Blackpool 2 Wycombe 2

Last updated : 16 August 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Blackpool overcame a 2-0 deficit to record the first League victory of the season against previously unbeaten Wycombe.

The visitors, fielding two tricky wingers and two big strikers, dominated the opening exchanges and took the lead after just 23 minutes.

A free kick from midfielder Darren Currie found the head of on-loan Watford striker Simon Patterson who headed the ball into an unguarded net after Lee Jones in the Blackpool goal was caught in no-man's land.

It was no more than Wycombe deserved and Lawrie Sanchez's side made it two shortly after the half-hour mark with Currie hitting a hopeful 25-yard drive that caught Jones napping.

But the game slowly changed, with the visitors' striker, Richard Harris, arguably the best player on the pitch, being forced off with a hamstring injury.

On the stroke of half time the home side were back in it when Neil Danns' corner found its way to Scott Taylor, who scored from close-range.

The comeback was complete within 30 seconds when Ritchie Wellens broke through midfield and played a beautiful ball for Taylor to slot past Steve Williams.

After the break Wycombe were a shadow of the side which made such an impressive start - their manager later accused his players of "doing their own thing rather than playing for the team." Blackpool's winner came shortly after the hour when former Manchester United youngster, Kirk Hilton, scored his first goal in League football with a fine run and cool finish.

It was a major boost for Hilton who lost close friend, Jimmy Davis, a former Old Trafford team-mate, in a car crash last week.

Blackpool could have made it four through Danns' effort which appeared to be cleared off the line by the hand of defender Chris Vinnicombe.

It was the first of two dubious refereeing decisions involving Danns which led Blackpool manager Steve McMahon to say: "I thought we had Stevie Wonder refereeing at one point." Referee Eddie Evans showed a second yellow card to Danns in the final minute when Currie's free kick hit him before he had a chance to withdraw the full ten yards.

McMahon added: "If the referee was watching the game properly he would have recognised what Currie was trying to do and booked him instead."