AFC Blackpool 0 Ashton Town 0: Mechs not quite in play-offs yet

Martin Baird made changes to the starting XI from Saturday's win at Golcar United, bringing Ben Duffield, James Hughes and Ryan White into the side.

And Hughes created the first opportunity of the game for White, whose shot was tame.

Both sides had chances in the first half, with AFC keeper Dan Hall saving well as did his opposite number from Jacob Gregory.

The best chance of the half fell to an Ashton side battling to avoid relegation.

Ashton were first to a free-kick whipped into the six-yard area but the ball somehow flew over the bar.

Baird made a double substitution early in the second half, bringing on Billy McKenna and Josh Winder.

In the 58th minute, Hughes found space in the middle to release Gregory but his effort flew over.

Hughes then regained possession from a corner he had taken himself but shot just off-target from the edge of the area.

A fingertip save by Hall, turning the ball over the top, kept AFC level in the 88th minute and they almost broke the deadlock themselves when Ryan McLean's looping cross from the left hit the bar.

The draw moves Ashton a point clear of the bottom three, while AFC remain fourth and lead the group of four clubs fighting for the final two places alongside Holker Old Boys and Golcar in the play-offs.

Blackpool's top-five place would virtually be sealed if Daisy Hill win at Bacup Borough on Thursday.

Otherwise, it all goes down to the final fixtures on Saturday, when a point away to Ilkley Town would surely be enough for AFC, though the Yorkshire side are fighting for their lives at the bottom.

AFC: Hall, Radcliffe, Bishop, O’Brien, McLean, Sumner, Hughes, Gregory, White, Duffield, Morris. Subs: Sillett, McKenna, Winder, Thompson.

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