Marcus Braddock looks ahead to the big CheckaTrade
We're back in action tonight with a home tie in the Football League Trophy, aka the Checkatrade Trophy. Blackpool are the visitors and they sit in 14th in League One after a little bit of a slump in the last couple of months. Since the Tangarines won at Peterborough, they have only won once in eleven games and that was on New Years day at Rochdale when they won 2-1. They did manage to win one of these games, against Mansfield in this competition when Blackpool ran out eventual winners after a 1-1 draw and penalties.
Top Scorers (league goals)
Kyle Vassell 8
Sean Longstaff 5
Kelvin Mellor 4
Goal Distribution
In terms of goals scored, Blackpool is at their most vulnerable either side of half time with eight goals conceded. They seem to recover well with four goals in away games in the middle fifteen minutes of the second half.
Clean Sheets
Three at home and three away.
Assists
Sean Longstaff 4
Nathan Delfouneso 3
Viv Solomon-Otabor 3
Callum Cooke 3
Referee
Christopher Sarginson from Staffordshire. Games this season: 27. Yellow Cards: 95. Red cards: 5.
Assistants: Mark Griffiths and Ravel Cheosiaua.
Fourth Official: Trevor Kettle
Squad News
There is a fair chance that we may see a little squad rotation from both sides. Paul Hurst has Max Lowe available after their transfer to Town but Luke Hendrie has played in the competition for Bradford so is cup tied. Zak Jules is back in training but his loan at Chesterfield doesn’t expire until the 14th. Blackpool have signed Joe Lumley on Loan from QPR in the last day or so.
Summary
If we win this one we go into the next round and one step closer to Wembley as the competition intensifies. Blackpool will be looking for a positive result and things can go against the formbook so we need to be on our mettle.
COYB!!!