Blues boss Paul Jewell says his side’s 6-0 defeat at Blackpool was a rude awakening after their good start to the Championship season. The Town manager didn’t think anyone could have foreseen the eventual result during the first half.
Jewell said: "I don’t think that in the first 44 minutes you could see that coming. I thought we had as much of the ball as them. But we didn’t do an awful lot with it and we gifted them goals.
"The second goal came at a crucial time, right on half-time, and it meant it was going to be an uphill task in the second half. But once the third goal went in, we capitulated, I have to say.
"I think it’s a rude awakening,” he added. "I think the spirit in the squad is good, there’s no doubt about that, but that’s a test what happens out there.
"We played exceptionally well on Tuesday, battled away against Blackburn and in a week we’ve gone from the sublime to the ridiculous. That’s been our Achilles’ heel for a long time. On our day we’re good but when we’re not on our day...
"I wouldn’t say that it was one-way traffic in the first half today, we were definitely in the game but we didn’t do enough in their box and when it came in our box we just gave silly goals away.”
The Blues boss thought his side were particularly susceptible on the break: "They counter-attacked us all the time. It wasn’t as if they had bouts of pressure and were banging on the door and banging on the door.
"The sixth goal was a classic. We’re 5-0 down a we’ve got four players out the game with a minute to go. We lose it and they’re back at us.
"Counter-attacking’s hurt us badly today and when we’ve had the ball in situations, we haven’t done enough with it, and when the ball’s been turned over we’ve been exposed.”
Jewell had praise for the opposition: "They’re a good team. You can’t give teams like this goals like we did and expect to win matches.
"They’ve got a lot of flair players in their team, who work exceptionally hard and they’re a good team. But to lose 6-0 feels horrible.”
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway thought the result flattered his side: "This time of year you get the odd freak result, and I think that was one, to be perfectly blunt.
"I think to go in at half-time the reflection of the game was wrong. I didn’t think we deserved to have a two-goal lead. Our goalie made a brilliant save.
"I thought they got out too easy, I thought they passed it, they looked dangerous and it flattered us at half-time, to be perfectly honest.
"I went mad at half-time, I didn’t think we understood how to win the ball back, they had too much time on it. They caused my back four too many problems because the midfield didn’t get it right.
"In the second half I was delighted. I thought we were much better. And we needed to be. Goals change games, that’s what I keep talking about, and so far we’ve managed to get them a the right times, at vital times, in the early games.”