Blackpool clinched a face-off with West Ham in the Championship play-off final after an fascinating semi-final second leg with Birmingham at St Andrew's.
Blackpool went into St. Andrews holding a slender 1-0 lead and knowing that they required an early goal to be in no doubt of dispatching Birmingham City and swearing themselves of a place in the Championship Playoff Final.
Blackpool went into St. Andrews holding a slender 1-0 lead and knowing that they required an early goal to be in no doubt of dispatching Birmingham City and swearing themselves of a place in the Championship Playoff Final.
They administered better than that, scoring on either side of halftime to book a date with Sam Allardyce's West Ham United on May 19th.
Nikola Zigic gave Blues a flicker of hope before Captain Curtis Davies headed the equalizer, but the hosts could not find a decisive winner that would have leveled the tie on aggregate and taken the challenge into extra-time, so their 62nd match of a long season proved the last.
Opening spell was reasonably even; the hosts hit the crossbar and Blackpool seemed very treacherous whenever they got forward. With Birmingham so good at home, the tie was very much in the poise for as long as it remained 0-0, but the deadlock was broken during first half stoppage time.
Alex Baptiste endeavored an overhead volley from a corner kick, and even though it was absolutely mishit Blackpool were opportune enough to see the ball fall to Stephen Dobbie, who was talented enough to squeeze a shot under Colin Doyle for a 1-0 lead.
Defender Davies ensured a nerve-jangling finish when his dominant close-range header in the 73rd minute made up for his own goal in the first leg.
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway said "I'm so proud of my players,"
"That was a fantastic fight-back by Birmingham and it was all so exciting that I had to ask someone what the score was. It's all over now though. We did it and we are going to Wembley."
West Ham who was relegated last season along with Blackpool and Birmingham, take on Holloway's team at Wembley on May 19 for a place in the Premier League in a scuffle known as the 'richest club match in football' because the financial rewards for promotion are massive.
Birmingham manager Chris Hughton said "This has been a real tough day for us,"
"I've just walked away from a devastated dressing room - we all feel that way because it's been a long, hard season."
"We've had lots of ups and downs, lots of emotion, and it makes it even tougher when you get so close to reaching the final and miss out."
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