Blackpool give royal command performance

Blackpool’s entertaining Premier League debut campaign got the royal nod of assent here on Saturday as they beat struggling Wolves 2-1 in front of newly-engaged Prince William.

Goals by Luke Varney and Marlon Harewood gave them a 2-0 lead at the break with the visitors only able to come up with a late goal by Kevin Doyle as the hosts recorded their first victory in 15 matches over 42 years against their opponents.

Victory raised Blackpool into mid-table after what was only their second home victory of the season whilst Wolves’s ninth defeat in their last 11 Premier League matches leaves them ensconced in the bottom three, five points adrift of safety.

The hosts took an early hold on the game as Varney shot home from outside the area after the 28-year-old striker on loan from Championship outfit Derby County as he chested down a clearance and volleyed it past Wolves ‘keeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Both sides cancelled each other out for the remainder of the half with Marlon Harewood forcing Hahnemann into a fine save while the visitors had just one effort of note but Christophe Berra’s header was easily plucked from the air by Ghanaian World Cup star Richard Kingson.

The hosts doubled their lead shortly before half-time as veteran Harewood profited from a terrible error by Hahnemann who completely missed a corner and it dropped at the former West Ham and Aston Villa striker’s feet who tucked it away.

Kingson, who was outstanding at the World Cup but has played second fiddle to Matt Gilks this season until the latter broke his keecap, came to the hosts’ rescue in the second-half as he produced a brilliant finger tip save from Nenad Milijas, who Wolves manager Mick McCarthy had sent on at half-time in search of some creativity.

The visitors did test the hosts’ defence more often as they searched for a breakthrough with Matt Jarvis going close as did Sylvan Ebanks-Blake before they finally managed a goal.

Republic of Ireland international Doyle was on hand to head home George Elokobi’s cross four minutes from time to give them some hope of at least leaving Bloomfield Road with a point but the hosts managed to hold on.