Payback time !

Scorers: Ormerod 14, Simpson pen 37, 82, Reid 50, Clarkson 81. Attendance: 3,549

By Chris Reece

IT was pay back time at Bloomfield Road as Pool achieved the score line they should have done in the corresponding fixture back in August when Torquay won 3-2 thanks to two injury time goals from striker Eifon Williams.

Mike Milligan and Richard Wellens came in for Lee Collins and transfer listed Steve Bushell as McMahon looked for some fresh ideas from his midfield quartet.

Both teams had chances to grab an early opener. Richard Wellens got into the action quickly and did well to slide Brett Ormerod through on the tenth minute but his snapped half volley flashed past the post to the relief of Torquay keeper Ryan Northmore.

But not long after Northmore wasn't so lucky and a poor save led to an Ormerod opener. Paul Simpson was the architect, collecting on the left side and, just outside the box shot towards goal.

His shot, though not well struck, was only parried by Northmore, and the ball fell straight to Ormerod in the six yard box who couldn't miss.

For a long spell afterwards, chances became sparse and the game grew scrappy. The only chance in a baron spell fell to Brett Ormerod whose header from a Paul Simpson cross came close. Five minutes later, John Hills was brought off with another hamstring injury for Phil Clarkson, in what was the only black mark in an otherwise perfect day for Steve McMahon.

Just as Torquay started feel their way back into the game, Pool doubled their lead in an isolated attack. Brett Ormerod latched onto the ball in the very bottom left hand corner after some confusion between two Torquay defenders. But as he did he was tripped in desperation and a penalty was awarded. Paul Simpson needed to score twice from the spot to double Pool's lead after his first effort was ordered to be retaken.

Straight from the kick off, Torquay replied with a goal of their own but the headed effort was disallowed for a foul on Tangerines keeper Phil Barnes.

This was possibly a big event in the game, as the game outcome could have been very different had the goal not been disallowed.

Then came a very strange incident involving Torquay's Mark Ford. Tommy Jaszczun was tripped in what was clearly a foul on the edge of the Torquay box. Ford, not realising the referee had not given the free kick slammed the ball towards goal in frustration.

And, if it were not for a brilliant save by Ryan Northmore, the goal would have stood and surely would have been one of the most extraordinary own goals ever scored.

Blackpool sealed the victory with a third goal early in the second half after some signs of Torquay comeback before hand.

It came initially from a Paul Simpson corner, which eventually found Brian Reid after the ball had jumped from one side of the goal to another.

And Reid (pictured) celebrated his move to the Seasiders with his first goal for the club thanks to a header into the top corner.

As in the first half, the majority of the second half was uneventful.

The Pool goal was kept intact by a marvellous performance by Brian Reid along with confident keeping from Phil Barnes.

Even when the defence was in trouble, more often then not, the Torquay strikers were offside and therefore Barnes was rarely troubled.

With Blackpool 3-0 up, there was no need for urgency but towards the end of the half the game came to life again with two further goals from the Tangerines. Firstly on 80 minutes Paul Simpson whipped in a brilliant corner for Phil Clarkson to score a headed goal to make it 4-0.

A minute later Brett Ormerod was terribly unlucky not to get a second when his low shot hit the inside of the post and came out. But a cross-field pass found Paul Simpson on 83 minutes and he made no mistake, coolly slotting home for 5-0.

Team: Barnes, Hughes, Hills, Reid, Jaszczun, Wellens, Milligan, Coid, Ormerod, Murphy, Simpson.