Ian Evatt was in measured but satisfied mood after Blackpool made the journey to Stockport County and came home with a win, telling BBC Radio Lancashire that his side had done exactly what was asked of them.

"We executed what we wanted to do," was the manager's summary, and it is the kind of statement that tends to carry more weight when a team has had to earn it on the road against a side with genuine ambitions of their own in League One this season.

A trip that demanded a plan

Visiting Stockport is not a straightforward assignment. County arrived in the current campaign having spoken openly about pushing up the third-tier table after last season's play-off final disappointment at Wembley, and their home form has historically been a significant part of that picture. For Blackpool to go there and control enough of the game to secure the result suggests this was not simply a case of riding their luck.

Evatt has been building something at Bloomfield Road with a degree of patience, and the early weeks of the season have offered a mixed but not discouraging set of evidence. A 1-1 draw at Wycombe was followed by this win at Stockport, which points to a side that is competitive away from home even when the performances are still finding their shape. Four games is four games, and it is far too soon to draw firm conclusions, but the signs are at least pointing in the right direction.

What the gameplan looked like

Without the full post-match detail from Evatt, it is worth noting what "executing the gameplan" tends to mean in practice for a Blackpool side under his management. Evatt has consistently placed an emphasis on defensive organisation and transitional play, pressing when the moment is right and not simply chasing the game. If Stockport were unable to impose their usual rhythm at home, the credit for that belongs to the structure Blackpool brought with them.

The reference to resilience from Evatt after the Wycombe draw suggested that grinding out points is part of the design, not a fallback. A win at Stockport, where County will expect to collect points regularly over the course of the season, is a more emphatic version of the same quality.

Where this leaves both clubs

For Stockport, the defeat follows a 3-1 win that Tom McNulty had credited to the players, so the mood around the club remains broadly positive despite the setback. Manager Dave Cleverley acknowledged after that loss that soft goals had been a factor, and conceding that kind of goal against a well-organised visiting side is the sort of thing that will need addressing if County are to mount the sustained campaign they have spoken about.

Blackpool, meanwhile, have a point and a win from their opening away fixtures, which is a reasonable platform. The challenge now is whether Evatt can find the same level of execution at Bloomfield Road and begin to turn that consistency into a genuine position in the top half. The League One table at this stage rewards nobody, but a team that can win away from home and defend leads will always be difficult to dismiss.

Evatt will no doubt be urging his squad not to read too much into one result, even a satisfying one. But executing a gameplan away at a club of Stockport's ambition is, at the very least, a decent morning's work.

Frequently asked

What was the result of Blackpool vs Stockport County?
Blackpool won away at Stockport County, with manager Ian Evatt saying his side executed their gameplan on the day. The exact scoreline was not detailed in the available report.
What did Ian Evatt say after Blackpool's win at Stockport?
Evatt told BBC Radio Lancashire that Blackpool had done exactly what they set out to do, saying: "We executed what we wanted to do."
How are Blackpool doing in League One this season?
Early in the 2026-27 League One season, Blackpool have picked up a win away at Stockport County and a draw at Wycombe, suggesting they are competitive on the road under Ian Evatt.