Seasiders relish return to scene of past success

Blackpool 4 Cambridge United 1

Blackpool lifted a trophy at the Millennium Stadium for the second time in two seasons as three second-half goals saw off Cambridge United, giving the Seasiders' manager Steve McMahon another afternoon in Cardiff to savour following victory in the Third Division play-off final in May last year.

Cambridge's captain, Paul Wanless, had pulled his team level on 26 minutes from the penalty spot after John Murphy's opener with just five minutes gone. However, John Hills created the Seasiders' second goal with a wicked free-kick which Chris Clarke headed home, and with 14 minutes left Hills put the match beyond the Second Division's bottom side with a deflected strike. Scott Taylor then added a fourth goal as United, outplayed for long periods, crumpled under the pressure.

McMahon was full of praise for Clarke, who was with struggling Halifax Town before his move to Bloomfield Road. His manager said: "It's a little bit of a fairy-tale for him. He was looking at non-League and then all of a sudden it's the Second Division and playing at the Millennium Stadium.

"It just goes to show what football is all about. Chris at the back was a tower, I thought he was superb. It's difficult to play against [Dave] Kitson, he's a handful."

McMahon believed his side had shown their class in the second period. "We let them back into it to be fair and credit to them because for the first 20 minutes we played ever so well," he said. "It was a fairly even first half but I was disappointed that we let the lead slip. In the second half we were a different team. I told them to be positive. The players have got to take heart and believe in their own ability."

The Cambridge manager, John Taylor, accepted his side had been beaten by the better team. "A knife through butter comes to mind," he said. "We got absolutely torn apart in the second half. I've got no complaints.

"We didn't start very well but we weathered the storm and for the last 20 minutes of the first half we had some decent play. In all honesty I think the occasion got to some of the boys a bit but we'll learn from it. The only really disappointing thing is that there are ways to lose and we didn't lose well."

Goals: J Murphy (6) 1-0; Wanless pen (28) 1-1; Clarke (54) 2-1; Hills (77) 3-1; Taylor (82) 4-1.

Blackpool: Barnes, Jaszczun, Marshall (Hughes, 39), Clarke, O'Kane, Collins, Hills, Wellens (Simpson, 84), Bullock, J Murphy, Taylor (Walker, 84). Substitutes not used: Pullen (gk), Fenton.

Cambridge United: Perez, Angus (Goodhind, 85), Murray, Tann, Duncan, Guttridge, Wanless, Tudor (Jackman, 60), Ashbee, Kitson (Oné, 73), Youngs. Substitutes not used: Fleming, Marshall 9gk).

Bookings: Blackpool: Jaszczun, O'Kane. Cambridge United: Guttridge.

Referee: R Furnandiz (Doncaster).

Attendance: 20,287.