BLACKPOOL'S festive programme ended with them collecting only two points out of a possible 12 when they went down 2-0 to league leaders Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on New Year's Day.

After the game Blackpool manager Steve McMahon fumed: "Stoke did not need to play well today because we were awful. We did not pass the ball at all.

"If we play like that on Saturday in the FA Cup at Charlton we'll be swamped"

Belarus international defender Sergei Shtaniuk powerfully headed home Bjarni Gudjonsson's 13th-minute corner to hand Stoke the lead in a first half which the home side dominated.

And transfer-listed midfielder James O'Connor met another Gudjonsson cross in the 82nd minute to head past Phil Barnes from close range, after a well-timed run into the box.

Gudjonsson was also almost the provider in the 23rd minute, but former Burnley front man Andy Cooke was unable to find the finish after turning to fire at Barnes following good work by the Icelandic star.

Three minutes later Gudjonsson's curling cross from the right was met by a brilliant diving header from Chris Iwelumo, but Barnes matched the striker's acrobatics with a superb one-handed save.

Moments before half-time Stoke came close when Gudjonsson again was almost on target, but he was unable to connect from just five yards at the back post after Cooke fired the ball across goal.

After the interval the home side flattered to deceive and never really played at their best, and Steve McMahon's men had two chances to level.

John Hills fired straight at keeper Neil Cutler when he had a clear sight of goal in the 56th minute and, with 10 minutes left on the clock, Andy Payton forced Cutler to make a great save following a careless backpass by City's Karl Henry.

But Stoke's second goal knocked the stuffing out of the Seasiders, and the home side could even have added a third had Barnes not managed to tip Clive Clarke's dipping shot from 25 yards over the bar in the 83rd minute.

Blackpool stayed in 14th place, as their game was one of only two matches in the Second Division to survive the weather.