Blackpool 1-0 Hull City: Gary Madine's penalty secures victory for Seasiders

Madine's goal was his fourth of the season

Gary Madine's first-half penalty lifted Blackpool into the top half of the Championship table as they saw off Hull at Bloomfield Road.

Madine rifled home from the spot after Josh Bowler had been felled in the box - and it proved enough to seal victory for the Seasiders.

However, they were indebted to goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw, who made two key saves late on to deny Hull a point.

The Tigers stay in 19th place, while Blackpool climb above Sheffield United to 12th.

Blackpool began brightly, with the lively Bowler and Keshi Anderson causing problems for the Tigers defence.

But Anderson skewed wide from an early opening created by Bowler and most of the best opportunities of the first half fell to the visitors.

Richie Smallwood headed narrowly wide from a corner and Keane Lewis-Potter twice tested Grimshaw, who also produced a stunning one-handed stop to foil George Honeyman as he followed up a Josh Magennis attempt.

Hull fell behind on the half-hour mark when Bowler skipped inside and drew a foul from Jacob Greaves, with Madine slamming in the resulting spot-kick to register his fourth goal of the season.

Blackpool pushed for a second goal after the interval, with Bowler's volley beaten away by Nathan Baxter and Anderson supplying a near-post cross that Madine could only nod wide.

Hull's hopes were not helped by the loss of Magennis, who followed wing-back Callum Elder off the field with an apparent hamstring problem.

His replacement, Tom Eaves, who netted his side's equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Blackpool earlier in the campaign, went close with a left-footed effort that whistled wide.

Fellow substitutes Tyler Smith and Randell Williams both had opportunities to rescue a draw in stoppage time, only to be thwarted by Grimshaw at point-blank range.

Blackpool head coach Neil Critchley told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"Not winning that game, I think, would have been a travesty. It was a crazy end to the game but it shouldn't have got to that stage.

"If we want to improve and to be looking up in this division, that game should be 2-0 or 3-0.

"At 1-0 we're looking comfortable, they've not really got near our goal second half and we've had numerous counter-attacking opportunities where our final choice has let us down. We could have finished the game off and we didn't.

"Those saves (from Dan Grimshaw) have won us the game but I wouldn't want to single him out because the whole team have given everything this week."

Hull manager Grant McCann told BBC Radio Humberside:

"We weren't at our best today, that's for sure, but we're disappointed not to come away with at least a point.

"The goal was disappointing. We prepped all week on Josh Bowler and we knew he's going to want to come inside on his left foot, and we didn't get it right - we let him come into the box.

"We shouldn't have let it get to that stage. Is it a penalty? It's 50-50 but we didn't get the rub of the green on it.

"The chances we created were pleasing but in this division you have to take those chances when they come.

"Those are two unbelievable chances at the end that we simply have to score, no question about that."