Blackpool – Cardiff City

Hello everyone, it's the biggest match in the history of Blackpool and Cardiff football clubs. To the victor, the £90 million spoils and a much-coveted place in the Premier League.

The teams are in and there are just over ten minutes until kick-off...

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

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

So the anticipation is building and the sunshine is glorious at Wembley. Cardiff definitely the favourites for this, but write off Blackpool at your peril. They are the form team and as we've seen many times in the past, that can be the decisive factor.

Cardiff have a great forward line and there are goals galore throughout the team. Chopra and Bothroyd are up front, while Peter Whittingham - who scored in both legs of the semi-final - is the Championship's top scorer this season with 22 goals.

Blackpool's key man is undoubtedly Charlie Adam, who is their top scorer this season. He will be the creative influence in midfield and has been a revelation since his £500,000 transfer from Rangers.

Blackpool legend Jimmy Armfield is in the crowd - he played 569 games for the Tangerines and his last game for the club was the last time Blackpool were in the top flight - in 1971.

The players are out on the pitch and we are just about ready to go.

And we're off...

If I were a betting man, I would put it on 1-0, that's what the last three play-off finals in a row have finished. It's a tense occasion.

Blackpool looking to advance early and it's a nice ball from Taylor-Fletcher into a dangerous area. Cardiff keeper David Marshall comes out and fails to collect but it's cleared to safety.

Crainey brings the ball down the left for Blackpool and it's the Tangerines who have looked brightest in the early stages.

A similar ball to before from Evatt but as a centre-half - it always looked hopeful.

Off the bar!

Whittingham came down the left, crossed into Chopra at the near post and his flick crashed against the bar.

Will it be a repeat of the FA Cup final? Chelsea hit the bar five times in the first half last week!

Great work by Whittingham down the left to carve open that chance.

Burke dribbles down the right wing, but his attempted cross is cleared by Crainey.

Bothroyd moving a little gingerly at the moment.

Good spell of pressure for Cardiff but now Blackpool have it back and are trying to build some possession.

Blackpool players seem to always be looking to put DJ Campbelll in around the back. The boy has got some pace.

Blackpool have won 31 and Cardiff 14 of the 64 previous matches between these clubs. It's been a 1-1 draw in three of the last four encounters.

GOAL! Chopra

Blackpool 0-1 Cardiff. Fantastic finish by Chopra, great through ball from Whittingham and the striker slots it into the bottom corner with consumate ease.

Great finish and now Blackpool come forward with Ormerod. He twists and turns inside the Cardiff box but he's run himself into a cul-de-sac.

Plenty of character in the Blackpool team, they went behind in both legs of the play-off semi-finals.

Cardiff had looked dangerous and Chopra had given them a warning, but the Tangerines didn't heed it.

Baptiste and Adam combine down the right.

Free-kick for Blackpool from about 30 yards out. McPhail handballed an attempted cross.

GOAL! Adam.

Blackpool 1-1 Cardiff. WHAT.A.GOAL. 30 plus yards out and he has swung it, with pace, right into the top corner - magnificent strike.

What a final so far! Keep the goals coming. That was a sensational strike.

Chopra released again but this time Evatt is back into position to cover and tackle the Cardiff striker.

Bothroyd on his way off.

Not sure exactly what the problem is but he's been struggling since the start.

CARDIFF SUB: Etuhu on for Bothroyd.

Blackpool have won 11, drawn three and lost two of the club's 16 previous matches in the play-offs.

Whittingham gives Etuhu an early touch and plays a one-two but the subsequent attempted ball to Chopra is intercepted.

Taylor-Fletcher upended and it's another free-kick though at too much of an angle for the left-footer.

The ball is swung into the box and Marshall looks a bit uneasy but the referee penalises the surrounding Blackpool players.

Well, that 1-0 prediciton went out the window pretty quickly! I should have known better - Balckpool and Cardiff are the third and fourth highest scorers in the division behind promoted Newcastle and West Brom.

Great play down the left from Campbell and he gets the ball across but it's a spooned effort from Ormerod ont he edge of the box.

Speculative effort from Vaughan from about 30 yards out. It's a rasping left-foot strike and it actually ends up only just wide.

Baptiste and Coleman close out Chopra.

Cardiff are unbeaten in seven matches against Blackpool, winning four and drawing three since losing to them in October 2002.

Vaughan and Campbell interchange on the edge of the box and the striker shouts for a penalty from a handball that definitely came off McNaughton's stomach.

Blackpool have been really dominant over the past ten minutes, Cardiff have looked deflated since the Blackpool goal went in.

Cardiff are hoping to become only the third side - and the first since Charlton 12 years ago - to win promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs after finishing the regular season in fourth place. Leicester also did it in 1995.

At the last count Blackpool's possession stats were 64% to Cardiff's 36%. Dave Jones must be pulling his hair out.

Coleman engineers some space down the right with a jinking run, but his cross is overhit.

Burke advances down the right and it's a Cardiff corner.

Whittingham whips it in to the near post and Crainey heads clear for another corner.

