Town 2 Blackpool 0 - Report and pictures

The Frenchman struck decisively on 73 and 77 minutes, from Larnell Cole assists.

It rewarded another dominant Town performance as they avoided a club-record equalling sixth straight home league defeat.

Although Mark Cullen had an effort disallowed for offside on 68, Micky Mellon's side were dominant throughout apart from a five-minute spell after half-time and created numerous chances.

Town have now picked up nine points out of the last 12 as they prepare for three successive away games in the next 10 days.

Mellon made three changes to the side beaten 1-0 by Crewe last week and it was a bold line-up.

Goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler, centre-back Jermaine Grandison and captain Liam Lawrence made way.

In came former Blackpool shot-stopper Mark Halstead, Sullay Kaikai and Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro in what was a switch to a flat back four, in which Nathaniel Knight-Percival was named captain.

Leutwiler suffered a back injury in training, while Grandison's omission from the squad was a mystery and there were no defenders on the bench.

Halstead and Kaikai were making their first Town league starts, the latter after making his debut as a substitute against Crewe.

Liam McAlinden was recalled to the bench on his 22nd birthday, along with Junior Brown.

Town (4-1-3-2): Halstead; Tootle, Ellis, Knight-Percival, Sadler; Ogogo; Clark (Lawrence 89), Cole; Kaikai, Barnett (Collins HT), Akpa Akpro.

Subs not used: Black, Whalley, Brown, McAlinden, Rowley (gk).

Blackpool (4-3-3): Doyle; Boyce, Jones, Aldred (Ferguson 81), Robertson; Herron, Potts, Norris (Cameron 71); Redshaw, Cullen, Thomas (Paterson 59).

Subs not used: McAllister, Oliver, Cubero, Leatheren (gk).

Town lined up in a 4-1-2-3 formation, with Abu Ogogo sitting in front of the back four, with Jordan Clark and Larnell Cole in front of him. Up front from the right were Kaikai, Tyrone Barnett and Akpa Akpro.

Mellon's men were on top for most of the first-half but, like last week, they didn't take their chances. There was also a feeling that they were overplaying in the final third.

Shrewsbury kicked off but it was Blackpool who forced the initial opening in the first minute, when Brad Potts retrieved a corner and curled over the far post.

Town were soon on the attack however and the lively Akpa Akpro sent a deflected low drive wide. The best chance of the half came in the seventh minute.

A bright run and quick feet by Akpa Akpro saw him jink down the left before slotting in Barnett, whose angled left-foot shot was parried by goalkeeper Colin Doyle.

Town continued to threaten but Cole's scuffed effort trickled to Doyle, before fierce shots from just outside the box from Cole and Kaikai were blocked.

Akpa Akpro then had a drive blocked by Clark Robertson at the far post, before the unmarked Clark then rolled a poor effort straight at Doyle after Cole squared to him in space.

Kaikai was next to try his luck, flashing a fierce drive just wide of the far post after Knight-Percival fed the ball back out to him when the winger's corner was partly cleared.

Kaikai looked lively every time he got on the ball and cut inside following Clark's pass only to see his fierce effort blocked by a combination of Tom Aldred and Lloyd Jones.

Halstead was called upon for the first time in the 39th minute when he moved smartly off his line to bravely smother at Kwame Thomas's feet, from Mark Cullen's cross on the counter attack.

Clark again had a sight of goal seconds before half-time but his curling effort dropped a yard over. Town made a change at half-time as James Collins came on for Barnett up front.

But it was actually Blackpool's best spell - albeit a highly brief one - which saw John Herron slice wide on 54 after chesting down a cross from close range.

Two minutes later, Emmerson Boyce was booked for tripping Kaikai, whose swerving free kick flicked off a head in the defensive wall and went out for a corner.

Shrewsbury were back on the offensive and, on 57, Akpa Akpro's powerful falling header sailed over the bar from Kaikai's corner.

Blackpool made a switch up front on 59 as Martin Paterson replaced Kwame Thomas.

But it made little difference as Clark then missed a sitter on 61, his connection hitting the grounded Doyle as he fell from Kaikai's pull back from the right.

There was a scare for Town on 68 when Cullen stabbed home after the diving Halstead spilled Brad Potts's blistering low drive from long range. But the flag immediately went up for offside.

Akpa Akpro went close to putting the hosts ahead on 70, when his bundled shot from Kaikai's corner was cleared off the line.

But the Frenchman didn't have long to wait before getting his next chance and made the most of it. He confidently drove under Doyle from 15 yards after Cole ran at the defence then put him clean through.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 - and it was the same players that combined to double Town's lead.

Cole picked out Akpa Akpro after the Frenchman peeled off to the left and the forward controlled before slotting expertly into the opposite corner of the net as Doyle came out to narrow the angle.

Jack Redshaw volleyed a cross into the ground but it flew straight at Halstead to sum up a miserable afternoon for Blackpool.

And with the cushion of two goals, there was no comeback from the Tangerines and Town were able to play out the rest of the game without any threat to their lead.