IT'S easy to miss it amidst all the off-the-field shenanigans, but Blackpool have managed to put in two pretty decent performances in the past week.

Firstly, they bounced back from a disappointing defeat at Port Vale last Wednesday with an impressive 3-0 victory at rock bottom Wycombe on Saturday.

Then 'Pool booked an LDV vans Northern final against Sheffield Wednesday after seeing off the threat of plucky conference side Halifax at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday night.

The Shaymen were well up for the clash, particularly skipper and ex-Seasider, Steve Bushell, and twice went ahead in the first half, but Mike Sheron's best performance in a Blackpool shirt kept the Seasiders on the road to Cardiff.

The visitors took a shock lead on 18 minutes, when Blackpool failed to deal with a straightforward through ball and Lewis Killeen, unmarked at the far post, finished well. Just five minutes later, things were level when Sheron managed to evade Halifax's towering central defenders to head in a Danny Coid inswinger.

But, on 33 minutes, Val Owen's effort put the non-league outfit back in front, sending around 1,000 travelling fans into anther bout of wild celebration. It was no more than their lively and hard-working side deserved and, as Steve McMahon acknowledged after the match, nobody could have had any complaints had they taken a lead into half time.

But Blackpool levelled things on the stroke of half time when Scott Taylor broke free of his marker and turned the ball back to Danny Coid, whose shot took a slight deflection which caught keeper, Mark Cartwright, by surprise and went in.

That knocked the stuffing out of Halifax and Blackpool were always the better team after the break. The breakthrough came nine minutes after half time when a deep cross was headed back across goal by Sheron on the by-line for Taylor to tap in the easiest goal he will ever score, into an open net from two yards.

Blackpool dominated the later stages of the game and had several chances to kill the game off, but it wasn't to be, though the Shaymen had run out of steam long before the end.

Saturday's victory was a real relief, coming less than 48 hours after Thursday's bizarre Bloomfield Road non-resignation.

Danny Coid started the rout on 12 minutes with a far-post scramble after efforts by Taylor and Murphy were only half-cleared by a desperate Wycombe defence.

Craig Faulconbridge hit the post for the home side before Scott Taylor made it 23 for the season, cutting in from the left before firing past debutant goalkeeper, Scott Bevan.

The scoring ended on 66 minutes when one of Pool's training ground free kick routines came off. Richie Wellens had his shot blocked but Steve Davis polished off the rebound to open his Pool account.

It was a good all-round performance from Blackpool, and a good opportunity for youngster, Simon Wiles, who came off the bench to make his first league appearance after an apprenticeship which saw him struggle with horrendous injury problems.

Wycombe may be the league's poorest side, but they still had to be beaten, and it was a measure of their professionalism that the players of Blackpool FC managed to pull it off.

A decision is expected this week on the future of Blackpool striker, Richard Walker. Walker, a £50,000 signing from Aston Villa two years ago, has impressed in a loan spell at Northampton, including scoring the goal that set up an FA Cup meeting with Manchester United. That spell is due to end before the weekend and the Cobblers are expected to take over his contract, due to expire in the summer.