The Seasiders are safe! That was the message to come out of Bloomfield Road after Pool finished the season with a 1-1 draw.

It was a great start for the Seasiders and, despite ten-man Watford clawing a point in the second-half, nothing was to stop the celebrations.

Simon Grayson opted to give Joe Martin his debut for the Seasiders starting on the left with Irish winger Wes Hoolahan going across to the right in the absence of Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

On a day that saw 14 of the 24 teams in the Championship have something to play for, Watford came to Bloomfield Road looking to secure their position in the play-offs while Blackpool wanted one thing - safety.

It didn't take long for the drama start. Inside the first two minutes, Watford failed to clear their lines from a Pool corner which allowed BEN BURGESS to volley the ball into the back of the net (2).

BLACKPOOL 1 WATFORD 0

The goal led to the chants of 'We are staying up' with Watford seemingly shell-shocked by the goal and off the pace somewhat.

Darius Henderson looked to create a reply as he whipped the ball across for Nathan Ellington to head but Ian Evatt just got to the ball in front of him.

The Hornets started to show glimpses that they were starting to come back into the game after ten minutes as Nathan Ellington and Darius Henderson continued to receive plenty of the ball.

A mad scramble in the box resulted in Ellington seeing his effort parried away by Paul Rachubka for a corner. After a succession of corners the referee blew to acknowledge a foul against former Pool loanee Danny Shittu.

The Watford defender was then involved in a tackle from the resulting Pool free-kick that needed the referee to call for a change of ball after the one in use had popped.

Joe Martin came close to adding a second for Pool but Richard Lee got down well to save his header.

Then, at the other end, step-up Paul Rachubka. Firstly Chubs denied Tommy Smith at point blank range with a great save before responding quickly to make it a double by blocking Darius Henderson's effort.

The Hornets were given very little time to settle on the ball as the Seasiders continued to press and hassle the Watford players whenever on the ball.

With just under ten minutes remaining until half-time, a nice piece of composure on the ball from Danny Coid saw him set the Seasiders on another burst forward. This time it was Keith Southern who made the run and just fired over.

Watford came close to finding an equaliser but for a piece of great defending from Shaun Barker. Tommy Smith found Darius Henderson at the back post with the striker heading the ball across goal. As danger loomed, Barker cleared the ball away from the goal line.

HALF-TIME SCORE - BLACKPOOL 1 WATFORD 0

The second-half began with Watford in the ascendancy as they desperately searched for the equaliser. A stray pass from Wes Hoolahan nearly put Darius Henderson in, but fortunately for Pool and Wes he just failed to connect.

The Seasiders first real effort of the second-half came courtesy of Wes Hoolahan who drilled his effort just wide of the left post.

It was then Stephen McPhee's turn to have a go for goal when he found himself with just one defender to beat. The striker turned his man inside out before unleashing a powerful strike against the post.

It was to get from bad to worse for Watford after Darius Henderson was sent-off. After being booked in the first half for handball, the striker was shown his second yellow card for an elbow on Kaspars Gorkss. It meant that the Hornets became the second team in succession at Bloomfield Road to be reduced to ten-men.

Just when Watford may have looked down and out, winger Tommy Smith went on a mazy run down the right and curled an effort into the bottom of the right-hand corner (62).

BLACKPOOL 1 WATFORD 1

A long throw by the Hornets needed Kaspars Gorkss to clear away from the line after Paul Rachubka just failed to keep hold, as the ten-men continued to press for a second.

Just less than 16 minutes of the match remained when debutant Joe Martin came off to a great reception for striker Andy Morrell.

Stephen McPhee had another effort this time saved by the keeper, which followed some toying antics from Paul Rachubka at the other end to keep the ball.

The Seasiders were forced to clear yet another ball off the goal line this time from a corner. Luckily for Pool Claus Jorgensen just managed to scramble the ball away.

As the game began to come to a close, manager Simon Grayson decided to bring off both Ben Burgess and Stephen McPhee for Grant Holt and David Fox. The change meant that Claus Jorgensen operated the left flank for the final few minutes while Andy Morrell joined Holt up front.

The whistle blew for a point following injury time, but only one thing mattered - Championship football again next season.

FULL TIME SCORE - BLACKPOOL 1 WATFORD 1