Accrington Stanley 0-0 Blackpool: Seasiders hold on to claim a point as League One's form sides play out drab draw

Blackpool played out a goalless draw with Accrington Stanley in a scrappy encounter between League One’s form sides.
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Accrington Stanley v Blackpool as it happened

Blackpool played out a goalless draw with Accrington Stanley in a scrappy encounter between League One’s form sides.

The Seasiders came closest to scoring through Jerry Yates’ first-half effort, where the striker struck the foot of the post with a curling first-time effort.

It was a feisty encounter at times despite the lack of goalmouth actionIt was a feisty encounter at times despite the lack of goalmouth action
It was a feisty encounter at times despite the lack of goalmouth action
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But Neil Critchley’s men will have been relieved to escape with a point following a below-par display in the second period.

Stanley constantly peppered Pool’s goal in the second-half, former Seasider Dion Charles in particular going close on three separate occasions.

While Blackpool will be disappointed with their performance in their last outing before Christmas, they will be pleased with a clean sheet and a point that means they’ve only lost one of their last nine league games.

Critchley opted to make three changes from Pool’s dramatic midweek triumph against previously table-topping Hull City.

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Matty Virtue was brought into the side to make his first league appearance of the season, having recently returned from a lengthy injury lay-off.

Ethan Robson was the man to make way, dropping out of the squad entirely alongside surprise absentees Daniel Gretarsson and Sullay Kaikai.

Dan Ballard returned from suspension to partner Marvin Ekpiteta in the centre of defence, while Gary Madine came into the side to partner Jerry Yates in attack following his impressive display off the bench against Hull.

Accrington, meanwhile, named an unchanged side from the team that beat Gillingham 2-0 away from home in midweek, with former Seasiders Michael Nottingham and Dion Charles retaining their places in the starting XI.

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With the East Lancashire rain lashing down, it was the home side that created the first opening - Sean McConville picking out Charles with a clever chip, only for the forward’s touch to let him down before he got the chance to shoot.

The tricky conditions made for a slow start, with both sides forced to slug it out in the middle of the park to assert their dominance.

Pool keeper Chris Maxwell was called into action in the 13th minute, saving comfortably from Nottingham’s header as the former Pool man rose highest from McConville’s deep cross.

The home side ought to have taken the lead a couple of minutes later as McConville found himself through on goal, only to delay before being thwarted by Maxwell, who was quick off his line.

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The Seasiders weren’t at it in the opening exchanges, but they could have threatened when Matty Virtue slid in to clearly beat Joe Pritchard to the ball to set CJ Hamilton free down the right. But the referee called it back for a free-kick on the Accrington man, much to the frustrations of Blackpool’s players.

Pool were a whisker away from taking the lead when they produced their first opportunity of the afternoon midway through the opening half.

It followed some superb play by Hamilton down the right, who managed to peel past his man before slipping the ball into the path of Jerry Yates who hit a curling first-time effort against the foot of the post.

Blackpool threatened again following a swift counter-attack six minutes before the break as Keshi Anderson surged through the middle of the park.

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The midfielder opted to play in Gary Madine when Jerry Yates looked the better option, with Madine eventually cutting in from the left before shooting straight at Nathan Baxter.

Pool continued to get into some promising attacking positions only for their final ball to let them down at the vital moment, with their passes either being intercepted or going astray.

The second-half started even scrappier than the first-half, with Kenny Dougall picking up a booking as he stopped an Accrington attack.

We finally got some action on the hour-mark, as referee Declan Bourne waved away Accrington’s desperate penalty appeals.

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This allowed the Seasiders to immediately break at speed, Hamilton eventually slipping in Yates whose heavy touch allowed Baxter to race out of goal and thwart him.

Stanley looked set to break the deadlock a couple of minutes later when McConville sprung the offside trap to find himself through on goal, but thankfully Ollie Turton was there to make an absolutely vital last-ditch block.

The home side continued to look the side more likely to open the scoring, as Nottingham headed over from a close-range free-kick before Maxwell made an important save to deny Charles.

Stanley continued to be wasteful in front of goal, Charles lashing over the bar 20 minutes from time when well placed in front of goal.

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Critchley opted to tweak things with the introduction of Bez Lubala off the bench, in place of Yates, which saw Pool change to a 4-2-3-1 system.

Lubala almost made an instant impact, launching a powerful effort from range which Baxter did well to hold onto.

Pool’s goal continued to live a charmed life, as Charles fired inches wide of the Blackpool goal after being played through down the right hand channel.

Accrington’s pressure came to nothing, with the game fizzling out and ending in a drab, goalless draw.

TEAMS

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Accrington: Baxter, Nottingham, Hughes, Burgess, Butcher, Pritchard, McConville, Rodgers, Conneely, Bishop, Charles

Subs not used: Savin, Sykes, Russell, Cassidy, Uwakwe, Barclay, Fenlon

Blackpool: Maxwell, Turton, Ekpiteta, Ballard, Garbutt, Dougall, Virtue (Ward), Anderson, Hamilton, Yates (Lubala), Madine

Subs not used: Fojticek, Gabriel, Husband, Woodburn, Kemp

Referee: Declan Bourne

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