Jake Beesley joined Blackpool from Rochdale in January
Jake Beesley marked his first start with two goals while CJ Hamilton scored one and made another as Blackpool swept aside a defensively woeful Birmingham City in the sunshine at Bloomfield Road.
Beesley tucked home Hamilton's low cross after only three minutes as the Tangerines dominated the first half, with Blues the architects of their own downfall.
Hamilton lashed in a second after Blues gave the ball away in midfield before Kenny Dougall made it 3-0 from a short corner, as the visitors' defence dozed.
Beesley tapped in his second shortly after half-time as Birmingham failed to deal convincingly with a corner.
Although Ivan Sunjic pulled a goal back, Jerry Yates' late penalty and Callum Connolly's 35-yarder completed Blackpool's saunter to a first win in six games to pile more pressure on Blues boss Lee Bowyer.
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Having thrown away a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 to Coventry on Good Friday, Blues' defensive limitations were again ruthlessly exploited as the Tangerines raced into a two-goal lead inside the first quarter of an hour.
First, Hamilton tormented Onel Hernandez down the Birmingham left before drilling his low cross to the edge of the six-yard area, where Beesley slid in ahead of Nico Gordon.
Jordan Graham then carelessly poked the ball in-field from the touchline straight to Dougall. He fed Hamilton, who checked back inside his marker to fire past Zach Jeacock at his near post.
That prompted Blues boss Bowyer into a formation change, with Hernandez deployed at the tip of a midfield diamond, and it was not long before it mustered their best chance when returning captain Troy Deeney - making his first start in three months after injury - had a header well saved by Chris Maxwell.
The visitors' soft underbelly was again exposed shortly after - this time from a quick short corner routine - as Dougall reacted quicker than the Blues' static defence to nod in Charlie Kirk's cross. That triggered more torrents of boos from the travelling fans and an impromptu team huddle led by Deeney.
Blues did start the second half slightly better, with Lyle Taylor forcing a smart stop from Maxwell, but it was not long before Beesley grabbed his second when Blues failed to properly clear a corner and Beesley finished off the rebound after Jeacock had parried Connolly's shot.
With a simmering atmosphere in the away end threatening to boil over, Birmingham belatedly got their act together when Deeney's lovely pass on halfway set Hernandez clear down the left, and his cutback was side-footed in by Sunjic.
Beesley came close to his hat-trick but saw his header hit a post before Yates added a fifth from the spot, after Taylor had fouled Gary Madine, and Connolly smashed in a glorious free-kick from 35 yards.
It completed a miserable Easter for Birmingham, who have conceded 10 goals in two games to slip to third defeat in a row, as their bleak season limps to a desperate end.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsBlackpool
Formation 4-4-2
1Maxwell2Connolly21Ekpiteta26Keogh3Husband22Hamilton10Anderson12Dougall27Kirk19Lavery28Beesley
- 1Maxwell2Connolly21Ekpiteta26Keogh3Husband22Hamilton10Anderson12Dougall27Kirk19LaverySubstituted forYatesat 70'minutes28BeesleySubstituted forMadineat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 5James9Yates11Bowler13Moore14Madine17Virtue34Thorniley
Birmingham
Formation 4-4-2
38Jeacock24Graham50Gordon4Roberts3Pedersen19James6Woods34Sunjic25Hernández36Deeney33Taylor
- 38Jeacock24GrahamSubstituted forColinat 45'minutes50Gordon4Roberts3PedersenBooked at 75mins19James6Woods34Sunjic25Hernández36DeeneySubstituted forHoganat 74'minutes33Taylor
Substitutes
- 2Colin9Hogan10Jutkiewicz11Bela21Bacuna27Trueman35Hall
Referee:Tim RobinsonAttendance:13,993Match StatsHome TeamBlackpoolAway TeamBirminghamPossessionHome58%Away42%ShotsHome16Away11Shots on TargetHome9Away6CornersHome9Away7FoulsHome7Away13Live TextPost update
Match ends, Blackpool 6, Birmingham City 1.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackpool 6, Birmingham City 1.
90'+4'goalGoal!
Goal! Blackpool 6, Birmingham City 1. Callum Connolly (Blackpool) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
90'+3'Post update
Kenneth Dougall (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+3'Post update
Foul by Ryan Woods (Birmingham City).
90'+2'Post update
Kenneth Dougall (Blackpool) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by James Husband.
90'Post update
Gary Madine (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'Post update
Foul by Marc Roberts (Birmingham City).
89'Post update
Attempt missed. Scott Hogan (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Maxime Colin with a headed pass.
88'Post update
Attempt blocked. Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Scott Hogan.
85'Post update
Goal! Blackpool 5, Birmingham City 1. Jerry Yates (Blackpool) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
85'Post update
Penalty Blackpool. Gary Madine draws a foul in the penalty area.
85'Post update
Penalty conceded by Lyle Taylor (Birmingham City) after a foul in the penalty area.
84'Post update
Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Zach Jeacock.
83'Post update
Gary Madine (Blackpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
83'Post update
Foul by Jordan James (Birmingham City).
81'Post update
Foul by Kenneth Dougall (Blackpool).
81'Post update
Jordan James (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
80'Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. Gary Madine replaces Jake Beesley.
76'Post update
Offside, Blackpool. CJ Hamilton tries a through ball, but Jerry Yates is caught offside.
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Source: bbc.com