Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Blackpool 0.
BlackburnBlackburn Rovers2BlackpoolBlackpool0
Blackburn reached the fifth round of the FA Cup with a comfortable victory over 10-man Blackpool at Ewood Park.
A Sam Gallagher header and a long-range Elliott Bennett strike had Rovers in control by the interval before the second-half dismissal of Kelvin Mellor ended Blackpool's hopes of a fightback.
League Two Blackpool, managed by former Rovers boss Gary Bowyer, saw Tom Aldred's header ruled out for offside.
Will Aimson also hit the bar as the visitors exited with a valiant display.
There were protests outside at Ewood Park before kick-off, with fans of both sides uniting to voice dissatisfaction with their respective owners.
Tennis balls - a method of protest often deployed by Blackpool fans - were thrown on to the pitch from outside the stadium, but there was no disruption to play.
Rovers, currently second-bottom of the Championship, went ahead when Jason Lowe's cross into the area was met by the head of Gallagher for his 10th goal of the season.
The lead was doubled in superb style by Bennett, who collected the ball from Lowe and played a one-two with Craig Conway before lashing in an unstoppable effort from outside the area.
Rovers have now prevailed in all three FA Cup meetings with Blackpool. Their previous meetings - also in the fourth round - came in 1925 and 1960.
Line-ups
Blackburn
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Steele
- 24Nyambe
- 3Greer
- 26Lenihan
- 5Williams
- 31Bennett
- 6Lowe
- 21AkpanSubstituted forGuthrieat 67'minutes
- 32Conway
- 12GrahamSubstituted forMahoneyat 72'minutes
- 19Gallagher
Substitutes
- 9Stokes
- 23Guthrie
- 27Tomlinson
- 28Mahoney
- 30Brown
- 33Raya
- 42Travis
Blackpool
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Slocombe
- 6Aimson
- 15Aldred
- 5Robertson
- 2MellorBooked at 65mins
- 28PayneSubstituted forYeatesat 63'minutes
- 4McAlisterBooked at 59mins
- 22Pugh
- 3Taylor
- 21Osayi-SamuelSubstituted forMattat 55'minutes
- 9CullenSubstituted forOdelusiat 55'minutes
Substitutes
- 16Nolan
- 17Yeates
- 18Philliskirk
- 19Matt
- 23Daniel
- 27Lyness
- 29Odelusi
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
- Attendance:
- 9,327
Match Stats
Home TeamBlackburnAway TeamBlackpool
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away1
- Corners
- Home4
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Blackpool 0.
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Foul by Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers).
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Sanmi Odelusi (Blackpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jamille Matt (Blackpool).
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Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Tom Aldred.
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Foul by Sam Gallagher (Blackburn Rovers).
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Tom Aldred (Blackpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Will Aimson (Blackpool).
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Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Sam Slocombe.
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Attempt saved. Derrick Williams (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Attempt missed. Jamille Matt (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
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Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Andy Taylor.
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Attempt blocked. Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Attempt missed. Sanmi Odelusi (Blackpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
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Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Darragh Lenihan.
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Attempt missed. Jamille Matt (Blackpool) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a corner.
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Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Darragh Lenihan.
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