Friday’s focus will be on the action at Bloomfield Road as Blackpool and Birmingham City go head to head in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg, hoping to secure an advantage by the halfway point.
The two sides cannot be split in terms of the outright betting for promotion with both on offer at 11/4 to make it back to the big time, although West Ham, who were the other side relegated last season, are the favourites at 13/8 with Cardiff the outsiders at 4/1.
Birmingham beat champions Reading 2-0 on the final day of the Championship season to climb above Blackpool, who were held 2-2 at Millwall, and seal the advantage of playing the second leg at St Andrew’s next Wednesday.
Both sides go into Friday’s clash in decent form with Blackpool enjoying a seven-match unbeaten streak, since a 3-1 loss at Reading, while the Blues have now gone nine matches without defeat following a surprising 4-1 reverse at Portsmouth.
Ian Holloway had suggested that not many, including himself, would have expected the Tangerines to make the play-offs this year but they have been installed as the 11/8 favourites in the match betting for the first-leg clash, with the Blues priced at 21/10 and the draw on offer at 9/4.
It is perhaps no surprise given the fact that Blackpool have made Bloomfield Road something of a fortress this season, suffering just three defeats and none since a 4-1 hammering against the Hammers in February.
Chris Hughton has done wonders with the cash-strapped Blues, who had a Europa League campaign to contend with following their Carling Cup success, and they should be full of confidence going into the first-leg clash.
Their away form has been patchy though this season with seven wins, seven draws and nine defeats on the road – the worst record of the top six clubs – although there is good news in the sense that Blackpool’s away record is only one draw better.
The game promises to be a cracker with City boasting the highest number of away goals scored in the division, while the Tangerines’ home tally is second only to Southampton so Over 2.5 Goals at 5/6 looks the way to go.
Backing that up is the fact that the two played out a 2-2 draw in the regular season fixture last November, with Birmingham going on to win at St Andrew’s in comfortable fashion, 3-0.
Hughton’s men have struggled defensively on the road as they have conceded a huge 37 goals, with only five teams with a worse record, and they have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 11 games.
As it is a two-legged affair, more good news for Birmingham is the fact that Blackpool are one of the teams that have conceded more.
Blackpool will be desperate to get the lead going into the return leg but Birmingham should have enough nous and organisation to at least take something from the game ahead of the return leg.
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