Concerns that Sheffield United would underestimate their modest Championship opponents yesterday – or, as manager Kevin Blackwell expressed in the prematch build-up, produce an “arrogant display” – lasted for just four second-half minutes. The Blades threatened briefly to surrender a two-goal lead, but no sooner had Blackpool pulled a goal back through Steve Kabba than Greg Halford smashed in an emphatic third goal.

The reason for Blackwell’s doubt is that last season United had a disappointing start that ultimately cost them promotion. This time, with two league wins out of three, scoring six goals in the process, they could not have hoped to make a greater statement of intent. “We made a conscious decision beforehand that this was a very big game for us,” said Blackwell, “and the lads responded brilliantly.”

For Blackpool manager Simon Grayson the biggest challenge is seemingly to find the right combination between his existing squad and the 13 players bought over the course of the summer. Five new men started yesterday and and at times in a first half that was played at an almost pedestrian pace, Blackpool clearly lacked communication.

Nowhere was this more apparent than in defence. On 21 minutes, not for the first time, Blackpool’s backline failed to deal with a teasing delivery from the flanks. Darius Henderson tried to control Billy Sharp’s cross from the right but, as he spun, the ball struck the hand of his defensive marker. Appeals for handball were ignored and Gary Speed calmly waited for the arrival of Stephen Quinn, whose left-footed strike into the net was a formality.

Having provided one, Speed, who was magnificent throughout, again put his name on the scoresheet via the penalty spot. After Shaun Barker was penalised for pulling Ugo Ehiogu’s shirt, the 38-year-old sent the ball past Paul Rachubka. “A freak of nature,” joked Blackwell about Speed’s remarkable longevity.

For a short period the game opened up, with Blackpool enjoying possession, but their goal came from a mistake, Matthew Kilgallon’s poor clearance falling for Kabba, who controlled the ball with his chest before firing past a flat-footed Paddy Kenny.

Any idea of a comeback was dispelled when Halford scored from a tight angle.

Star man: Gary Speed (Sheffield Utd)
Referee: S Matheson
Attendance: 8,611

BLACKPOOL: Rachubka 7, Barker 5, Edwards 6, Evatt 6, Camara 5 (Coid 86min), Taylor-Fletcher 7 (Fox 90min), Wright 5 (Vaughan 64min), Jorgensen 6, Hammill 7, Kabba 7, Burgess 6

SHEFFIELD UTD: Kenny 7, Jihai 7 (Geary 90min), Ehiogu 7, Kilgallon 7, Naysmith 6, Halford 7 (Spring 80min), Tonge 7, Speed 8, Quinn 8, Sharp 7 (Webber 80min), Henderson 7