History made as Blackpool seal instant return to League One with yet another play-off triumph as fans stay loyal to boycott - on this day in 2017

Here's how The Gazette reported it at the time...

Blackpool created history by becoming the most successful side in English play-off history by beating Exeter City at Wembley - clinching an instant return to League One in the process.

The Seasiders held their nerve to secure a hard-fought 2-1 win against the Grecians, with goals coming from Brad Potts and Mark Cullen either side of David Wheeler’s leveller.

The win means Blackpool are now out on their own with five play-off victories - which have come from just eight attempts.

The Tangerine supporters stayed loyal to their boycott, meaning the 5,000 Pool fans were outnumbered in the pristine Wembley stands by around four to one, but on the pitch they were more than a match for their Exeter counterparts.

Gary Bowyer’s men made the perfect start to their Wembley set piece when Brad Potts opened the scoring after just three minutes, but they were dealt a big blow when stand-in skipper Tom Aldred was forced off through injury just half an hour in.

Pool were forced to revert to a back four and it stifled their game plan and Exeter were only too quick to take advantage, with Wheeler lobbing his side level just five minutes before the break.

But Cullen netted the decisive goal when he somehow got the slightest of touches onto Potts’ cross to send his side back to the third tier of English football.

Blackpool made their attacking intentions clear from the very first minute and their dreams of an early goal to settle their nerves were realised with just three minutes on the clock.

It came after striker Mark Cullen was given too much time to control a long ball which he laid off into the path of Brad Potts, who found the bottom corner with a sweetly struck effort from the edge of the box.

All it took was one simple long ball to unlock the Exeter defence, which had started the game very nervously.

The Grecians had offered very little in the opening 10 minutes but they soon brought out a top save from Sam Slocombe, who was forced to get down quickly to produce a superb one-handed stop from Ollie Watkins’ low drive.

Paul Tisdale’s men began to enjoy more of the ball and were thwarted by a series of good blocks from the Pool defenders, but they remained open to the swift counter attack time and time again.

The Seasiders were forced into making a tactical change on the half-hour mark when Tom Aldred was forced to leave the field with an injury - with the brave stand-in skipper holding back the tears as he trudged off - to be replaced by Bright Osayi-Samuel.

The enforced change saw Blackpool revert to a back four with Colin Daniel dropping in at left back.

It appeared Blackpool had withstood Exeter’s spell of pressure but just five minutes before half time the Grecians pulled themselves back level.

The Seasiders were caught out by a quickly taken free kick which was played up towards David Wheeler, who beat Colin Daniel to the ball before expertly lobbing over the oncoming Sam Slocombe.

The Blackpool players complained the free kick was taken too quickly but in truth, they only had themselves to blame for being caught out so easily.

The Tangerines made a positive start to the second half and came close through Bright Osayi-Samuel and Kyle Vassell - with the latter bringing a good save out of Christy Pym after Exeter had failed to deal with another long ball.

Osayi-Samuel was beginning to see more and more of the ball and almost saw a glimpse of gall in the penalty area, only for Exeter defender Troy Brown to recover and clear.

Blackpool were the better side in the first 20 to 30 minutes but they struggled to convert that pressure into any noticeable chances.

That was until the 65th minute, when Vassell flicked on a long ball into the path of Potts whose shot fell to Mark Cullen who got the slightest of touches to send the ball trickling into the bottom corner to restore his side’s lead.

The goal was exactly what they deserved for their second half endeavours, with Exeter being penned back in their own box for much of the second period.

Chances continued to come Blackpool’s way on the break with one falling to Neil Danns following some good work from Osayi-Samuel, but the experienced midfielder couldn’t keep his shot down.

As was to be expected, the Grecians saw most of the ball in the dying moments and almost equalised with just over 10 minutes to go, but substitute Reuben Reid sent his half volley the wrong side of the post.

Osayi-Samuel saw another chance come his way in the 89th minute but the teenager could only send his shot wide of the far post.

Vassell brought another good save out of Pym as the Seasiders continued to search for a third goal even as the clock ticked into stoppage time.

Exeter’s last chance fell to the man they would have wanted, Ollie Watkins, in the 94th minute but he sent his header wide of Slocombe’s goal.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Slocombe, Mellor, Aimson, Aldred (Osayi-Samuel), Robertson, Daniel, Danns, Payne (Black), Potts, Cullen (Flores), Vassell

Exeter: Pym, Woodman (Holmes), James, Brown (Sweeney), Harley, Moore-Taylor, Taylor, Stacey, Wheeler, Watkins, Grant (Reid)

Attendance: 23,380