A DETERMINED Blackpool set out to reverse a comfortable defeat at Kirkby's hands in the autumn and secure safety from relegation.

Final score Kirkby Lonsdale 15 Blackpool 22.

It was strange that in ideal conditions for running rugby, Kirkby chose to run the ball back into the forwards in the early stages.

The obvious tactics would have been to tire out the visitors' big pack, which bore several profiles that suggested they might be suffering before the end.

Applying pressure, Blackpool went ahead when lively scrum-half Swindell broke through to put away Cooper to score wide on the left for an unconverted try.

Lifted by that score, the visitors continued to have the upper hand and a good move saw their right winger go clear for a second try, which stand-off Coppick converted.

Kirkby were struggling to get their backs into the action but Mallaband put them on the scoreboard with a penalty.

Once again, however, the Kirkby line came under threat and after a drop-goal attempt went wide, Blackpool added a penalty to finish the first half with a 15-point lead

Kirkby looked more dangerous in the second half and Luke Ladell made an elusive run to score an unconverted try on the right and they began to enjoy most of the territorial advantage.

Blackpool rallied and worked the ball to the home 22, where Coppick showed startling pace from the scrum to go in under the posts and convert his own try.

Kirkby upped their game and strong runs by Wylder, Ree and Dowker made good headway but the Blackpool defence held firm.

Blackpool failed with a long-range penalty when a Kirkby player obstructed Squire after he had eluded one pursuer, but their pack had lasted far better than had been expected and this was a key factor.

Injury time came before Kirkby put together a concerted effort between forwards and backs for Dowker to score in the left corner and Mallaband converted from wide out.

It made it a respectable scoreline, and a delighted Blackpool, now safe from the drop, were cheered to hear the final whistle.