Blackpool 3 - 2 Cardiff City: Cardiff go ahead twice but it's Blackpool who grab glory and Premiership riches

• Charlie Adams puts the Seasiders on level terms with a magnificent free-kick into the top corner. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty

In a belter of a play-off final which ebbed and flowed and threw up goals galore, it offered the kind of entertainment that showpiece matches often promise but fail to deliver as the enormity of what is at stake weighs heavily on the protagonists.

There was no such angst yesterday as Blackpool twice battled back from behind before eventually taking the lead on the stroke of half-time.

It was a lead that they were able to hold on to throughout a second half which, despite on-pitch temperatures in excess of 100F, served up just as much commitment to attack but came up short on an end product.

The opener had come from Cardiff's Michael Chopra, a player whose movement and guile was an issue in those opening stages. He had already been denied by the post after he had flicked an effort goalwards in the third minute but he was clinical in the ninth minute when the ball was played through to him by Peter Whittingham. Finding a bit of space as he ran through on goal, he slotted low into the net. But, with the kind of resilience which epitomised their play-off campaign, Blackpool equalised within four minutes thanks to a stunning Charlie Adam contribution. One of several Scots involved, he curled a lovely free-kick into the postage stamp corner of David Marshall's goal.

Despite Blackpool dominating possession as the half wore on, both sides had chances and it was Cardiff who moved ahead again in the 37th minute, this time courtesy of Joe Ledley. Having picked up a long ball, Ledley laid it off to Whittingham before bursting forward in anticipation of the return pass and when it was played into his path, he drilled his left-foot effort past the keeper.

Cardiff had gone into the game unbeaten in seven matches against Blackpool, but this is a side which has already proved its strength of character. Having gone behind in both legs of their play-off semi-final, they battled back each time and they did it the hard way again yesterday.

Again it took them just four minutes to respond to that Ledley effort. Marshall failed to connect with an attempted punch clearance and as the defence tried to clear, Ian Evatt had his overhead kick blocked but despite having four players on the line, Cardiff could not stop Gary Taylor-Fletcher's header from the rebound.

Having fought back twice, Blackpool finally took the lead as the first half moved into stoppage time. Dudley Campbell jigged about on the edge of the box, creating space for himself, and although he slipped as he tried to shoot, Brett Ormerod was first to the breaking ball and he slammed it low underneath Marshall's body with a powerful left-foot effort.

The Blackpool manager, Ian Holloway, had refused to be drawn pre-match on who would win, his only assertion was that whoever did go up would deserve it. How right he was. It was his club which secured a place in the top flight for the first time in almost 40 years and made a mockery of the pre-season predictions that they were prime candidates for relegation. It's something they will be hoping to do again. Even before they had taken to the Wembley turf to decide who would be mingling with the glitterati next season, bookies had written them off. Regardless of who triumphed in the final, they had already been installed as favourites to finish bottom of the Premier League pile next term.

It's not something that will bother Blackpool. After all they have gone from washing their own strips, cleaning their own boots and drawing lots for who has to buy the biscuits for the dressing room to becoming a bunch of lads living a dream. They are a squad who have grown used to defying the odds and they do it with aplomb.

Blackpool: Gilks, Coleman, Baptiste, Evatt, Crainey, Vaughan, Southern, Adam, Campbell, Taylor-Fletcher, Ormerod. Subs: Rachubka, Clarke, Burgess, Euell, Edwards, Bannan, Dobbie.

Cardiff City: Marshall, McNaughton, Blake, Hudson, Kennedy, Burke, Whittingham, McPhail, Ledley, Chopra, Bothroyd. Subs: Enckelman, Capaldi, Quinn, Gerrard, Etuhu, Wildig, McCormack.

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)

Ormerod praises Holloway after Seasiders defy all predictions

BRETT ORMEROD was unable to watch the climax to the Championship play-off final, disappearing instead into the dressing room after he had been substituted. But, in the end, the 45th minute goal scored by the veteran forward, who has already played for Blackpool in three different divisions, sealed victory over Cardiff and ensured they will spend next season in the Premier League.

"It was the longest half hour of my life. I'm speechless," said the 33-year-old. "To think that at the beginning of the season everyone had written us off, but then the gaffer came in and he deserves knighting now! He put the belief in the lads and we have had that belief in our dressing room all season. This is fantastic."

Even manager Ian Holloway was struggling to articulate his emotions. "I can't put how I feel into words. I am not normally lost for words but you have caught me today. I'm bursting with pride. My lads' spirit was great, they just kept at it. You have to keep the ball and we did that so well and I have never worked with a group of people who deserve this more. "

It was former Rangers player Charlie Adam, who had signed for the Seasiders in the summer for 500,000 and captained the team, who got the side's scoring exploits underway with a 13th minute free-kick

"The manager said to me when I came here we would be aiming to get in the Premier League and we have done it. We are now just going to enjoy this occasion, enjoy our summer and wait for the fixtures to come out.

"Going to places like Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, it doesn't get any better than that!"