'It's difficult, but we can still avoid the drop'

Colin Doyle insists Blackpool's players believe they can avoid the drop, despite describing the task as 'difficult'.
Colin DoyleColin Doyle
Colin Doyle

Saturday’s drab draw at Fleetwood means survival is no longer in Pool’s own hands – they remain two points from safety with two games to play.

Victory for Shrewsbury in tonight’s game in hand at Walsall would confirm their survival and leave Chesterfield, Blackpool, Fleetwood and Doncaster to fight for the remaining two survival spots.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Pool must aim to beat Wigan and Peterborough, and hope others slip up, something goalkeeper Doyle is convinced can happen.

The club captain said: “It’s been made difficult now but we are still in it. We’ll go out there hoping to win our two games and hoping results go our way. That’s all we can do – keep positive and look to win.

“We still believe we can get out of this. If you don’t believe that, you might as well pack your bags. We’ll keep fighting until the end.”

If Blackpool beat Wigan at Bloomfield Road on Saturday, their survival fight will go down to the final-day trip to Posh on Sunday week. Lose to the Latics, though, and Pool would be relegated next Monday if Fleetwood won at Walsall that afternoon.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Doyle says Blackpool’s top priority is to make sure their fight goes to the wire with a win against leaders Wigan.

The Pool no.1 said: “We have to do everything we can this weekend. We have to be positive, do our best and hopefully get the points.

“We have to take it to the final game. I’ve had experience of final-day drama with Birmingham at Bolton, where we scored in the 93rd minute to stay up. If we can do that, I’ll take it.

“It’s going to be difficult, but we’ve beaten Wigan this season and we’ll be looking to do that again.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Blackpool missed a huge chance to climb out of the drop zone when they drew 0-0 at Fleetwood in a game many thought was even, though manager Neil McDonald claimed Pool “dominated”.

Doyle was a little more reserved but did feel they did enough to win. “We went out there on Saturday to win. I think we probably had the better chances and had a goal disallowed,” he said.

“I had a couple of shots to deal with but they were pretty routine. You’d be blaming me as a keeper if they’d gone in. Once we’d got used to the new shape, I think we did well.”