It’s a Tangerine dream as Blackpool’s Premier League campaign starts with emphatic win
Blackpool’s first top flight game in 39 years couldn’t have gone any better for Ian Holloway and his men, as the Tangerines crushed Wigan Athletic 4-0 at the DW Stadium.
Gary Taylor-Fletcher scored his club’s first ever Premier League goal after just 16 minutes, before a brace from debutant Marlon Harewood ensured that the new boys – virtually everyone’s favourites to be relegated this season – were three goals to the good at half time. Alex Baptiste’s cross was deflected in for the fourth with 15 minutes remaining.
Elsewhere, James Milner was a surprise inclusion in the Aston Villa side that took on West Ham at Villa Park, and the England midfielder didn’t let talk of his protracted move to Manchester City affect his performance.
Milner scored the third goal of managerless Villa’s 3-0 win, adding to first half strikes from Stewart Downing and Stiliyan Petrov, earning caretaker boss Neil MacDonald victory in his first game in charge, and ruining Avram Grant’s debut in charge of the Hammers.
A thrilling clash at the Stadium of Light ended in a 2-2 draw between Sunderland and Birmingham City.
The hosts took the lead midway through the second half through Darren Bent’s penalty, but the home crowd were incensed when skipper Lee Cattermole was sent off for two bookable offences just before half time. Despite being reduced to 10 men, Sunderland went 2-0 up early in the second period through a Stephen Carr own goal, but goals from defenders Scott Dann and Liam Ridgewell in the final 13 minutes ensured that Blues battled back for a point.
A solitary Nikola Kalinic goal – profiting from a horrendous Tim Howard error – was enough for Blackburn Rovers to beat a much fancied Everton at Ewood Park, while insult was added to injury for Stoke City at Molineux, where the Potters lost new signing Kenwyne Jones to an injury early on, and then lost 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Two goals in two first half minutes from David Jones and debutant Steven Fletcher put Wolves in control, and despite Abdoulaye Faye pulling one back in the second period, the hosts held on.
Bolton and Fulham drew 0-0 at the Reebok Stadium, a result that mirrored the day’s early kick off between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
Chelsea’s home clash with West Bromwich Albion kicks off at 5.30 GMT.
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