After 27 seconds, an error from Blackpool's goalkeeper Phil Barnes following a backpass from Brian Reid allowed Chris Tate to score, putting Leyton Orient into an early lead.

Blackpool ended their following season in sixteenth position in the Second Division, five places and twelve points ahead of the relegation zone.

Leyton Orient finished the regular 2000–01 season in fifth position in the Third Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system, two places and three points ahead of Blackpool.

[5] After a goalless first half, the home side took the lead on the hour mark when Brett Ormerod received a pass from Gary Parkinson and struck the ball past Hartlepool goalkeeper Anthony Williams.

John Hills restored Blackpool's lead a minute later when he headed Ormerod's cross in before Jermaine Easter, a second-half substitute for Hartlepool, was sent off for a foul on Brian Reid.

[8] The first half ended goalless with the best chance coming when a flick-on from Kevin Francis found Mark Greaves whose shot struck the Leyton Orient crossbar.

Leyton Orient failed to clear a Hull corner and Eyre's shot from the edge of the penalty area beat Ashley Bayes to make it 1–0.

Leyton Orient dominated the game and doubled their lead midway through the second half when Matt Lockwood scored from 30 yards (27 m) direct from a free kick.

[14] In the matches between the sides during the regular season, the first ended in a 2–2 at Bloomfield Road in August 2000 while Leyton Orient won their home game 1–0 the following March.

[18] After 27 seconds, an error from Blackpool's goalkeeper Phil Barnes following a backpass from Reid allowed Chris Tate to score, putting Leyton Orient into an early lead.

Parkinson's free kick from 35 yards (32 m) went high over the Leyton Orient bar in the 19th minute before Barnes tipped over a diving header from David McGhee.

[21] Neither side made any change to their personnel during the interval and three minutes into the second half, Jabo Ibehre's strike from inside the Blackpool penalty area struck the goalpost.

Seven minutes later, Leyton Orient made their first substitutions of the game, with Tate and Wim Walschaerts being replaced by Ahmet Brković and Steve Castle.

[3] Blackpool ended their following season in sixteenth position in the Second Division, five places and twelve points ahead of the relegation zone.