Blackpool faced newly promoted, self christened, the club that wouldn't due, on a sunny afternoon at Bloomfield Road. Stanley sat in 8th position having picked up two more points than the Seasiders over the course of the first 5 games.
Blackpool started the game brightly, dominating the wide play at Bloomfield Road. Delfouneso delivered a great ball 5 minutes in, but it was too close to the keeper and Cullen fouled when he challenged. Stanley were also looking sharp though, particularly from set pieces as Finley saw a shot deflected wide following a corner. Delfouneso was proving to be an imposing figure though as 12 minutes in a freekick from Thompson met the Blackpool number 7, but his header was tipped over by Ripley.
As Stanley looked to improve, it was infact a free kick that once more led to their next chance on 24 minutes. Heneghan conceded a freekick and it would be taken by McConville, who saw a well hit shot held on to by Howard.
This was end to end stuff in this local derby as Stanley began a good spell. Clark would first, through sheer, determination hook the ball into the box and Blackpool would fail to clear initially. Finley saw his close range effort deflected away by Heneghan and then the resulting corner also led to chaos as another powerful header was blocked and sent behind.
But Blackpool survived the onslaught and once more began to build something oftheir own. In the 33rd minute Thomson saw a low driven strike held by Ripley. Thomson would make more of the Blackpool pressure as he now crossed towards Delfouneso who arguably had the best chance of the game. Unmarked he struck it but, at full stretch the keeper was able to turn it around the post. A similar chance for Dodoo 2 minutes later was skied over as Blackpool would head in at half time level.
Having survived a cagey first half, Blackpool would go into the second with a new lease of life. A set of corners would be a sign of Blackpool's early dominance, the first coming after 55 minutes, however this one would simply lead to a Stanley freekick. 2 minutes later Delfouneso would win a corner and it would be again taken by the ever reliant Thompson. The dangerous ball would this time fall to Nottingham who, despite stooping low, would head wide of the target from point blank range, even if he should have converted. The third and final corner fell to Nottingham again but this time one of our own was his undoing, Mark Cullen would get in the way and deny the right back.
But clearly Blackpool were getting the better of the second half here as Turton and Spearing would both try their luck from distance with Turton seeing his shot saved and Spearing volleying narrowly wide. For all this pressure there was still no breakthrough and the Seasiders would convey their wastefulness when Dodoo would see a shot blocked and Delfouneso would then see his close range effort blocked over the bar by the onrushing defence.
That elusive goal would eventually come though as that very same corner would now be whipped in by a confident Thompson and this time Delfouneso would make no mistake, finding the back of the net.
A continuation of this energy was needed from Blackpool and, through Thompson, they searched for a second. In the 70th minute he nearly found Cullen, but the forward was denied a tap in by an unorthodox clearance from Hughes.
But a double change would cause a stutter amount Blackpool ranks as Stanley should have gone ahead. Zanzaks was put through and he himself should have score, only to be denied by the legs of Howard. If he weren’t to score McConville certainly should have as he babied it with Howard in the floor, who then proceeded to make an outstanding save. 2 minutes later, after 79 minutes, Finley would unleash a strike that had the power taken out of it by a deflection, Stanley certainly aught too be level by this point.
In the 91st minute Blackpool had the chance to put the game beyond any resonable doubt as new signing Feeney found Gnanduillet who could not direct his header on target.
It was instead Acrington who would find an equaliser as Mark Hughes would, following a corner with just minutes left, crash a header past Howard who would have been disappointed having got a hand to it.
Despite Delfouneso going closer even later with Ripley making a fantastic save it was a day of what could have beens for Blackpool with honours even. A fair result to be honest in a match that could have gone either way, but it was absolute heartbreak for the Seasiders who will feel they should have won it.
Encouraging signs on the pitch for Blackpool but off it, where is the next manager coming from then!? I'm backing McPhillips honestly, but with the current state of the affairs at the club, who is to say. Reportedly Owen is meeting with Vsport after the game today so all I can say is that I hope they get a deal over the line.
UTP
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