty when he appeared to he shoved over inside the area.
Town restored their two-goal lead in the 70th minute when McAuley powerfully headed Leadbitter’s corner from the left into the net for his third goal of the season.
The Blues continued to look the more likely to score, Peters just failing to get enough on a Walters cross to divert it goalwards. Ian Evatt, somewhat niggly and involved with a number of Town players during the second half, was booked for a foul on Stead committed earlier in the move.
Jon Walters should have made it four in the 79th minute when he rounded keeper Gilks but was dispossessed by Crainey as he prepared to slip the ball home. A minute later, Stead just failed to get on the end of a Walters cross from the left.
Blackpool’s miserable afternoon got even worse on 84 when David Vaughan fouled Colback as Town broke and received his second yellow card of the afternoon and then a red from referee Phil Crossley.
Stead ought to have made it four in the 88th minute after he was played in by Walters, the frontman lobbing the keeper but sending the ball wide of the post. The Town captain added his name to Mr Crossley’s lengthy list with one minute of normal time remaining for a foul and like Leadbitter will miss the trip to Scunthorpe as it was his fifth booking. Alan Quinn replaced Walters in the final minute.
In injury time Jason Euell hit a shot off the post which Southern tapped home, but the linesman’s flag had already been raised. Moments before the whistle, Carlos Edwards replaced Jaime Peters.
A comfortable victory with the scoreline perhaps not reflecting the Blues’ overall dominance and the sheer number of chances created. Town were well on top with the only moments of nervousness coming briefly after Blackpool’s second half goal.
Defensively, Delaney and McAuley were as solid as ever, the midfield controlled the game and created chances. Stead took his first goal superbly, Colback showed great composure when running through to add the second and McAuley made the most of one of the Blues’ innumerable set pieces.
An important result for Town, who move out of the bottom three for the first time this season and up to fifth bottom. Despite the poor first half of the season, the Blues are only 11 points from the play-offs and a continuation of the 10-match unbeaten run -but with a larger number of wins - and Town might be in with a surprise chance of battling at the right end of the table come the end of the season.
Town: Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, D Wright, Delaney, McAuley, Leadbitter, Colback, Garvan, Peters (Edwards 90), Walters (Quinn 89), Stead. Unused: McLoughlin, Trotter, Wickham, John, Smith. Att: 19,831.