Sixty-nine years to the day that Blackpool suffered their worst ever defeat, 10-1 to Huddersfield, any thoughts that the record might be challenged by the mighty Arsenal were courageously dispelled by the struggling Second Division team at Highbury last night.
Despite being out-played for much of the evening, they managed a goal, restricted Arsenal to three and returned home with plenty of pride and fond memories.
It was a brief opportunity for Blackpool to relive the halcyon days when Stanley Matthews roamed the wing and playing Arsenal was a common occurrence. In fact, in 1953 Blackpool won at Highbury on their way to the Matthews final, the only time they have won the cup.
The Seasiders' fortunes have ebbed since. Thirty years of topflight football ended in 1967 and though the club made a brief return the old First Division in 1970-71, the bottom two divisions have been Blackpool's home for the past two decades.
So when Arsenal, even without Dennis Bergkamp, Kanu, Martin Keown, David Seaman and Patrick Vieira, created four scoreable chances in the first 11 minutes, the signs looked ominous.
Blackpool's goalkeeper, Tony Caig, bravely blocked the first effort, a shot from Thierry Henry, then was nearly knocked into the net pushing Marc Overmars's 20-yard strike wide.
But on 23 minutes, Arsenal's superiority told as Overmars laid the ball back to Gilles Grimandi, who found the bottom corner from 20 yards. It was his third goal in as many games. At this point, the Gunners looked to be cruising, but there is no room for complacency in these situations. On 39 minutes Paul Beesley, the former Manchester City player, drove in a cross from the left and Phil Clarkson nipped in front of Tony Adams to glance the ball classily past Alex Manninger for the equaliser.
The half-time chats would have made interesting listening. The Blackpool manager Nigel Worthington, once of Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday, no doubt appealed for more of the same, while Arsene Wenger appealed for less.
Victories over lowly opposition are earned; they are not the natural result of superiority on paper or balance sheets and Arsenal emerged for the second half having heeded the message.
On 51 minutes, Caig made another smart save to stop Henry's 20-yard free-kick and shortly after the Frenchman diverted the ball over the bar from Petit's cross.
The inevitable arrived on 65 minutes when Arsenal regained the lead, though it took a series of mis-kicks to do so.
Petit swung in a corner from the right, Henry half-connected with an overhead kick, the ball squirted out to Overmars, his attempted shot inadvertently found Tony Adams and the Arsenal skipper crashed the ball home from five yards to break the hearts of the 2,500 Blackpool fans who had travelled south.
Overmars added a third a minute from time.
ARSENAL: Manninger, Dixon, Luzhny, Adams, Silvinho, Ljungberg (Hughes 72), Grimandi, Petit, Overmars, Suker (Kanu 72), Henry. Subs Not Used: Lukic, Vernazza, Weston. Goals: Grimandi 23, Adams 65, Overmars 89.
BLACKPOOL: Caig, Bardsley, Carlisle, Hughes, Beesley, Lee, Bushell, Clarkson, Hills, Murphy, Nowland. Subs Not Used: Couzens, Bent, Forsyth, Barnes, Lambert. Booked: Bushell. Goals: Clarkson 38.
Referee: U Rennie (Sheffield).
