Blackpool 0-1 Stoke City: Steven Fletcher steals late win for Potters

Steven Fletcher was in the right place at the right time to score his third goal in two games - and his 101st in English league football

Stoke City sneaked back into the Championship's top six as they scored the only goal of the game at Bloomfield Road to beat Blackpool.

But they needed a slice of luck to crack open the Tangerines' defence with Steven Fletcher's fortuitous 79th-minute winner.

Newly arrived substitute Mario Vrancic floated over a delicately weighted free-kick from the left with his first touch which defender Harry Souttar met beyond the far post with a thunderous right-foot volley.

But the ball smacked against the left upright straight back into the path of Fletcher - and the ball went in off his thigh for his third goal in two games.

Not only did it end Blackpool's run of three straight wins, the club could also be in trouble with the Football Association, as at least one missile was thrown on to the pitch in the dying minutes.

They also lost veteran former Coventry and Derby centre-back Richard Keogh to a 15th-minute injury.

Blackpool's eight home games this season have produced only 14 goals, the lowest tally in the Championship

Blackpool drop from sixth to 10th, leapfrogged by Michael O'Neill's Potters who won for the first time since their Nick Powell-inspired Friday night win over West Bromwich Albion on 1 October - also a 79th-minute winner.

And it was also perhaps more importantly their first win in the four games since the talismanic Powell got injured.

It was Stoke's first trip to Blackpool since the two sides last met in a 0-0 Premier League draw at Bloomfield Road in April 2011 - and it brought five first-half bookings for Ben Wilmot, Romaine Sawyers, Jordan Thompson, Josh Tymon and Fletcher.

But Stoke keeper Joe Bursik did not have a save to make - and the Potters, who shipped three goals in five minutes to only draw with Cardiff last Saturday can now go into their next game in a lot brighter spirits.

They now face former Potters boss Nathan Jones' resurgent Luton, who they overtook with this win, while Blackpool are at home in Saturday's late game against QPR.

Blackpool manager Neil Critchley:

"I didn't think there was anything in the game until Stoke scored. And it was a really poor goal for us to concede - a lapse in concentration has proved costly.

"There's fine margins in the Championship, and it's disappointing when results go against you. We did well in the first half, created some good opportunities and looked a threat.

"Stoke did improve in the second half but it should have ended 0-0. After that it wasn't going to be easy to get back in it. Don't forget, Stoke conceded three goals in five minutes at the weekend, so they will have sharpened their senses.

"A bit of better decision-making in vital areas might have helped us but, overall, we played OK and it was a performance we can take heart from."

Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill told BBC Radio Stoke:

"After Saturday, it was a great reaction from the lads against a team who are very much in form.

"We knew the atmosphere would be good and we'd have to react. We've played better but our attitude was good.

"Steven Fletcher was great. He led the line extremely well, linked the play well, showed great energy and got the goal he deserved.

"Mario Vrancic is a player who adds great quality. When he came on the match was still in the balance but he's shown again that he's capable of making a difference. It was a great delivery from him and thankfully it's led to an important winning goal."