Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of tonight's Championship playoff semi-final first leg between Blackpool and Birmingham City at Bloomfield Road.
The Seasiders finished the Championship season in fifth position, while Birmingham ended the campaign one place higher in fourth.
Ian Holloway's side are unbeaten in their last seven, and will attempt to repeat the playoff success they tasted in 2010.
Meanwhile, Chris Hughton's Birmingham side ended the season with a nine-match unbeaten run, and took four points from a possible six during the two league encounters between the clubs this season.
The winner could face West Ham in the final, with the Hammers entering next week's second leg against Cardiff City with a 2-0 lead.
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So there we have it, Blackpool will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their Championship playoff semi-final with Birmingham. It was the home side who started the better, and they were given the lead on the stroke of the interval with a strike from Ince, who impressed all evening. It might have been two, or indeed three with chances for Taylor-Fletcher and Dobbie in the second period; but King so nearly levelled the tie late on with an effort inside the box. The match is delicately poised ahead of Wednesday's return leg, where Blackpool will attempt to continue their remarkable playoff record. A full report of the match can be found here. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for the coverage.
FULL-TIME: Blackpool 1-0 Birmingham
90+1 min: Chance for Birmingham! Wonderful chance for the away side to level the match as Mutch finds King in the area with a clever flick, but his strike rattles the post. What an opportunity to level proceedings.
90 min: We will play an additional two minutes at the end of the match, with Blackpool currently enjoying possession of the ball.
89 min: Little happening in the final moments of the match, with a general acceptance around the ground of the 1-0 scoreline.
87 min: I wouldn't know who to place as favourites ahead of the second leg, but a goal in the final moments could give the tie a completely different feel.
85 min: Birmingham keep possession as the last five minutes approaches, with Davies and Ramage both enjoying time on the ball.
84 min: It's a chance for Birmingham as Burke attempts to release King, but once more Evatt clears the danger.
84 min: The atmosphere in the stadium has dropped somewhat in the past few minutes, with both teams seemingly accepting the current scoreline.
82 min: Blackpool are enjoying possession of the ball in the latter stages, but they simply cannot force that all-important second strike.
79 min: It's another fantastic header from Evatt to clear the danger; the Blackpool defender has been superb this evening. It is Birmingham on the attack with little over 10 minutes remaining.
77 min: Phillips has the ball in the Birmingham net with his first touch, but his header is ruled offside.
76 min: Interesting changes for both managers. It is clear that Holloway wants a second goal, while Hughton will seemingly attempt to take the 1-0 defeat into the second leg.
75 min: It's a double change for Blackpool as Taylor Fletcher and Dobbie are replaced by Nouha Dicko and Kevin Phillips.
74 min: Change for Birmingham as Redmond is replaced by Jonathan Spector.
73 min: The ball is in the Blackpool net, but King is rightly ruled offside after a through ball from Burke.
72 min: Two wonderful chances for Blackpool, firstly via Ince, before Barry Ferguson passes up the opportunity to slot home from close range. Ince has been a real threat this evening.
71 min: It's Crainey with the effort, but it's tame and straight at the Birmingham wall.
69 min: It's really positive play from Ince who drives at the Birmingham defence before earning a free kick on the edge of the box.
68 min: Scare for Gilks as the Blackpool stopper loses concentration and allows the ball to run under his feet, but he manages to clear the danger.
67 min: It just hasn't been young Redmond's night this evening. The teenager is a real prospect, but Eardley hasn't given him a moment.
65 min: The tie is so delicately poised as we approach the final 25 minutes. Will Hughton leave things as they are, or will we see the big Serbian Nikola Zigic?
63 min: It's another glorious chance for Blackpool to move into a two-goal lead as Ince finds Dobbie in the box, but somehow he fires over the bar from close range. It looks as if the second goal is coming.
61 min: Evatt's unhappy at a challenge from King as the striker appears to lend an elbow into the defender's head, but play resumes with no action taken.
59 min: Chance for Blackpool! Glorious opportunity for Blackpool to move 2-0 ahead as Phillips finds Taylor-Fletcher in the area, but it's a fantastic block from Ramage.
59 min: Blackpool come again via Phillips, but it's a good challenge from Davies who clears the danger.
57 min: Blackpool have begun to take control of possession after a strong spell from Birmingham early in the second period.
56 min: So nearly a chance for Ince as Dobbie slips in the winger, but it is just too long and comfortably gathered by Doyle.
54 min: It's optimistic from Phillips who strikes from distance, but it goes a long way wide of Doyle's goal.
53 min: It's a waste for the away side as Redmond turns and runs at the Blackpool defence, but his final ball is collected by Evatt.
51 min: Another ball from the Birmingham midfield evades King and drifts through to Gilks. Surely the quality has to be a little bit better into the powerful forward.
50 min: It's good defending from Ramage who denies Dobbie a clear run into the box - he remains Blackpool's danger man.
49 min: The quality from the Birmingham midfield has not been quite there this evening, with another high ball drifting over King and out behind Gilks's goal.
48 min: Burke remains a real danger down the right for Birmingham, but his targets in the centre are extremely limited.
