Although on reflection a draw was probably a fair outcome, Pool will be ruing the gift which gave the home side an equaliser at the start of the second half.

Just a few seconds after the restart and with Pool in command at 1-0 up, a Ben Burgess error in his own penalty area – the big striker, blinded by the low sun, failing to clear the ball from a corner – enabled Leon Cort to bundle the ball home.

It was a shame for Burgess, who played well and had earlier been the hero when he gave the Seasiders the lead on 37 minutes.

Burgess fired home his eighth goal of the campaign from 12 yards courtesy of a wicked deflection off Stoke defender Cort.

Incredibly, although the goal came at seven minutes past four, some Pool fans still missed the big forward's opener from just inside the box, having been stuck in the horrendous M6 jams which had caused the kick, off to be delayed by 30 minutes.

Indeed most Pool fans will not have seen most of the action in the first half which came in the first 15 minutes.

Within the first minute Pool were under the cosh but Leon Cort fired over after the first of several long throws for the home side.

Then on five minutes Sidibe's header grazed the outside of Rachubka's left hand post.

Ian Evatt was on hand to clear from six yards after Rachubka clearance had rebounded off Sidibe towards the Pool goal.

However, the visitors stood firm and could even have doubled their lead just before the break but Evatt sliding in saw his effort go just wide from six yards. It was a great chance and a goal then would have given Pool breathing space and probably set them on course for victory.

As it was they had to settle for a point, an even second half failing to find a winner.

Earlier Pool had named an unchanged line up for the trip to table-topping Stoke – although the big story had been the traffic chaos that has caused a delayed kick off.

A serious accident on the M6 closed off both carriageways and caused massive tailbacks.

Hundreds of Blackpool fans were stuck and so was the team coach, which only made it to the ground at 2.20pm with the help of a police escort.

Stoke didn't want to put the kick off back but eventually were forced to agree because referee Mike Pike – travelling in from Barrow – was still stuck in traffic 15 miles away at Sandbach at 2.30pm!

Kick off was put back to 3.30pm, which at least gave most Blackpool fans – and there was a big following at the Britannia Stadium - the chance to make it for the start.

Manager Simon Grayson stuck with the same 11 which drew with local rivals Preston last weekend.

That means there was still no Paul Dickov and Keith Southern – both out with hamstring complaints.

Ben Burgess again partnered former Hull City team-mate Stephen McPhee up front, with new boy Grant Holt – on loan from Nottingham Forest – on the bench in place of Keigan Parker. The Scot didn't travelled – he is suffering from a groin strain.

There were four ex-Preston players in the Stoke line up: Carlo Nash, Danny Pugh, Paul Gallagher and Richard Cresswell. City's new loan signing Jay Bothroyd was on the bench, as was one-time Pool target Andy Wilkinson.

Another man with Blackpool links, Carl Dickinson, wasn't included in the 16.

STOKE: Nash, Griffin (cap), Riggott, Cort, Pugh, Delap, Diao, Whelna, Gallagher, Sidibe, Cresswell. Subs: Simonsen (GK), Zakuani, Parkin, Wilkinson, Bothroyd

BLACKPOOL: Rachubka, Barker, Evatt, Gorkss, Crainey, Taylor-Fletcher, Jorgensen, Flynn, Hoolahan, Burgess, McPhee. Subs: Coid, Morrell, Fox, Welsh, Holt

REF: Mike Pike (Barrow)

*READ Steve Canavan's match report in Easter Monday's Gazette - and find out why Simon Grayson reckons he could have got anywhere in Europe quicker than the team coach made it from Blackpool to Stoke.