Benik Afobe lashed home the winner for Millwall
Millwall secured a much-needed three points after seeing-off Blackpool 2-1 at The Den in the Championship.
Gary Rowett's side had lost four of their previous five matches but stopped the rot against the Tangerines.
Zian Flemming was a constant threat and the Dutchman's header went in off keeper Dan Grimshaw to break the deadlock after 14 minutes.
Though Arsenal loanee Charlie Patino levelled for Blackpool before the break, Benik Afobe won it for the Lions in the final half-hour.
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Under-pressure boss Rowett made four changes to the side which lost at home to QPR in midweek but the Lions started brightly and the tone for the day was set when Flemming headed straight at Grimshaw from a cross from the lively George Honeyman early on.
They took the lead when Flemming rose highest to meet Scott Malone's outswinging corner and his downward header squirmed past Grimshaw and over the line via the inside of the post.
Blackpool grew into the game and George Long - in for Bartosz Bialkowski between the posts - needed to hold a Shayne Lavery header from a left-wing cross from Dom Thompson on 23 minutes.
It was 1-1 on 34 minutes when Thompson was played in down the left after some neat approach play and pulled the ball back to Jerry Yates, who had time and space to unselfishly tee-up the unmarked Patino, who rifled into the roof of the net via a deflection off Long.
Flemming fizzed a shot over the bar from the edge of the box just before the break and saw another long-range effort held well by Grimshaw moments after the turnaround.
The Dutchman continued his quest for a goal and, after dummying himself some room, he thudded a shot against the inside of the post on the hour.
The pressure continued and the hosts went back ahead three minutes later as Callum Styles saw a shot blocked but the ball fell kindly to Afobe to lash home the rebound and register his second goal of the campaign.
Theo Corbeanu strode forward in search of an instant reply but saw his effort hit the side-netting before, at the other end, Grimshaw denied an effort from Malone and Flemming was narrowly off target soon after.
The Tangerines' Kenny Dougall fired over the bar with 15 minutes remaining as the Lions registered a fifth straight home win against Blackpool.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsMillwall
Formation 3-4-1-2
1Long15Cresswell5Cooper3M Wallace16Shackleton8Mitchell17Styles11Malone39Honeyman7Afobe10Flemming
- 1Long15Cresswell5CooperBooked at 7mins3M WallaceBooked at 68mins16Shackleton8Mitchell17Styles11Malone39HoneymanSubstituted forMcNamaraat 78'minutes7Afobe10FlemmingSubstituted forBradshawat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 2McNamara6Evans9Bradshaw14Burey21Voglsammer23Saville33Bialkowski
Blackpool
Formation 3-4-3
32Grimshaw21Ekpiteta34Thorniley3Husband2Connolly12Dougall28Patino23Thompson25Corbeanu9Yates19Lavery
- 32Grimshaw21Ekpiteta34Thorniley3HusbandSubstituted forHamiltonat 81'minutes2ConnollySubstituted forGabrielat 72'minutes12Dougall28PatinoBooked at 60minsSubstituted forCareyat 89'minutes23Thompson25CorbeanuBooked at 90mins9YatesSubstituted forPoveda-Ocampoat 72'minutes19Lavery
Substitutes
- 1Maxwell4Gabriel15R Williams16Carey22Hamilton26Poveda-Ocampo29Garbutt
Referee:Darren BondAttendance:11,463Match StatsHome TeamMillwallAway TeamBlackpoolPossessionHome46%Away54%ShotsHome16Away8Shots on TargetHome6Away2CornersHome5Away2FoulsHome16Away12Live TextPost update
Match ends, Millwall 2, Blackpool 1.
90'+5'Full Time
Second Half ends, Millwall 2, Blackpool 1.
90'+4'Post update
Attempt missed. Sonny Carey (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Theo Corbeanu.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt blocked. Jamie Shackleton (Millwall) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt saved. Benik Afobe (Millwall) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
90'+1'Booking
Theo Corbeanu (Blackpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'Post update
Foul by Theo Corbeanu (Blackpool).
90'Post update
Scott Malone (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89'Post update
Foul by Jordan Thorniley (Blackpool).
89'Post update
Tom Bradshaw (Millwall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
89'Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. Sonny Carey replaces Charlie Patino.
88'Substitution
Substitution, Millwall. Tom Bradshaw replaces Zian Flemming.
88'Post update
Dominic Thompson (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'Post update
Foul by Zian Flemming (Millwall).
84'Post update
Kenneth Dougall (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'Post update
Foul by Benik Afobe (Millwall).
84'Post update
Attempt missed. Jamie Shackleton (Millwall) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
83'Post update
Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Dominic Thompson.
82'Post update
Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Charlie Cresswell.
81'Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. CJ Hamilton replaces James Husband.
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Source: bbc.com