47 min: It's a really positive start to the second half for the away side as Burke comes close with an effort, but Gilks is on hand to deal with the danger.
46 min: Birmingham get us underway in the second period. Will the Blues push for the equaliser, or will they accept the 1-0 defeat ahead of the return leg?
So there we have it, Blackpool enter the break with a 1-0 lead given to them by Ince after 44 minutes. The particular strike was harsh on Birmingham as a Davies deflection moved the ball past Doyle, but on the balance of play it would be difficult to argue that it was deserved. Birmingham have certainly looked dangerous with Burke in wide positions, but King has so far cut an isolated figure for Hughton's men. Our report of the opening 45 minutes can be found here.
HALF-TIME: Blackpool 1-0 Birmingham
45 min: We will play an additional two minutes at the end of the half. What a time to score for the home side.
Blackpool take the lead moments before the interval as Ince collects the ball on the edge of the box before firing past Doyle, albeit via a deflection off Davies.
44 min: GOAL! Blackpool 1-0 Birmingham (Ince)
43 min: Blackpool so nearly take the lead through Gary Taylor-Fletcher, but he just cannot collect a Ferguson ball in the area and it drifts behind.
42 min: It's really good defending from Angel. who fills a hole in the Blackpool defence before cutting out a Burke cross. It is the Seasiders who look the most likely in the latter stages of the half.
40 min: Phillips has begun to influence the match in the past few moments, with his combination with Eardley a highlight. It is Birmingham who so nearly take the lead, however, with a strike from King, but it just moves high of the bar.
38 min: Eardley and Phillips combine down the right for Blackpool, but the latter's cross is cut out, before Barry Ferguson strikes over from the edge of the area.
37 min: Birmingham haven't really managed to keep hold of the ball in midfield this evening, with Jordan Mutch guilty of gifting possession back to the home side.
34 min: We have a change of ball this evening. Maybe it will bring a change of luck for either side.
34 min: As expected, the home side are pushing for the opener as the interval approaches, but Birmingham continue to defend well.
32 min: It's Blackpool's clearest sight of goal so far as Dobbie strikes an effort from 20 yards, with Doyle nervously turning the ball wide.
31 min: It's really nice play from Ince as he collects an Eardley pass before feeding Dobbie, but the ball is cleared by Pablo Ibanez.
29 min: It's nervy defending from the home side as Baptiste slips in the box, but Gilks is on hand to clear the danger. Redmond's chance for Birmingham after 16 minutes remains the clearest opening we have had thus far.
27 min: It is certainly Blackpool who are playing the better football with the 30-minute mark approaching, with Birmingham's threat so far coming from wide positions.
25 min: Angel almost opens the scoring with a volleyed effort from inside the area, but it is just wide of the Birmingham goal.
24 min: It's been a lively start from Ince down the right of the Blackpool midfield, and he looks to have the measure of David Murphy.
23 min: It's good work from Blackpool, with Neil Eardley and Alex Baptiste both involved. They force a corner, but it's headed away by Peter Ramage.
21 min: The crowd are in good voice as we approach the mid-point in the opening period, with the match much more of an even encounter.
19 min: It's an optimistic effort from Guirane N'Daw as he attempts to chip Matthew Gilks from distance, but it drifts wide of the Blackpool post.
17 min: Chances continue to come for both sides as Evatt connects with an Angel cross, but he heads just wide of the post.
16 min: The best chance of the match so far falls to Redmond after a wonderful cross from Burke, but the teenager fires over the crossbar from close range when he might have done better.
14 min: King might have opened the scoring with a chance of his own, but his volleyed effort was wide of the post.
14 min: It's nice work from Matt Phillips on the Blackpool wing, but his effort is straight at Doyle from distance.
12 min: We haven't seen much of King for Birmingham in the opening 12 minutes, with the former Coventry City man isolated thus far.
10 min: Chance for the home side as Angel finds Evatt in the area, but the ball is comfortably collected by Colin Doyle.
9 min: It's been a really bright start from both sides so far, but still no real chances for either side.
7 min: It's a half-chance for Birmingham as Davies rises in the area, but Alex Baptiste clears the danger.
6 min: The away side have begun to enjoy their first real spell of possession, and Redmond forces the corner after tidy work from Chris Burke.
4 min: It's really nice feet from Dobbie in midfield as he creates a yard of space, but Birmingham defender Curtis Davies clears the danger. The ball does find itself in the net, courtesy of Ince, but it is ruled offside.
4 min: It's the home side who have made much the better start with Thomas Ince and Stephen Dobbie proving lively in the early stages.
2 min: Blackpool have quite remarkably won their last nine playoff matches, and they have made a bright start this evening.
1 min: Tonight's referee is Mark Halsey, and it is Blackpool who get us underway. It is quite surprising to see Birmingham start with just the singular striker this evening in Marlon King, but he is certain to be given good support from teenager Nathan Redmond.
19.40: With both teams in such good form entering this particular encounter, I certainly expect a tight affair.
19.35: The players are warming up ahead of kickoff, with the sun shining in Blackpool this evening.
19.30: We are just 15 minutes away from the start of this crucial encounter. Both teams were relegated from the Premier League last season, but either could make an immediate return.
Matt Law
