BLACKPOOL travel to Brentford on Saturday for their third game in eight days against a club from the top six.

The Seasiders have already shown they can live with the leading clubs in a mediocre division, taking a point off Colchester when they should have had three and matching Bradford City until a last-minute goal denied them a point.

Both were games Colin Hendry's team could and, certainly in the case of Colchester, should have won and went to show that there is very little between clubs at both ends of league one.

Tuesday night's game was a case in point. Bradford, with three victories on the trot and a 5-4 defeat of Tranmere in the bag from Saturday, offered a solid enough defence, led by the vastly experienced David Wetherall, and a good forward line, featuring the portly but awkward Dean Windass and the inelegant but massive Dele Adebola.

But, apart from the odd flash of inspiration from seasoned winger, Nicky Summerbee, they had little in between.

Blackpool went close early on, first from a John Murphy header after another excellent Paul Edwards cross, then after a bizarre defensive mix-up when former Seasiders triallist, Paul Henderson, swung his boot at a straightforward backpass but completely missed it. To the Australian keeper's relief, the ball drifted just wide.

But Adebola and Windass always looked threatening, even though, for the most part, Peter Clarke and Mark McGregor had them in their pockets.

They combined on 36 minutes and Adebola got free, squeezing the ball in at the third attempt after Lee Jones failed to get hold of the ball.

But the second half was better for Pool.

They should have equalised shortly after the break when, in typical fashion, Richie Wellens played in Scott Taylor.

Henderson did well to block the first shot, but Taylor managed to scoop the ball back across the box and Edwards, two yards out, somehow didn't make the connection that would most certainly have given them an equaliser.

The goal finally arrived on 76 minutes when John Murphy was pushed in the area by Wetherall. Taylor hit the resulting penalty magnificently and the momentum was with the visitors.

Simon Grayson came closest to grabbing what may well have proved to be the winner with a header that hit the crossbar.

But Bradford pressed and, in the 89th minute, a harsh free kick given against Leam Richardson on the edge of the area saw Summerbee step up to put the free kick into the net and send a small home crowd, looking lost in a cavernous stadium, into raptures.

Saturday's game against Colchester may have more long-lasting effects after both clubs were charged with failing to control their players as a result of a mass brawl at the end of the game. Colchester are more likely to face the wrath of the FA after half their bench ran onto the pitch to join the fracas.

Two players from the Essex club, Ben May and Craig Fagan, have also been charged.

The injury time bust up, which came about after an incident involving Danny Coid and Colchester's Joey Keith, came after an entertaining game which Blackpool dominated.

The Seasiders took just nine minutes to take the lead, with a well-worked move involving Danny Coid and Scott Taylor before Leam Richardson hit a pin-point cross for Murphy to head home. Blackpool had several chances to increase their lead but, in the closing stages, Kevin Watson had Colchester's first shot in goal which, summing up Blackpool's luck this term, flew into the net.

Mark McGregor needed stitches to a thigh wound at Bradford, but may be fit for Brentford. Keith Southern and Martin Bullock are recovering well, but neither is likely to be involved.