Nathan Clarke had earlier opened the scoring after 18 minutes with a close range header from Chris Holland's perceptive cross after the ball had been cleared from the Blackpool area.

Kevin Gray showed signs of defensive frailties to come when he deliberately handballed a few minutes later to prevent the ball from reaching Brett Ormerod.

Ormerod was to prove how dangerous he was later but it was his team-mate Lee Collins who equalised on 25 minutes after capitalising on Gray's slip-up to slot home past Margetson with support from John Murphy.

The game was finely balanced at this point but the Terriers simply fell apart after Collins' goal.

The Terriers defence were in disarray after a series of Blackpool attacks culminating in them taking the lead just 4 minutes after Collins' opener.

The diminuitive Ormerod headed past Margetson and his defenders to take the lead and, for the rest of the half, Blackpool took the game to their hosts with attack after attack.

The Terriers were not playing as a unit and it showed until half time as they were pressurised by the visitors who showed them no respect for their lofty league position with flowing attacks.

The second half started hopefully for Town, with Danny Schofield going close and Beech scuffing his shot in the opening minutes but the heat was back on shortly thereafter when Margetson was caught in no-mans land and Brett Ormerod hit the side netting.

The Welsh goalkeeper made a good point blank save minutes later but he could do little about Ormerod's second goal which came as a result of another error by Kevin Gray.

Gray had stepped up for offside as Jasczcun put a clinical pass through but hadn't noticed Gareth Evans yards behind him playing Brett Ormerod onside.

Ormerod made no mistake as he calmly rounded Margetson and finished cruelly with Irons and Mattis waiting on the sidelines to come on.

The Terriers continued to plug away despite the setback and pulled one back to make it 3-2 through a good solo effort from John Thorrington.

Thorrington beat two defenders on a superb run down the right touchline, He briefly cut inside before chancing his arm on a shot which took a deflection.

Luck was briefly on their side and Lou Macari brought his son Paul Macari on in an attempt to claim and equaliser but it was Blackpool who were to have the final say.

Deep into injury time Ormerod completed his hat-trick when he chased upfield on the counter-attack, ably supported by Graham Fenton who had taken the ball out of defence.

The finale seemed inevitable and, when Ormerod tucked the ball away, it was the cue for hundreds of Town fans to stream towards the exits. 

editor.

Match Facts.

Town (4-4-2) Margetson, Jenkins, Clarke, Gray, Evans, Baldry (Macari 87), Holland, Beech (Irons 66), Thorrington, Hay (Mattis 66), Schofield
Subs not used: Digby, Moses
Booked: Gray, Clarke, Hay
Scorers: Clarke 18, Thorrington 86

Blackpool (4-4-2) Pullen, Jasczcun, O'Kane, Reid, Wellens, Murphy (Fenton 82), Ormerod, Coid, Collins (Mackenzie 82), Hills, Bullock (Simpson 90)
Subs: Barnes, Thompson
Booked: Ormerod
Scorers: Collins 25, Ormerod 29, 62, 94

Attendance: 10,691 (1,434 Away)

Referee: Phil Jocelin (Newark)