BLACKPOOL are sweating on the fitness of John Murphy ahead of their clash at fellow strugglers Barnsley on Saturday.

Martin Bullock will also be unavailable for the visit to his former club, with boss Colin Hendry eager to strengthen his squad with more physical presence.

Hendry was this week continuing his bid to recruit a striker on loan, most likely from a premiership side.

Barnsley, under former Seasiders favourite, Paul Hart, are one of the division's big spenders, having brought in big names like Irish international midfielder, Stephen McPhail. But they have been in the bottom half of the table all season and have endured a run of just one win in nine games. Only goal difference keeps them ahead of Blackpool and out of the relegation zone.

A hard-fought defeat against Tranmere on Saturday, combined with Torquay's midweek victory over Wrexham, combined to give Blackpool an unwelcome return to the relegation zone.

The Seasiders started well against Brian Little's side, with Leam Richardson and Simon Grayson both going close.

But the Seasiders slipped to a narrow defeat courtesy of a controversial goal from Jamaican international, Ian Goodison.

Goodison burst into the box to chase a short throw in, but Richie Wellens was favourite all the way and looked set to clear the ball into the stand until contact from Goodison sent him to the ground. The big defender took another step forward and placed the ball sweetly past Brad Jones. Blackpool never really recovered from that setback and, despite enjoying the majority of the possession, were unable to get back on terms.

Former Blackpool boss, Steve McMahon, could be set for a return to football as manager of Stockport County. McMahon is favourite for the post at the struggling Edgeley Park club after the departure of former Northern Ireland boss, Sammy McIlroy.

Blackpool FC has drawn a line under its feud with Sheffield Wednesday over striker, Scott Taylor. The Yorkshire club faced accusations in the summer that it had made an illegal approach for Pool's leading scorer, and a complaint was passed on to the FA. However, the clubs announced last week that their differences had been settled.

The Seasiders kids get a chance to take on some of the Premiership's finest after winning their way through to the third round of the FA Youth Cup. Colin Greenall's under 18s head for Newcastle in the new year after a 4-0 demolition of Chester on Tuesday night.

A Blackpool side including four players with experience of the first team squad behind them, Lewis Edge, Sean Clancy, Danny Whittaker and skipper, Phil Doughty, never looked in any danger. Matthew Ogden was credited with the first goal. The 16-year-old was first to a Cabar Bagdadi cross and headed against the bar before the ball hit the back of a defender's head then the back of the net. Moments later, man-of-the-match Sean Patterson latched on to a long clearance, getting a yard on his defenders and bringing the ball down superbly before slotting past the visiting keeper.

The domination continued in the second half. Patterson added his second after a fine ball from the impressive Matty Kay before Kay completed the scoring after a cross from Patterson, who missed a late chance to snatch a hat-trick.