David McGoldrick’s 26th minute goal has given the Blues a 1-0 lead against table-propping Blackpool at half-time at Bloomfield Road.
Jonny Williams (ankle) and Jonny Parr (groin) both missed out for Town, joining Kevin Bru (also groin) on the sidelines.
Skipper Luke Chambers continued at right-back with Tyrone Mings returning from his one-match suspension and taking up his usual left-back role. Tommy Smith again partnered Christophe Berra at the centre of the defence.
Stephen Hunt came into the side for Conor Sammon and started on the left of the front three.
The Blues were forced into a late switch of keeper with Dean Gerken picking up a groin injury in the warm-up. Bartosz Bialkowski came in for his Town league debut with Darren Ambrose taking up the vacant place on the bench with the Blues having no sub keeper.
Debutant Bialkowski claimed an awkward looping John Lundstrum shot on six, a minute before the Blues went within a whisker of going in front.
Teddy Bishop was fouled just outside the area on the right and Hunt curled a brilliant freekick over the wall but off the bar. The loose ball reached Bishop on the edge of the box but the youngster scuffed his strike wide.
Hunt forced Bialkowski into a save in the eighth minute when he intercepted a loose Blackpool pass midway inside the Town half and put rather too much on his ball back to the keeper, who got down well to his right to palm wide.
The Blues went close again in the 10th minute when Chambers crossed from the right and Bishop flicked a header wide.
Bialkowski had a shaky moment three minutes later when he got under a swirling cross and could only help the ball behind.
Ishmael Miller created an opportunity for the home side in the 17th minute, skipping down the left and cutting the ball back to Nile Ranger, but the ball got caught under the former Newcastle frontman’s feet.
Hunt, by now playing on the left of a four-man midfield, hit another shot from distance on 23 but went rather less close than his previous attempt, the ball this time striking the lip of the stand roof.
On 26 Hunt won the ball from Donervon Daniels on the Town left and fed Mings, whose cross reached Bishop on the edge of the box, from where his shot was cleared out to the left for a throw.
But the danger wasn’t gone. After a throw, Hunt returned the ball from the left, Bishop hit a shot into the ground which found McGoldrick eight yards out and as the Blackpool defence appealed for offside, the Blues striker stroked home his fifth goal of the season to put Town ahead.
The Blues continued to take the game to the home side having gone in front with Hunt and Mings increasingly influential down the left. On 32 Luke Hyam was booked for pulling back Ranger as Blackpool broke.
Neither side came close again before the break and Town went in deservedly in front, having been on top and having created most of the opportunities.
Aside from Ranger’s chance, Hunt’s backpass and a few set pieces which Town hadn't dealt with particularly comfortably, the home side had rarely threatened.
Blackpool: Lewis, Dunne, Clarke, Rentmeister, Daniels, McMahon, Lundstram, J Oriol, Delfouneso, Miller, Ranger. Subs: Parish, Zoko, Orlandi, Blackman, Mellis, E Oriol, Cywka.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Hyam, Bishop, Hunt, McGoldrick, Murphy. Subs: Ambrose, Clarke, Anderson, Tabb, Henshall, Bajner, Sammon. Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne and Wear).