MATCH REPORT: Yeovil 0 Blackpool 3

Daniel opened his Blackpool account in spectacular fashion as his left-footed 30-yard screamer gave ‘Pool a deserved lead in the 59th minute at a sodden and grey Huish Park.

It looked like the Seasiders might have set themselves up for a late onslaught after Brad Potts nodded way wide with the goal at his mercy and when substitute Bright Osayi-Samuel was felled by Liam Shephard in the box an awful penalty miss could have paved the way for a home fight-back.

The magenta-shirted referee pointed to the spot and Armand Gnanduillet was left red-faced as after fighting off Brad Potts for penalty privileges he ended up lofting the ball over the bar in the 82nd minute.

The miss could have crumbled Bowyer’s side and lifted the home faithful but instead the Seasiders showed immense character to fend off a Yeovil attack and drive straight up the other end and score within just seconds of the big miss.

The tireless Potts found fifth gear once again to tear towards Yeovil’s back-line before unselfishly slipping the ball to Daniel on the right who clipped the ball right-footed past Artur Krysiak.

Potts bagged his third assist of the game late on as his angled cross fell on a plate for Gnanduillet who took this chance to finally bag his first goal for the Seasiders.

There was a whiff of offside and Gnanduillet even checked across at the assistant referee who’s flag was nowhere to be seen.

It was a deserved win and one which sees Bowyer’s men climb up to 11th in the League Two table.

Tuesday night’s EFL Trophy hero Kyle Vassell returned to league action.

Vassell scored twice in the 2-1 win over Cheltenham after missing Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Plymouth.

But the good news of Vassell’s continued recovery from a hip knock was soured by the absence of Mark Cullen who picked up a hamstring tweak on Tuesday night leaving Vassell to partner Arman Gnanduillet up top in a 4-4-2 formation.

Midfielder Jack Payne who was sent off after picking up two yellow cards against Plymouth serves his one match ban today as does Yeovil’s Bevis Mugabi who was sent off in Plymouth’s defeat against Doncaster last weekend.

Blackpool started brightly with Gnanduillet proving a nuisance in both boxes.

But it was centre-half Aldred with the two best chances of the opening 12 minutes.

Yeovil’s Otis Khan whipped in a set piece from the left just inside the Seasiders half, it smashed into the back of Aldred’s head and looped towards goal but fortunately it just flew safely over the bar.

And he was way off target up the other end in the 11th minute as he pounced unmarked at the back stick on Danny Pugh’s corner from the left but as he leapt through the air he turned his head a tad too much and nodded the ball past the right post.

Blackpool dominated as they bypassed Yeovil’s midfield three time and time again as the Tangerines regularly sprayed the ball out to Potts and Daniel on the wings with full-backs Mellor and Taylor also pushing forward to exploit the gaps in Darren Way’s 4-3-3 formation.

Bowyer’s men retained their shape and launched some slick counter-attacks but were just missing that all important final ball as the rain lashed down and it was the sodden Potts who nearly made the breakthrough just before the half hour mark as the ball bounced around Yeovil’s box before falling for the midfielder who just stabbed the ball inches wide of the right post.

‘Pool carved out another great opportunity moments later as Daniel picked up the loose ball on the left wing, rolled it inside for Gnanuillet who just fizzed the ball wide of the left stick from the edge of the box.

Target man Gnanduiellet found pockets of space but failed to deliver an end product as he wasted another golden chance to give ‘Pool a deserved lead as the clock ticked towards half-time.

A long ‘Pool throw in was eventually cleared back to the taker Mellor on the right wing who powered the ball into the box. Gnanduillet reignited his battle with Glovers keeper Krysiak as they both went for the ball in the six-yard box. The striker got there first but the ball cannoned off his shoulder and over the bar.

