Championship play-off final: Blackpool v Cardiff City

Wembley is bathed in glorious sunshine and Wembley Way is a mass of orange as the Blackpool fans make their way to the stadium Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk It's been a long journey down from Blackpool so these fans tuck into their tea and sarnies to replenish their energy supplies before kick-off ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk ... but these supporters look like they'll be going hungry Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: Tom Jenkins/guardian.co.uk Knotted handkerchiefs are hard to come by at Wembley so this Blackpool fan has to make do with a Sainsbury's carrier bag, well at least it's orange Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Fireworks as the teams come out Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Cardiff set their stall out early and just three minutes in Michael Chopra gets in front of Ian Evatt and hits the bar Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Chopra goes one better six minutes later and fires Cardiff into the lead from the edge of the area. However, their lead lasts only four minutes, as Charlie Adam fires in a fabulous free-kick from 25 yards to make it 1-1 Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk He's got every reason to be happy about that strike ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk ... as has Blackpool boss Ian Holloway Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Cardiff's Darcy Blake climbs above Gary Taylor-Fletcher Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk 37 minutes in and Cardiff regain the lead. Joe Ledley lays the ball off to Peter Whittingham and then surges goalwards, Whittingham then plays him in down the left and the Cardiff midfielder slots the ball into the net Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: Tom Jenkins/guardian.co.uk Again Cardiff's lead only lasts four minutes as Blackpool equalise for the second time, when Taylor-Fletcher stoops to put a powerful header into the net. 2-2, what a game! Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Then just four minutes later with half-time approaching fast, Blackpool take the lead for the first time. DJ Campbell's jinky run takes him into the Cardiff area but his attempted shot bounces off a Cardiff defender and falls to Brett Ormerod who slams the ball low and hard into the net. Amazing! Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Unbelievably the drama keeps on coming. In the second minute of injury time, Blake puts the ball into the net but it's rightfully ruled out for offside Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Stephen Crainey takes his eyes off the ball as he watches a flying Ledley Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk The relentness action continues in the second half and just before the hour mark Chopra finds himself in loads of space 20 yards out and lets fly but unbelievably he hits the bar for the second time, the Cardiff fans behind the goal can't believe it either Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk DJ Campbell is beaten to the ball by Anthony Gerrard Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk As the final whistle draws ever closer, Cardiff are not having the rub of the green as they attempt to break down the Blackpool defence, so it's no surprise that manager Dave Jones starts to fear the worst ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk .. .as does Cardiff keeper David Marshall Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Marshall saves at feet of Ben Burgess Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Then after an agonising five minutes of injury time, the final whistle goes and Blackpool are in the top flight for the first time in 39 years Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Holloway celebrates with sub Barry Bannan Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk The champagne comes out ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk ... and Crainey finishes some of it off Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Keith Southern finds himself covered in ticker-tape Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Blackpool players celebrate Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Evatt still has the energy for a lap of honour, well maybe just a bit of a run about in front of the Blackpool fans Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk Finally the celebrations end and the Blackpool fans head off, no doubt their heads full of thoughts about little Bloomfield Road playing host to the likes of Rooney and Drogba next season ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer Photograph: guardian.co.uk