Holloway braced for battle against Blues

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway insists it will take a monumental effort from his players to preserve their slender npower Championship play-off semi-final advantage over Birmingham.

Curtis Davies’ own goal in last Friday’s first game is all that separates the sides going into tonight’s clash at St Andrew’s.

Chris Hughton’s Blues boast an impressive home record, losing only once on their own patch all season to leave Holloway convinced of the scale of the task at hand. “It’s going to take every ounce of everything we’ve got going down there with their crowd and their passion,” he said. “I needed a lead, we’ve got a very slender lead. We won the first game and I think that’s a marker to them. We didn’t beat them this year.

“I’m looking forward to it, I can’t be worried. I’d be worried if we were not in this situation. I feel my team deserved it on Friday night.”

The club boast superb play-off pedigree, having won their last ten matches in the format. Holloway is relishing the prospect of extending that sequence having impressively rebuilt a squad shorn of key players such as Charlie Adam, DJ Campbell and David Vaughan on the back of relegation last term. “It’s all set up for another great evening,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”