It was Vassell’ turn to tussle with the keeper as he scrambled with the shot-stopper with his back to goal as he just managed to divert the ball inside but the referee ruled the fired-up forward had fouled the shot-stopper. Vassell was livid with the decision and the mauve shirted referee reached into his pocket and gave him a yellow card for dissent.

It was not a pretty affair at Huish Park with both side’s trudging back down the tunnel battered, bruised and dripping with rain after a physical half.

But Bowyer would have been left contemplating would could have been as his Tangerine side once again had the better of the chances, creating five but failing to hit the target and six corners went begging as they left the field without a goal for their efforts at the break.

Bowyer’s decision to switch right winger Potts to the left and Daniel in the opposite direction at half-time would pay dividends later in the half but ‘Pool had to survive an early scare before Daniel and Potts began to run riot.

Yeovil nearly blew the wind out of the Seasiders’ sails just seconds into the second 45.

In almost carbon copy fashion to the delightful ball he produced in the first half Khan whizzed the dead ball into the mix from the left wing and it just missed a queue of green and white shirts at the back post and curled round the post.

Daniel cut inside from the left but his fierce effort from just outside the box was tipped away by Krysiak and the Seasiders went close again from the subsequent corner, which was their ninth of the game way before the hour mark.

Pugh whipped the ball in from the right and Aldred who was lurking around the back post once again nodded the ball back across goal but it just rolled wide of the right stick.

Potts had his head in hands and had the home faithful cackling around the ground after his dreadful miss.

Yeovil failed to pick up Daniel as he danced down the right, steamed into the box and drew the keeper over to the right before putting the ball on a plate for the unmarked Potts who inexplicably nodded the ball wide of the left post with a virtually open goal at his mercy.

But Blackpool finally got the goal their performance in spectacular fashion.

Daniel and Potts linked up once again as Potts rolled the ball to Daniel in the middle of the park, instinctively spotting the keeper off his line the midfielder unleashed a thunderous strike that flew into the back of the net in the 59th minute.

Vassell had thrown himself around the pitch and was withdrawn by Bowyer in the 62nd minute for the fresh legs of Osayi-Samuel.

The move saw Potts move up just behind Gnanduillet and Osayi-Samuel slot in on the left wing.

Yeovil pushed forward as they searched for a way back into the game leaving gaps for ‘Pool to counter.

Matthew Dolan had Yeovil’s best chance as he steamed into the box before rocketing the ball straight at Yeovil.

But the Seasiders were wasteful once again as Osayi-Samuel was felled by Shephard in the box and Gnanduillet who beat off Potts to take the spot-kick drew inspiration from England Rugby Union legend Jonny Wilkinson as he fired the ball over the bar int he 82nd minute with the game still on a knife edge.

But instead of the miss buoying the hosts they were hit by a sucker-punch less than a minute later as Potts launched another counter-attack and split the defence as he rolled the ball over to Daniel on the right who clipped the ball right footed over the advancing keeper.

There was still time for Blackpool to add a third as Potts steamed in on the right and his cross/shot was turned home at the back post by Gnanduillet from just two yards out. The striker looked across at the linesman who’s flag was rooted to his side before wheeling away and celebrating his first goal for the club.

Boss Bowyer raced over to thank the 190 travelling ‘Pool fans after the final whistle had blown and celebrate his first away win as Blackpool boss as the Seasiders climbed up to 11th in the table.

Yeovil: Krysiak, Shephard, Smith, Dolan, Dawson (Whitfield, 71), Lawless, Eaves, Khan (Campbell, 61), Dickson, Butcher, McLeod. Subs not used: Maddison, Copp, Sowunmi, Lea, Bassett.

Blackpool: Slocombe, Mellor, Aldred, Robertson, Taylor, Potts (Yeates, 89) McAlister, Pugh, Daniel, Vassell (Osayi-Samuel, 62), Gnanduillet. Subs not used: Lyness, Aimson, Nolan, Cain, Cameron.

Referee: Graham Horwood (Luton)

Attendance: 3,108 (Blackpool 190)