Blackpool rock sorry Boro

Middlesbrough were unable to check the progress of Blackpool towards the top of the table despite a first goal for the club from recent signing Andre Bikey.

The Cameroon international struck right on half-time but by then the visitors were already trailing to a couple of goals from on loan Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso.

Thomas Ince and substitute Elliot Grandin added further efforts following the break for what proved a comprehensive win for the Seasiders.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher shot wide early for them and Ince drew a good save by Jason Steele from outside the area before Delfouneso slotted low into the corner from Taylor-Fletcher's tenth-minute pass.

The highly-rated Ince soon hoisted another effort over against one of his father's former clubs and goalkeeper Matthew Gilks dealt capably with a Grant Leadbitter drive in reply.

But Blackpool continued to look dangerous and Taylor-Fletcher headed wide while Steele did well from a deflected Stephen Crainey 25-yard attempt.

Boro next served notice of their intent with Josh McEachran releasing Ishmael Miller to only find the side-netting. However, Ince immediately caught out George Friend and crossed for Delfouneso to curl in his second goal of the evening.

That should have been a hat-trick when the same player blazed over from a great position, although Mustapha Carayol quickly won a corner at the opposite end where Bikey eventually headed in McEachran's cross after initially hitting the crossbar.

The visitors were back in the game and McEachran forced a stop from Gilks early in the second-half. But their opponents were always a constant threat on the break - as shown when Ince added number three on 56 minutes with a low finish from Delfouneso's pass.

Boro made changes in a bid to find an unlikely way back into the contest and Leadbitter drove powerfully wide, while Delfouneso thought he had completed a personal treble until being denied by a raised offside flag.

A fourth goal still arrived when Grandin converted from the spot after being brought down by Bikey with five minutes remaining.

Blackpool: Gilks, Crainey, Eardley, Osbourne, Cathcart, Gomes (Grandin 70), Baptiste, Ferguson, Ince (M. Phillips 71), Taylor-Fletcher (Dicko 70), Delfouneso

subs (unused): Halstead, Evatt, Robertson, K. Phillips

Goals: Delfouneso (10, 36), Ince (56), Grandin (pen 86)

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, Bikey, Woodgate, Friend, Leadbitter, Thomson, McEachran, Emnes (Jutkiewicz 59), Carayol (Zemmama 72), Miller (Ledesma 77)

subs (unused): Leutwiler, Hines, Arca, Smallwood

Goals: Bikey (45)

Ref: R. Madley

Att: 12,746

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