Blackpool 0-0 Sheffield United: Play-off hopes dangle by a thread following breathless encounter

The Seasiders knew they would realistically have to beat the Blades if they were to have any hope of keeping in touch with the top six with nine games to play.

While there’s still plenty of points to play for, the gap now stands at seven - which will inevitably grow at the weekend when Neil Critchley’s side aren’t in action.

Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season, Pool have done themselves proud back in the second tier.

Critchley’s men went toe-to-toe with another of the division’s better sides and arguably had the game’s best chances to take the win.

Josh Bowler arguably came closest, rattling the bar with a sublime long-range effort. But Gary Madine and CJ Hamilton also came close.

While their three-game winning run came to an end, the Seasiders couldn’t have given anything more on what was Neil Critchley’s 100th game in charge.

Neil Critchley opted to stick with the same system he used on Saturday, where Blackpool made it three wins in a row with a 1-0 victory against Swansea City.

It saw Pool line up with three at the back to match up Sheffield United’s formation.

He still made two changes though, bringing Jordan Thorniley back into the side in place of Reece James after recovering from illness.

Thorniley slotted back in on the left-hand side of the back three, seeing James Husband push higher up to left wing-back.

CJ Hamilton also came in, replacing Charlie Kirk who dropped down to the bench.

Chris Maxwell (quad), Richard Keogh (calf), Jordan Gabriel (hamstring), Luke Garbutt (knee), Matty Virtue (ACL), Grant Ward (achilles), Sonny Carey (metatarsal) and Keshi Anderson (hamstring) all remain sidelined.

The Blades, who began the day six points ahead of the Seasiders, made one change from their 4-1 defeat to Coventry City at the weekend.

With around 10 players out through injury, Paul Heckingbottom was forced to name five academy products among his substitutes.

Despite their injury list, the Blades showed more intent inside the opening five minutes than Swansea managed to muster at the weekend.

The Seasiders were penned back in their own half for much of the opening 10 minutes, guilty of giving the ball away too cheaply and gifting possession back to the Blades.

It was no surprise then that the game’s first chance fell to the away side and their talismanic striker Billy Sharp, who holds a good record against the Seasiders during his career.

The forward ought to have done much better here though, somehow firing wide after twisting and turning past Marvin Ekpiteta after Kevin Stewart had been dispossessed of the ball.

A moment later, Sharp turned provider for Sander Berge after United had won the ball back high up the pitch again, but the midfielder could only skew wide.

Blackpool’s first attempt of the night came from former Blade Gary Madine, who turned smartly on the edge of the box before drilling well over.

The visitors almost had the ball in the back of the net after 17 minutes from a partially cleared corner, but thankfully the linesman’s flag was raised for offside as Dan Grimshaw desperately scrambled to keep the ball out.

Critchley’s men could have easily opened the scoring midway through the half when Callum Connolly provided a teasing cross from the right.

Madine made an excellent run across his marker at the near post before glancing a header just over the bar.

The game was now a lot more even, with Sheffield United’s tempo just dropping off a little after the frantic start they made to proceedings.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side were still a major threat, especially on the break. Former Seasider Jack Robinson of all people was picked out in acres of space following one counter, but thankfully Dujon Sterling came over quickly to make a crucial block.

Josh Bowler was becoming more and more influential, evidenced by the fact the away side were resorting to hacking him down at every opportunity.

There was nothing they could do to stop the winger rattling the woodwork six minutes before the break though, the winger almost picking out the top corner from range only to be denied by the bar.

On the stroke of half-time, Callum Connolly was required to complete two important bits of defending, first throwing his body on the line to make an important block before covering to clear following another dangerous Blades break.

The Seasiders showed good, positive intent from the kick-off, putting the Blades onto the back foot in the early stages of the second-half.

Connolly of all people poked just wide at the front post following James Husband’s knockdown towards goal.

Pool mounted a sustained spell of pressure at the start of the second period, winning a succession of corners and throw-ins and building some momentum thanks to the raucous backing from the North Stand.

The away side simply had no answer for Bowler who, despite having two or three men near him every time he got on the ball, still managed to create and make an impact.

On the hour mark, the winger managed to curl in a teasing ball from the right which Foderingham bizarrely flapped away from the six-yard box.

Pool were winning all of the second balls at this point in the game, helping them pin the Blades back in their half.

The hosts really ought to have broken the deadlock when Kenny Dougall, who was enduring a rare off night up until this point, slipped in CJ Hamilton with a clever through-ball, but the winger panicked and skied his effort over.

Another good chance went begging when Bowler fizzed a dangerous low ball across the face of the six-yard box but agonisingly wide of the far post.

The away side thought they had taken the lead against the run of play 16 minutes from time when Oli Norwood rifled home a deflected volley.

However, the ‘goal’ was belatedly ruled out by the linesman’s offside flag as Norwood’s effort was adjudged to have ricocheted off a teammate to wrongfoot Grimshaw before nestling in the bottom corner.

Nevertheless, the incident gave the Blades a shot in the arm, leaving the game on a knife-edge for the final 10 minutes.

Critchley made a double change on the 80th minute, introducing Charlie Kirk and Shayne Lavery off the bench as Pool reverted to 4-4-2.

The Seasiders knew a point was no good for their faint play-off hopes, so they went all out for the win in the dying stages, inevitably leaving gaps at the back.

Jerry Yates was Blackpool’s last throw of the dice, replacing former Blade Madine who was given a decent reception by the away fans as he left the field.

Both sides threw men forwards in stoppage-time in search of a last-gasp winner, but somehow the game ended goalless in what was an enthralling 90 minutes of action.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Grimshaw, Connolly (Lavery), Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Sterling, Husband, Stewart, Dougall, Bowler, Hamilton (Kirk), Madine (Yates)

Subs not used: Moore, James, Robson, Dale

Sheffield United: Foderingham, Norrington-Davies, Gordon, Egan, Robinson, Osborn, Ndiaye (Hourihane), Norwood, Berge, Gibbs-White (Osula), Sharp

Subs not used: Davies, Lopata, Jebbison, Arblaster, Gomis

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Attendance: 11,915