Great short corner routine from Whittingham and McPhail. A quick one-two gets it back to the left winger and he unleashes an effort from the edge of the box...

It ends up as a throw-in. Mis-cued quite badly from Whittingham.

Etuhu does well to release Whittingham down the left. He puts it on a plate for Chopra but it's a poor connection on the shot.

Fantastic movement from Chopra - he's constantly looking dangerous and causing the Blackpool defence all kinds of problems.

Great run by Fletcher-Taylor, down the right with purpose.

A huge back pass from Crainie, loopes high back to Gilks from past the halfway line.

Lovely passing exchanges from McPhail, Etuhu and Chopra, but Adam brings down Ledley to end the move.

Cardiff just looking to build up some sustained pressure for the first time since the opening ten minutes. But Blackpool continue to look the more composed side.

Ledley has been disappointing so far, for a player so often linked with a Premier League move, I thought he'd be doing more now that he's got a chance to help his team get there!

Crainey plays a superb left-wing cross into Campbell. It's a poor first touch but Blackpool have a corner.

Counter-attack with Chopra who plays it in to Whittingham. Back into Chopra after a fantastic ball and Cardiff now have a corner.

End to end stuff. Fantastic break at pace from Cardiff.

Burke crosses but it's cleared out comfortably enough.

GOAL! Ledley.

Cardiff 2-1 Blackpool. Sharp movement, he played it to Whittingham who then returned it to the onrushing Ledley - great finish slotted home left-footed.

I definitely jinxed it for you Blackpool fans - sorry. Just after I said Ledley has been anonymous he springs into life in dramatic fashion. Wonderful goal.

Blackpool straight up the other end again - they have dominated possession but Cardiff have been the more penetrative side.

Taylor-Fletcher hits the post!

GOAL! Taylor-Fletcher

Blackpool 2-2 Cardiff. Marshall was terrible, he twice fumbled it away and as Cardiff players tried to clear their lines, Taylor-Fletcher was there to bravely head it home, though it seemed like there were four Cardiff players on the line. What a game.

Wow, it's tough to keep up with this. That all came about after Taylor-Fletcher's curling right-foot volley from 18 yards hit the post and was cleared out for a corner.

Really poor goalkeeping from Marshall though.

Blackpool showing their resiliency, while Cardiff boss Dave Jones looks irate on the touchline.

Between them, Cardiff striker Michael Chopra and the Championship's top scorer Peter Whittingham have netted 45 of Cardiff's 89 goals this season.

Cardiff's new Malaysian owners looking on from the director's box.

The ball just pinballing around a little at the moment, both sides will probably welcome the half-time whistle for a good break, some oranges, and the chance to regroup.

Taylor-Fletcher and Ormerod bring Blackpool forward.

GOAL! Ormerod.

Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff. What a a game. Great footwork from Campbell on the edge of the box to manufacture some space. He slips while trying to shoot, but Ormerod is waiting for the breaking ball and he slams it home underneath Marshall's body with a powerful left-foot effort.

Unbelievable stuff, bo time to breathe and now Cardiff have a free-kick.

GOAL! Burke.

NO! Sorry Cardiff fans, he is offside from the flick-on from Whittingham's delivery.

Half-time whistle goes.

We're back and ready for the second half.

We're off...

Will this game continue at the same pace - I'm not sure I can type fast enough!

Early clash between Ormerod and McNaughton. the Cardiff defender looks a little sore after the late challenge.

Chopra escapes down the right in some space. There's three Cardiff men in the box but the cross is out for a goal kick.

Etuhu down the left, his first real invovlement. He shows a good burst of pace and crosses in towards Chopra, but the delivery is too far ahead of the Bluebirds striker.

Slip from Charlie Adam and he's given away a free-kick.

Whittingham to take as the box is packed up with blue shirts. Really poor delivery though and it's straight into Gilks' hands.

Taylor-Fletcher and Campbell advance into some space but the chance is wasted.

Southern goes in hard on McNaughton, the Cardiff right back's had a bit of bother at the start of this half.

BLACKPOOL SUB: Burgess on for Taylor-Fletcher, who looks gutted to be coming off. But he's picked up an injury and can barely walk off the pitch.

Good battling between Etuhu and Baptistse, with the Blackpool defender just about getting the ball away.

Charlie Adam saw Marshall off his line and went for an absolutely outrageous effort. It's gone wide.

The highest scoring Championship playoff final was Charlton 4-4 Sunderland in 1998. There have also been three 4-3 games. Bonanza.

Chopra hits the bar!

McPhail plays him in, Chopra strikes it beautifully and it's thundered against the bar.

Great effort, he held his run beautifully as well. Maybe it just isn't Cardiff's day.

Adam strikes one from 30 yards and it curls wide of Marshall's post. Good build up play between Burgess and Ormerod.

Chopra makes some space again, he's been fantastic so far. And he's won a corner from a seemingly hopeless situation.

Whittinghma's delivery is met by Ledley, he beat Gilks to the ball and it looked like it was heading in but it's drifted wide.

