Blackpool 1-4 Nottingham Forest: Faint play-off hopes over as Seasiders suffer joint heaviest defeat of the season

The Seasiders could have cut the gap to the top six with a victory in the early kick-off, which began at 12.30pm and was televised live on Sky Sports.

But they were soundly beaten by an excellent Forest side who scored all three of their goals from their three shots on target in the first-half before finishing it off with a fourth late on.

Callum Connolly grabbed a late consolation but by then the majority of the home stands had already emptied.

Neil Critchley’s side were surprisingly poor defensively, allowing too much time and space for the dangerous Brennan Johnson to score twice.

Nevertheless, the hosts didn’t lack for endeavour and they still managed to cause Forest plenty of problems in attack, only to lack a cutting edge in the final third.

The defeat, Pool’s joint heaviest of the season, ends their four-game unbeaten run ahead of their back-to-back Lancashire derbies, starting at Deepdale on Tuesday night.

Critchley opted to make just one change to his side front he team that started the last game, the goalless draw against Sheffield United prior to the international break.

Jerry Yates came in for Callum Connolly as the Seasiders dropped their five at the back to revert to 4-4-2.

Chris Maxwell, Richard Keogh and Keshi Anderson all returned from injury to be included among the substitutes.

It meant there was no room in the match day squad for Ethan Robson, Owen Dale or Charlie Kirk.

Jordan Gabriel, meanwhile, remains sidelined alongside Luke Garbutt, Matty Virtue, Grant Ward and Sonny Carey.

Nottingham Forest, who began the day six points ahead of the Seasiders in ninth, made two changes to their starting XI.

The game kicked off in glorious sunshine, with both sets of supporters making plenty of noise - the away side backed by around 3,300 supporters.

It was an otherwise slow start on the field though, with both sides looking to feel each other out, so to speak.

Nevertheless, that didn’t stop the away side taking the lead in slightly fortuitous circumstances int he 11th minute, much to the delight of the travelling fans who took up the majority of the East Stand.

Brennan Johnson was given too much time to pull the ball back to Phillip Zinckernagel, whose shot took a huge deflection to loop up and over Dan Grimshaw.

While it was a fortunate way for the ball to end up in the back of the net, Pool were asking for trouble giving away so much time and space in their own box.

To Pool’s credit, they responded well, Josh Bowler - strongly linked with a move to Forest during the January transfer window - seeing a shot charged down before James Husband volleyed narrowly over on the rebound.

But they were given a major let-off shortly afterwards when Grimshaw’s clearance was charged down by the lively Johnson, but fortunately for the hosts Keinan Davis was unable to get a shot off at goal otherwise Pool would have been two down inside 15 minutes.

The Seasiders were certainly causing Forest plenty of problems though and they created two good openings in the space of a matter of seconds.

The first came through James Husband, whose low pullback bobbled across the six-yard box without a taker taking advantage, before Gary Madine headed straight at the keeper from CJ Hamilton’s cross.

Jerry Yates was the next Blackpool man to threaten, beating the keeper to a bouncing ball only to stumble and lose his balance at just the wrong time.

The Seasiders were doing a great job of forcing Forest into mistakes and winning the ball back high up the pitch, but they weren’t displaying the necessary quality required to capitalise on it.

Forest on the other hand showed great quality every time they came forward, especially down their right through Johnson and wing-back Djed Spence.

It was no surprise then that Forest’s second goal came down that flank once again, as Johnson was allowed all the time in the world to drill home a crisp effort into the far corner of Grimshaw’s net.

Pool’s application certainly couldn’t be questioned, as they continued to cause Forest problems with Kenny Dougall sending a swerving effort towards goal which was well held by Brice Samba.

The second-half began with Pool having some half-hearted penalty appeals waved away when Jerry Yates went to ground inside the box, but the Forest defender appeared to win the ball cleanly.

However, Sky Sports replays showed Scott McKenna didn’t get a touch after all and Pool were denied a stonewall penalty.

Nevertheless, the hosts maintained the pressure, Bowler chipping a teasing cross towards the back post where Hamilton could only divert wide.

Pool deserve great credit for the way they stuck to their task, with Bowler becoming increasingly influential in the game down the right flank.

The winger managed to reach the touchline where he pulled the ball back into the danger area, where it eventually found its way to Dougall whose low shot deflected agonisingly wide of the post.

Bowler, meanwhile, continued to see more and more of the ball, the 23-year-old curling a low effort towards goal which Samba dealt with fairly comfortably.

For all of Blackpool’s endeavour, they weren’t able to take advantage once again and, on the hour mark, Forest ought to have added a fourth.

On this occasion, Grimshaw stood tall to make an excellent save to deny Zinckernagel his second of the game after being sent through on goal.

Critchley, meanwhile, freshened things up from the bench, replacing the booked Kevin Stewart with Callum Connolly while Keshi Anderson also made his first appearance since the start of January in place of Hamilton.

At this point Pool knew the game was all but done and they weren’t able to maintain any sort of pressure in the final stages.

Saying that, Anderson ought to have done a lot better with a near post header from Dujon Sterling’s cross which he could only divert wide.

Pool’s misery was compounded eight minutes from time when substitute Sam Surridge was sent through on goal before picking out the far corner to add a fourth for the away side.

Things somehow managed to get even worse for the Seasiders when Sterling was forced to hobble off the pitch after suffering an injury. With three subs already having been made, Pool were forced to finish the game with 10 men. When it rains, it truly pours.

And yet, bizarrely, this is when the hosts managed to grab a consolation, with Connolly stabbing home a late effort to absolutely no fanfare whatsoever.

TEAMS

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

Subs not used: Maxwell, Keogh, James, Beesley

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Spence, Worrall, Figueiredo, McKenna, Colback, Garner, Yates, Zinckernagel (Lolley), Johnson (Grabban), Davis (Surridge)

Subs not used: Horvath, Soh, Mighten, Cafu

Referee: Jarred Gillett

Attendance: 13,986