Blackpool 0-0 Shrewsbury Town: Seasiders' winless run against the Shrews continues in bore draw

Blackpool’s 22-year winless run against Shrewsbury Town continued as the two sides played out a drab stalemate at Bloomfield Road.

The Seasiders, who have now failed to beat the Shropshire outfit in their last 10 attempts, came the closest to breaking the deadlock as Chris Long rattled the woodwork nine minutes from time.

But in truth neither side did enough to win the game, as Blackpool failed to make it back-to-back wins after beating the league leaders Portsmouth last week.

While Blackpool were under-par, they will still be satisfied to hold on for their 13th clean sheet of the campaign.

Despite Terry McPhillips hinting that Ollie Turton and Curtis Tilt would both return from injury, Tilt was the only one out of the two to be named in Pool’s squad.

The centre back came straight back into the team to make his first appearance since the 1-0 defeat against Barnsley on December 22.

Out went Nick Anderton who dropped down to the bench alongside Nathan Delfouneso, the only two changes to the team from last weekend’s 1-0 win at Portsmouth.

Chris Long was the other player to come into the side to make his first Blackpool start having come off the bench to net the winner at Fratton Park last Saturday.

Mark Howard, Jimmy Ryan, Mark Cullen, Max Clayton and Joe Dodoo remain out injured alongside Turton.

Shrewsbury, clearly brimming with confidence from their midweek win against Stoke City in the FA Cup, were straight onto the front foot in the early stages.

They wasted a glorious chance to take the lead on 11 minutes, Josh Laurent failing to hit the target after the ball had been pulled back to him on the edge of the six-yard box.

Blackpool just couldn’t get going and Shrewsbury came close through Laurent for a second time, the forward diverting a long throw towards goal but Christoffer Mafoumbi was there to claim.

Laurent wasted a third chance to give Shrewsbury the lead as the away side looked to capitalise on Callum Guy being caught in possession, allowing the forward the chance to get a shot off at goal only to skew it just wide of the top corner.

A half desperately lacking in action, with Blackpool failing to muster a single attempt on goal, ended with Shrewsbury defender Luke Waterfall heading narrowly wide from the back post.

Three minutes into the second half and Blackpool finally produced their first shot on goal, Jordan Thompson volleying wide after exchanging a neat one-two with Chris Long.

At the other end, Oliver Norburn’s drive took a huge deflection to wrongfoot Mafoumbi in the Blackpool goal, but fortunately it bounced wide.

The Seasiders were still well off the pace, with even Jay Spearing producing uncharacteristic mistakes as he saw his weak pass cut out by Laurent, who once again failed to capitalise as he produced a tame effort.

Midway through the second 45 minutes and Blackpool created their first genuine clear-cut opportunity of the afternoon.

It fell to top scorer Armand Gnanduillet from a corner, who despite towering above his marker failed to keep his header down, eventually nodding over the bar from close range.

Blackpool came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock with just nine minutes left on the clock as Chris Long rattled the woodwork with a thunderbolt of an effort on his weak foot.

It came after strike partner Gnanduillet played him in, Long then producing a powerful effort that cannoned off the crossbar and down onto the goalline.

A few seconds later, Blackpool worked the ball back into the box to Gnanduillet who headed narrowly wide.

But that proved to be the last action of the game as neither side were able to break the deadlock in what was a dour affair.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Mafoumbi, Daniels, Heneghan, Tilt, Bola, Spearing, Guy (Pritchard), Thompson, Feeney (Nottingham), Long (O'Sullivan), Gnanduillet

Subs not used: Boney, Anderton, Kirby, Delfouneso

Shrewsbury: Arnold, Bolton, Beckles, Waterfall, Sadler, Haynes, Norburn, Grant, Docherty, Laurent (Gilliead), Okenabihirhie (Smith)

Subs not used: Charles-Cook, Sears, Eisa, Amadi-Holloway, Angol

Referee: James Linnington

Attendance: 3,186 (516 Shrewsbury)