On a weekend when Manchester City’s failure to include a defensive midfielder cost them victory in one final, Blackpool’s Kenny Dougall showed what a difference those in a holding role can make, albeit with a rare and unlikely double to take his side back to the Championship.
For the first time in his career the 28-year-old netted twice in one game, returning Blackpool to the second tier after six years away.
Dougall, the Australia international, had scored two goals in three seasons in England prior to this, including one in the play-off semi-final 10 days ago.
Neil Critchley’s side won promotion back to the Championship on Sunday afternoon
They will return to the Championship after six years away thanks to their 2-1 win over Lincoln
Lincoln players were left devastated after missing a huge chance to move to the second tier
But the midfielder has found his shooting boots at just the right time. He was wearing one on either foot here, a left and right combo to reverse the score after Lincoln had taken a first-minute lead.
What fine strikes they were, both dispatched with authority from outside the area to leave you wondering which, if any, is his weaker side. But also – why doesn’t he score more often?
Critchley’s (above) side went 1-0 down in the opening minute of the game due to an own goal
However, Kenny Dougall equalised for Neil Critchley’s side just before the half-time mark
‘Earlier in the season the manager told me not to shoot!’ revealed Dougall.
Such instruction is an isolated error on the part of boss Neil Critchley, although he protested: ‘I told him not to shoot from 35 yards when they were flying over – he’s allowed to shoot from 20 yards!’
Critchley’s side have been magnificent since the end of January, climbing from 15th position to secure a play-off berth.
This has been the 42-year-old’s first full season in management, after leaving Liverpool’s youth ranks last year.
‘Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would end at Wembley in an occasion like this,’ he said. ‘But that was one of the reasons I left Liverpool – I wanted to taste the highs and lows of management.’
Dougall’s goal was a left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner
Fans were present at the stadium to watch the exciting play-off final on Sunday afternoon
Critchley also reserved praise for owner Simon Sadler, the Blackpool-born businessman who ousted the unpopular Oyston family in 2019.
‘Simon is a Blackpool fan, this is for him,’ he added. ‘The club and the town means everything to him.’
And this meant everything to the 4,000 Blackpool supporters behind the goal into which Dougall dispatched his second-half winner.
They have got their club back after years of turbulence and mistrust. Indeed, the last time their team played here – in the 2017 League Two play-off final – they stayed away in protest.
But they might have been wishing they had stayed at home this time after Lincoln’s early goal.
Michael Appleton’s side only arrived 45 minutes before kick-off having spent an extra hour on the road staring at brake lights.
But once the game started the handbrake was off and they scored after just 47 seconds. Brennan Johnson, the 20-year-old Wales winger, burst down the right and delivered a cross that had too much fizz for striker Tom Hopper to convert.
But the pace also proved too much for defender Ollie Turton and his awkward clearance came at the expense of a clumsy own goal.
The Seasiders looked like they were on the beach during the opening exchanges, a baffling lack of energy given the stakes.
Lincoln should have been two in front when Jorge Grant was allowed time to size a shot from 18 yards and clipped the crossbar.
But Blackpool made a belated appearance and were level on 34 minutes. There was more than a hint of handball when Elliot Embleton’s arm blocked a clearance and the ball landed for him to feed Dougall, who switched to his left and drilled into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
However, numbers were still limited due to the ongoing restrictions amid the pandemic
The absence of VAR allowed those in tangerine to celebrate with joyous abandon, but in a Premier League world you suspect the goal would have been disallowed.
There was no doubt about the winner on 54 minutes. Dougall did not need a touch this time when the ball was rolled to him by Jerry Yates and, without hesitation, he smashed right footed beyond Alex Palmer from 20 yards.
So perhaps Pep Guardiola will take note: never under-estimate the value of a defensive midfielder.