Blackpool bidding to banish painful memories of last trip to Loftus Road as they take on QPR

Blackpool’s last visit to Loftus Road was arguably the low point of Neil Critchley’s reign.
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Neil Critchley aims to kick-start Blackpool play-off push at QPR

That’s saying something, because the 43-year-old’s time in charge at Bloomfield Road has been a glittering success.

But on October 27, 2020, in a 1-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon, the Seasiders suffered a gut-wrenching setback that left some fans pondering where the club was heading.

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Despite the pre-season optimism, the loss was Blackpool’s sixth from their opening nine league games, leaving them hovering a single point above the relegation zone.

At the time, The Gazette was told there was absolutely no chance of the club discharging with the services of Critchley. This was a long-term project, I was told, and besides, the performances were positive.

As it transpired, the loss actually turned out to be a turning point in Blackpool’s season, a campaign that ended in promotion glory at Wembley the following May.

In hindsight, this result might have been the best thing that happened to the Seasiders.

Ethan Robson was sent off as Blackpool ended the game with nine menEthan Robson was sent off as Blackpool ended the game with nine men
Ethan Robson was sent off as Blackpool ended the game with nine men
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The following game, the trip to Burton, Critchley switched to 4-4-2, with Gary Madine joining Jerry Yates in attack.

Yates, who up to that point had failed to find the back of the net for his new club, scored both goals in a 2-1 win. He would go on to play a leading role in the club’s promotion, scoring 23 times.

It was also Kenny Dougall’s first appearance in a Blackpool shirt, while it was also Colin Calderwood’s first game in the dugout. From that point onwards, the men in tangerine didn’t look back.

Nevertheless, that night at Loftus Road - in a game played behind closed doors due to Covid - is one Critchley probably struggled to forget in a hurry.

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Looking to get back on track after a nightmare start to the season, Pool took on a Wimbledon side that were temporarily playing their home games at Loftus Road while they finalised their long-awaited return to Plough Lane.

The visitors thought they had made the perfect start when Gary Madine headed home what Pool thought was the game’s opening goal, only for it to be ruled out for a foul.

The Dons immediately raced down the other end to compound their misery, scoring what would turn out to be the game’s winning goal through Callum Reilly.

Blackpool’s woes were compounded when Ethan Robson was sent off seven minutes shy of the half-time interval, before the knife was stuck in even further when they were forced to finish the game with nine men following Dan Ballard’s straight red card.

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Despite their two-man disadvantage, the Seasiders ended the game the stronger side and wasted good chances to rescue a point - CJ Hamilton squandered two great chances right at the death.

Critchley was understandably downbeat when I spoke to him post-match, struggling to put his finger on what was going so wrong for his side.

“Where do you start with that game? It was an absolute rollercoaster of a game,” Critchley told The Gazette.

“I’m really disappointed with the goal we conceded, I thought it was a really easy goal we gave away.

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“That can’t keep happening, we can’t keep chasing games especially when we’re away from home against a team that doesn’t concede many goals.

“Having said that, we began to gain control of the game and then the sending off happens and it changes the course of the next hour or so.

“I thought we were very good with 10 men and probably just as good if not better with nine man.

“The application and the attitude of the players was first class. They went right until the end and we had one or two opportunities to equalise.

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“If you take one of them, I’m probably standing here talking about what a great point it was away from home and the fantastic spirit, but unfortunately we didn’t.”

Critchley marched straight over to referee Sam Purkiss at the final whistle to question the two red cards given to his team.

“I’d have to see both incidents again, but I thought both were dubious,” Critchley said.

“The first one was a real honest challenge from Ethan. He’s obviously overran the ball and he’s stretching, but the referee has said he’s gone over the top of the ball but to me it looks like he wins the ball and maybe with his follow-through he catches him.

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“When you’ve got forward momentum, that’s always going to happen, so I’m not sure it was a sending off.

“The second one, I didn’t actually see that one despite it being right in front of me. I followed the play instead.

“The player has gone down, he’s got up and there doesn’t seem to be a lot wrong with him. Maybe we’ve fallen into the trap there a little bit. I thought Danny Ballard was otherwise excellent and I feel really sorry for him.”

For context, this was the starting line-up that took to the field on that miserable night: Maxwell, Turton, Ekpiteta, Ballard, Mitchell, Williams, Robson, Sarkic (Ward), Kemp (Hamilton), Kaikai (Woodburn), Madine

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