Adam lifts Blackpool to 4-3 win over Bolton

Adam lifts Blackpool to 4-3 win over Bolton

Published May. 14, 2011 3:54 p.m. ET

Blackpool kept its hope of English Premier League survival alive with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Bolton Wanderers at Bloomfield Road on Saturday.

Charlie Adam powered home the winner midway through the second half after the northern English rivals had traded five goals in a pulsating opening 45 minutes.

Kevin Davies put Bolton ahead after six minutes before DJ Campbell equalized and Jason Puncheon gave Blackpool the lead. Matthew Taylor made it 2-2 and then Campbell netted his second goal on the strike of halftime to send the home side into the break with a 3-2 advantage.

Daniel Sturridge leveled again for Bolton, but Adam had the final say.

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The result left Blackpool third from bottom of the table on 39 points with one game to play, against champion Manchester United at Old Trafford. Blackpool's nearest rivals, Birmingham City in 17th place, plays its penultimate game of the campaign on Sunday against Fulham.

The Seasiders started well but it took only six minutes for Bolton to grab the opening goal, when Paul Robinson's free-kick was not cleared by Alex Baptiste and Davies poked a precise 12-yard shot into the top corner.

It was the Bolton captain's first goal in nine games and took him into double figures for the season, but the visitor's lead lasted less than three minutes.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher guided a header into Campbell's path and he showed great strength to hold off Gretar Steinsson before lobbing Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Blackpool thought they had taken the lead in the 17th minute when Adam's corner was directed onto his own bar by Robinson. The ball bounced down on the right side of the line as far as the defender was concerned.

The home fans only had to wait another two minutes to cheer a second goal, though, as Taylor-Fletcher teed up Puncheon for a curling shot from 18 meters (yards).

The excitement continued in the 24th minute as things were squared up once more, this time Taylor striking a shot from the left of the area in-off the far post.

There was still time for another goal in the first half. Adam picked out Campbell in the 45th minute and he guided the ball just inside the post. It would have been four moments later had Jaaskelainen not saved well from David Vaughan.

In the 53rd minute Bolton made it 3-3.

Davies played a clever ball to Chung-Yong Lee, who drew Gilks out of his goal before setting up Sturridge for the simple task of heading the ball into the net.

The momentum was now with Bolton, and Gilks touched Taylor's free-kick over the bar, but in the 63rd minute - from virtually their first attack of the half - Blackpool scored what proved to be the winner.

Keith Southern did brilliantly to win the ball in midfield and Adam played in Taylor-Fletcher before collecting the return ball and firing high into Jaaskelainen's net.

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