Blackpool 0-1 Sunderland

Sunderland strengthened their position in the League One promotion race as Josh Maja's first-half finish secured a narrow win at Blackpool.

Jack Ross' side were roared on by 7,804 travelling fans at Bloomfield Road and the visiting army had plenty to shout about when Maja broke the deadlock midway through the first half.

The forward's future remains shrouded in doubt given his refusal to sign a new deal on Wearside, but his importance to the Sunderland cause was emphasised as he stole ahead of his marker to flick home Aiden McGeady's cross and claim his 14th league goal of the season.

Blackpool rallied gamely to try to claim an equaliser and Sunderland goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin was forced to produce an excellent first-half save as he kept out Chris Taylor's back-post effort with his feet.

The hosts went even closer three minutes after the break, with Armand Gnanduillet poking the ball past McLaughlin only for a back-tracking Jack Baldwin to hack clear from the goal-line via a rebound off his own post.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Blackpool

• 1Howard
• 2Daniels
• 5O'ConnorBooked at 55mins
• 6Heneghan
• 8Spearing
• 19TaylorSubstituted forPritchardat 84'minutes
• 27Bola
• 25Guy
• 7DelfounesoSubstituted forDodooat 71'minutes
• 21Gnanduillet
• 24Feeney

Substitutes

• 11Dodoo
• 12Nottingham
• 14Pritchard
• 18O'Sullivan
• 26Davies
• 34Shaw
• 37Mafoumbi

Sunderland

• 1McLaughlin
• 13O'Nien
• 12Flanagan
• 15Baldwin
• 16James
• 27Power
• 6CattermoleBooked at 18mins
• 11GoochBooked at 55mins
• 19McGeady
• 20MajaSubstituted forMaguireat 88'minutes
• 9WykeSubstituted forMcGeouchat 84'minutes

Substitutes

• 5Ozturk
• 7Maguire
• 8McGeouch
• 17Sinclair
• 25Ruiter
• 37Mumba
• 48Mbunga-Kimpioka

Referee:

Darren Drysdale

Attendance:

10,994

Match Stats

Home TeamBlackpoolAway TeamSunderland

Possession

Home45%

Away55%

Shots

Home9

Away9

Shots on Target

Home4

Away4

Corners

Home6

Away6

Fouls

Home8

Away10

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Blackpool 0, Sunderland 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Blackpool 0, Sunderland 1.

Posted at 90'+4'

Marc Bola (Blackpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Max Power (Sunderland).

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt missed. Max Power (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Dylan McGeouch.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Armand Gnanduillet (Blackpool).

Posted at 90'

Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Substitution

Posted at 88'

Substitution, Sunderland. Chris Maguire replaces Josh Maja.

Posted at 86'

Harry Pritchard (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Dylan McGeouch (Sunderland).

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Blackpool. Harry Pritchard replaces Chris Taylor.

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Sunderland. Dylan McGeouch replaces Charlie Wyke.

Posted at 83'

Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Lee Cattermole.

Posted at 83'

Attempt blocked. Chris Taylor (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 82'

Attempt missed. Armand Gnanduillet (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.

Posted at 80'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Donervon Daniels.

Posted at 77'

Attempt missed. Aiden McGeady (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 75'

Armand Gnanduillet (Blackpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Luke O'Nien (Sunderland).

Posted at 74'

Foul by Armand Gnanduillet (Blackpool).

Posted at 74'

Max Power (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

Attempt saved. Chris Taylor (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Blackpool. Joseph Dodoo replaces Nathan Delfouneso.

Posted at 70'

Attempt blocked. Tom Flanagan (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked.

Posted at 70'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Mark Howard.

Posted at 70'

Attempt saved. Josh Maja (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Liam Feeney (Blackpool).

Posted at 68'

Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 67'

Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Aiden McGeady.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Max Power (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 63'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Mark Howard.

Posted at 63'

Attempt saved. Aiden McGeady (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Posted at 62'

Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Lee Cattermole.

Posted at 59'

Paudie O'Connor (Blackpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 59'

Foul by Josh Maja (Sunderland).

Posted at 57'

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Jay Spearing.

Posted at 56'

Attempt missed. Callum Guy (Blackpool) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.

Booking

Posted at 55'

Paudie O'Connor (Blackpool) is shown the yellow card.

Booking

Posted at 55'

Lynden Gooch (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.

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