Ivar Ingimarsson scored the only goal in the first half but there were other incidents including a later Reading penalty miss by Stephen Hunt, Marcus Hahnemann having to leave the field through injury and Blackpool having a goal disallowed.
Blackpool played nearly an hour with 10 men after Lee Hendrie was sent off on 33 mins and manager Simon Grayson was sent to the stands late on. Blackpool also had claims for a penalty.
The win was essential as both Wolves and Birmingham won as well.
This weekend Reading entertain Norwich City.