Blackpool boss Bowyer makes consistency call

Blackpool were held by Gillingham on Tuesday night

His Blackpool side were just minutes away from sealing back-to-back victories on Tuesday night only to be pegged back in the last minute during their 1-1 draw against Gillingham.

The Pool boss said the result felt like a defeat considering how many clear-cut opportunities they had squandered in a dominant first half.

As the Seasiders prepare to take on Fleetwood Town this afternoon, Bowyer says his players need to stay focused for the full 90 minutes.

“It’s a great learning curve for us once again, especially for the younger ones who now realise you have to be ruthless in this league,” he said.

“Football doesn’t wait for anybody, if you don’t take your chances and you’re only winning 1-0 then there’s always that possibility.

“Saturday against Peterborough we were able to see it out, on Tuesday we weren’t. I think that is the big one for us at the moment; the consistency.

“I don’t want us to be one week this and one week that; one week we’re good at defending set plays, the next week we have to go back to it again, or one week we’re good at attacking but next week we’re not creating.

“The challenge for this group now is consistency. They’ve shown they can do it so it’s not like we’re asking them to do something they’re not capable of.

“On Saturday at Peterborough our game management was very good and bar two balls going into our box, it wasn’t too bad on Tuesday either.

“The disappointing thing is we didn’t mark properly, it’s not even game management – it was actually doing our jobs properly all the way through.

“I come back to the word ‘consistency’. It’s OK doing your job for 85 or 86 minutes, but you can’t do that in this league or in any league for that matter. You have to do it all the way through.

“That’s the challenge and the message these lads have had this week.”

Blackpool have no fresh injuries ahead of today’s Fylde coast derby against Fleetwood Town.

Clark Robertson continues his recovery but today’s game at Highbury is thought to be too soon for him.

Jim McAlister has taken part in training but is unlikely to see any action this year.