Adam, linked with a move to Spurs in January, set Blackpool on their way

By Les Roopanarine

Blackpool weathered Tottenham's second-half onslaught to ease their relegation fears, recording a famous win over last week's conquerors of AC Milan.

Charlie Adam put the Seasiders ahead with a clinical penalty after Sebastien Bassong brought down DJ Campbell.

Campbell doubled the home side's lead, finishing off a rapid counter-attack by converting James Beattie's cross.

Brett Ormerod slid home a third before Spurs grabbed a late goal courtesy of Roman Pavlyuchenko's deflected effort.

The Russian's strike was scant consolation for the north Londoners, who emerged victorious from the cauldron of the San Siro in the first leg of last Tuesday's Champions League last-16 tie only to be undone by the seaside a week later.

Spurs did not go quietly, peppering their opponents' goal before and after the break and repeatedly having efforts cleared off the line, but the hosts held firm until stoppage time and ran out worthy winners.

It was another unforgettable night for Blackpool manager Ian Holloway and his side, who started the match only two points above the Premier League relegation zone but were propelled towards the relative security of mid-table by a performance overflowing with passion, discipline and endeavour.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp suggested before the match that it would be miraculous if his team qualified for the Champions League for the second season in a row, and the irony of those words intensified with each Blackpool goal.

If Spurs expected Bloomfield Road to provide a less exacting test of their Champions League aspirations than the San Siro, they were quickly put right.

Blackpool's record of scoring in every Premier League game at home was safe as early as the 18th minute, when an ungainly challenge from Bassong sent Campbell thudding to the turf.

It was a simple decision for referee Chris Foy and Adam made the resulting penalty look similarly straightforward, firing clinically beyond goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes for his seventh league goal of the campaign.

Holloway used last weekend's break to give his players a couple of days off and, as Spurs set about their opponents with renewed urgency, that looked an increasingly sound decision.

The Seasiders worked frantically to keep the visitors at bay, closing down space all over the pitch and blocking the path to goal with a wall of tangerine shirts. Even that was scarcely enough.

Having scored at one end, Adam was almost the architect of an equaliser for the visitors when his attempted clearance cannoned off Steven Pienaar, clearing the Blackpool bar by inches.

Holloway's men survived further first-half scares, first when the back-pedalling Craig Cathcart was forced to head a chipped effort off the line and then when Alex Baptiste was likewise called upon to make a last-ditch intervention.

But when a Tottenham attack broke down on the edge of the area, Campbell broke quickly, feeding Belarus international Sergey Kornilenko, who in turn found Beattie with a back-heel.

Stealing in at the back post, Campbell stabbed home Beattie's centre to double Blackpool's advantage.

After half-time, Tottenham ratcheted up the pressure, but Pavlyuchenko twice failed to beat Richard Kingson, first when he headed tamely into the Ghanaian's hands and then when the Blackpool keeper held a more substantial effort on the line.

The visitors' frustration grew when Baptiste cleared a Luka Modric chip off the line, and substitute Ormerod sealed the points after Benoit Assou-Ekotto failed to halt a surging run by Matt Phillips.

Under the circumstances, Pavlyuchenko's late goal, which deflected in off Cathcart, was little more than a minor irritant.

Holloway will be less happy about the late booking picked up by Adam, which triggered a suspension that will keep him out of the games against Wolves and Chelsea.

But, after a result destined to enter Bloomfield Road folklore along with this season's home and away victories against Liverpool, nothing could take the gloss off Blackpool's night.

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway:

"I don't think there is a word that has been written, printed or ever produced in the dictionary that I can use for how pleased I am.

"It looked like Tottenham were going to be too good for us, but we got the third goal at an absolutely vital time.

"It was a fantastic night for everyone connected with the club.

"Does that make us better than AC Milan? I don't think so! But does that make up for some of the things that have happened recently? Probably."

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