ON-THE-WHISTLE-REPORT: Peterborough United 0, Blackpool 1: Old boy haunts Posh who slip to disappointing home defeat

Vassell scored with a deflected strike from close range in the 21st minute to claim his seventh goal of the campaign. He scored just six times in two years for Posh.

Blackpool managed the game very well from then on restricting Posh to occasional chances and running down the clock expertly. The visiting ‘keeper Ryan Allsop, who made three fine stops before the break, was not forced to make a single stop in the second-half.

Posh had chances to score though which will irritate manager Grant McCann whose side scored nine times in three away games leading up to this game.

Blackpool recalled Vassell after injury and how he enjoyed putting his side ahead against a former club in the 21st minute,

Sean Longstaff created the opportunity with a storming run forward from midfield, slipped in Vassell, whose shot at goal deflected into the net off Steven Taylor.

Pool deserved their lead at the time. A Will Aimson header from a first minute corner was headed off the line by Leo Da Silva Lopes and the visitors pressed high and attecked with tempo and numbers when given the opportunity.

Posh did recover from a slow start to creat opportunities themselves though. Lovely football from Marcus Maddison and Leo Da Silva Lopes created a great chance for Jack Marriott on 15 minutes, but he shot straight at Pool ‘keeper Ryan Allsop.

After the goal, Allsop tipped a fine Michael Doughty shot from 20 yards over the crossbar and in the last minute of the half Allsop was again strong when Maddison’s brilliant long pass freed Marriott into the penalty area.

Maddison also delivered some terrifice deliveries from corners towards the big Posh central defenders. Taylor headed the best chance from one over the bar.

Posh gave a Football League debut to goalkeeper O’Malley following a string of good efforts in cup matches. Gwion Edwards was left on the substitutes’ bench, but predictably started the second-half in place of captain Jack Baldwin as Posh switched to a 4-4-2 with Da Silva Lopes at right back.

The change almost delivered an instant reward as Maddison’s beautiful cross with his weaker right foot was headed over by Edwards at the far post

But rather than signal a dominant second-half from Posh they instead struggled to find any consistent pressure.

Blackpool defended their penalty area well and only a couple of late Maddison set pieces caused the visitors any sort of alarm. Substitute Jaermaine Anderson wasted a last-gasp half chance with a weak effort which ballooned over the crossbar.

It’s now four home defeats in nine League One matches for Posh, a statistic that can’t be allowed to get any worse.

Posh: Conor O’Malley, Jack Baldwin (sub Gwion Edwards, 46 mins), Steven Taylor, Ryan Tafazolli, Anthony Grant, Michael Doughty (sub Jermaine Anderson, 66 mins), Leo Da Silva Lopes, Andrew Hughes, Marcus Maddison, Jack Marriott, Danny Lloyd (sub Idris Kanu, 57 mins).

Unused substitutes: Jonathan Bond, Chris Forrester, Alex Penny, Callum Chettle.

Blackpool: Ryan Allsop, Oliver Turton, Will Aimson, Curtis Tilt, Colin Daniel, Jay Spearing, Sean Longstaff (sub Sessi D’Almeida, 90 mins), Callum Cooke, Kelvin Mellor, Viv Solomon-Otabor (sub Nathan Delfouneso, 84 mins), Kyle Vassell (sub Armand Gnanduillet .

Unused substitutes: Ben Williams, Andy Taylor, Dolly Menga, Danny Philliskirk, .

Goals: Blackpool - Vassell (21 mins).

Cautions: Posh - Tafazolli (foul).

Blackpool - Turton (foul), Solomon-Otobar (delaying the re-start).

Referee: Trevor Kettle 5

Attendance: 5,254 (278 Blackpool).