Blackpool 1-0 Stoke City: Mick McCarthy earns first win as Seasiders boss

Ian Poveda's strike for Blackpool was the fourth goal of his career

New Blackpool manager Mick McCarthy claimed his first win since he took charge as lan Poveda's early goal beat Stoke City.

The on-loan Leeds United midfielder was fed by Lewis Fiorini before firing a left-foot shot from just outside the box which deflected slightly past Potters keeper Matija Sarkic.

It lifted Blackpool off the bottom of the Championship, within two points of safety - and just six points behind 19th-placed Stoke.

Poveda, 21, had not scored in over 15 months - and it was only his fourth career goal. But what proved to be Blackpool's only effort on target was enough to secure a first win in 15 league games, since 29 October.

For McCarthy himself, in his sixth game in charge at Bloomfield Road, after finishing with eight straight defeats at Cardiff City in the autumn of 2021, it was his first victory as a manager in 17 months.

He made a big call to take the captaincy off goalkeeper Chris Maxwell and hand it to defender Callum Connolly but he was well rewarded - with three points largely thanks to a superb display from Maxwell.

Stoke, who themselves have only won twice in the league since Christmas, had a host of chances, but they failed to get past Maxwell.

He came to his side's rescue with two particularly fine saves, the first from point-blank range to deny Will Smallbone just before half-time, before a breathtaking one-handed save in the second half to deny Tyrese Campbell.

Maxwell also saved from Jacob Brown and Smallbone in the first half, while Dwight Gayle and Josh Laurent both went close twice.

After the break, Blackpool's Luke Garbutt and Kenny Dougall had chances.

Garbutt had a shot blocked, while Dougall headed over the top when he really ought to have done better, and fellow substitute CJ Hamilton dragged a low strike narrowly off target after getting in behind.

Stoke knew it was not to be their day when Smallbone's free-kick fizzed just the wrong side of the post.

Blackpool boss Mick McCarthy:

"That's my first win in a long time, that. I didn't need any reminding. I was a bit emotional at the end.

"It seemed a long time to that final whistle after we went ahead. But I don't care when we score as long as we keep a clean sheet.

"The lads given me everything in every game. Some people think if you don't put in hard work then you get beat, but we keep putting in the hard yards. If you keep doing you'll get a break and we got one. They've had their luck but we deserved it.

"I didn't take the captaincy off Maxi for any other reason than I don't think keepers can affect the game as much. Callum's been brilliant again. And I said to Maxi 'if you play like that without the armband on, then why do you want it?' He was absolutely outstanding."

Stoke City boss Alex Neil:

"It was a very disappointing result. We had ample opportunity to win the game or certainly get a goal - and a goal would have changed the dynamic at that point.

"Ultimately it's about scoring goals and we didn't score a goal. Their goal was fortunate with a deflection. It could go anywhere and ends up in the back of our net.

"If that shot from Tyrese Campbell ends up in the back of the net we're having a different conversation. That's basically the margins we're working with and ultimately we didn't take the chance.

"Naturally there is going to be criticism and different points of views. The fact is we didn't win. But we had enough moments in the game to win it so that makes it doubly disappointing."