BLACKPOOL SUB: Dobbie on for Ormerod.

Will Ormerod's goal prove the winner? Dobbie is a Swansea player on loan at Bloomfield Road - could have more than hint of irony if he scores.

Stinging effort from Southern that rises up and over the bar. Well struck from about 25 yards.

Adam searches for Campbell with a cross-field ball. It's headed away but Hudson gives away a cheap corner, Marshall is screaming at his centre-back, poor decision from Hudson.

Evatt peels away at the back post and volleys back across goal but it's over the bar.

McPhail loos in agony after a clash with Southern but it breaks to Etuhu and just bobbles up as he's about to hit it.

Saved by Gilks and it's a Cardiff corner as McPhail receives treatment. it was quite a collision. Whittingham to deliver.

Missed a substitution before - CARDIFF SUB: McCormack on for Burke.

The reason I say that is because I've just seen him drag a shot wide of the left hand post.

Crainey overlaps well down the left and tries to pull it back but it's headed away.

It's definitely still anyone's game, both sides look dangerous when coming forward and the players will be tiring by the minute, meaning mistakes are more likely.

106.3 degrees fahrenheit is the temperature at pitch level. Ouch.

Burgess with some good footwork but he can't find Campbell with the through ball.

This is Adam's 200th appearance in English and Scottish club football, and his goal today was the 50th of his career.

Crainey shoulder barges Chopra out the way, the Blackpool left back wasn't looking at the ball and he's lucky that the referee judged it a fair challenge.

Whittingham and Kennedy combine down the left and Kennedy sweeps a cross in. But it's headed away by Evatt and Blackpool come forward.

A speedy break and there were five Tangerines players streaming forward. Dobbie has a shot from inside the box and it's deflected out for a corner.

CARDIFF SUB: Gerrard on for McNaughton.

The right back hasn't recovered from a couple of earlier knocks in the half.

Great battling back from Etuhu, Adam looked to be away down the left side of the area and of all people it was the Cardiff striker who chased back and did enough to put him off.

Gerrard is of course the cousin of Liverpool and England midfielder Steven.

Gilks drops the ball and somehow it's gone wide of the post - it looked like it was going to dribble in for a comical own goal. Corner.

Cleared out from Whittingham's first delivery. McPhail gets a second bite of the cherry and it drops to McCormack inside the area. The striker, for the second time since coming on, drags his shot wide.

Cardiff doing all the pressing now and Blackpool starting to look a little tired.

McCormack crosses and it's headed away - resolute defending from Blackpool.

Holloway's side struggling to retain possession now. They haven't been known for their excellent defence this season and it might be that attack is the best form of defence.

Blackpool are ten minutes away from being in the Premier League, what a remarkable result it would be.

Darcy Blake - yes that is the first time I have mentioned him in this match - has a tame shot into the grateful grasp of Gilks.

Cardiff pushing hard as McPhail and Whittingham try to engineer an opening. The Tangerine sponge is soaking up the presssure.

46% possession for Cardiff in the Blackpool final third over the last ten minutes.

Adam pushes Darcy Blake and it's a free-kick for Cardiff on the right wing. Whittingham - as usual - will take it.

Headed clear by Evatt and Campbell's pressure from the hoof up field forces Kennedy to play it safe and knock it out for a Blackpool throw.

Burgess doing plenty of running up front but he's not getting anywhere near the ball at the moment.

The Tangerines can breathe for a second. It's a free-kick down the left wing and it will be Adam to take.

It finds itself all the way through to Evatt at the back post and it's a throw in to Blackpool.

Southern takes the ball into the corner, but is penalised and Cardiff have it back.

Gerrard in the clear and he's made a mess of it. He had a chance to shoot but dwelt on it far too long.

Blackpool break again and they have it in down in the corner.

The ball comes back into midfield and it's switched to the left, where Blackpool are just happy to keep possession.

It's a Blackpool corner, another poor decision from Hudson to head it out. Where was the communication?

Burgess keeps the ball in the corner ad four minutes of added time are held up by the assistant.

Cardiff have it back but they can't seem to manufacture a chance.

Whittingham crosses it in and Ledley heads it goalwards, but he's on the 18 yard line. He was never going to be able to egnerate enough power.

BLACKPOOL SUB: Bannan on for Vaughan.

Free-kick to be swung in by Marshall.

Cleared away yet again and Marshall gets the ball back inside his area. He tries to take it past Burgess and nearly gives it straight to him.

Campbell was through but it's a heavy touch.

Seconds to go.

Gilks has it in his hands, he hoofs it clear and the whistle goes.

Amazing...Blackpool are in the Premier League. They started the season as relegation fodder and finished it by earning a place at the top table.

FULL-TIME. Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff. The second half didn't quite live up to the first but incredible fighting spirit from Blackpool - twice they were behind and they battled back. Chopra lies disconsolate, while Ian Holloway looks emotional - he will be a Premier League manager next season. What a game, what a result. Comiserations to Cardiff, congratulations to the mighty Tangerines.