Blackpool lack any sort of goal threat as they slump to disappointing West Brom defeat

The drizzly affair at the Hawthorns looked to be heading to a drab stalemate, with both sides struggling to create any clear-cut chances of note.

Blackpool looked especially poor going forwards, which came as a surprise given their recent ability to create chances at a pretty regular rate.

Nevertheless, a point wouldn’t have been the worst result in the world given their recent run of good form, but they weren’t able to hold on.

In the 85th minute, Yokoslu scrambled the ball home following a set-piece to give Carlos Corberan’s men all three points.

Michael Appleton was forced into making one change to his Blackpool side from the weekend win against Coventry City.

Key man Charlie Patino missed out through illness, with Callum Wright taking his place in midfield.

Shayne Lavery returned from suspension to take his place on the bench, which only featured six names. That’s because Patino only reported ill during the afternoon leading up to the game.

Jordan Gabriel (knee), Liam Bridcutt (hamstring), Kevin Stewart (fractured foot and calf), Lewis Fiorini (hamstring) Keshi Anderson (quad) and Jake Beesley (also a fractured foot) all remain sidelined.

As for the Baggies, Carlos Corberan made three changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Sheffield United at the weekend.

Heading into the game, the West Midlands outfit had lost their last three games on the spin and won just one of their last 13 games, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the Championship table.

The hosts certainly looked to arrest that good form with a bright start, putting the Seasiders under plenty of pressure early on - threatening especially from wide positions.

West Brom continued to find pockets of space in and around the Blackpool box, but Appleton’s men were finding a way to hold firm.

The longer the half wore on, the more content Blackpool were to sit behind the ball and allow the home side to keep hold of possession in front of them where they couldn’t hurt them.

But the issue with that approach was that when the Seasiders did win the ball back, they gave it away far too quickly which only invited more and more pressure.

We had to wait until the 32nd minute for the first clear-cut chance of the game and unsurprisingly it came the way of West Brom.

Karlan Grant was picked out in behind the surprisingly sluggish Jordan Thorniley, allowing Grant the time and space to cut inside onto his left foot where he unleashed a low shot which Chris Maxwell was equal to.

When working off the ball, Pool were generally looking relatively comfortable. But they continued to struggle any time they did work the ball in the final third, with CJ Hamilton especially making some really poor first touches.

Appleton obviously recognised his side’s lack of attacking intent because he made an offensive change at the interval, replacing Callum Wright with the returning Shayne Lavery.

The change in mindset almost paid off immediately as the away side went onto the front foot from the off at the start of the second-half, Hamilton teeing up Jerry Yates whose first-time shot was blocked.

By the same token, the attacking change also opened up the game, with West Brom also enjoying more space in behind.

Former Seasider Matt Phillips almost took advantage four minutes into the second period, cutting inside Thorniley before arrowing a powerful drive narrowly over the bar.

It was at this point the game began to become stretched, with both sides looking far more threatening going forwards.

The Baggies came close to breaking the deadlock just after the hour mark when the ball bell for John Swift in the box, but Maxwell stood tall to make a crucial save to deny the former Reading man from close range.

Karlan was the next West Brom player to get a shot off at goal, although he failed to find the target as he dragged his low shot wide of Maxwell’s upright.

With just over 20 minutes remaining, Callum Connolly was fortunate to avoid punishment for a clumsy and needless foul in the opposition half. Had the right-back been booked, it would have been his fifth of the season which would have brought a one-match ban.

The game appeared to be fizzling out to a goalless draw, a result neither side could really have complained with.

But five minutes from time, the Baggies stole the three points as they scrambled the ball home at the back post.

Okay Yokoslu was the man to get it, poking home into the back of the empty net after a corner had been flicked on right into his path.

Blackpool’s players desperately appealed for a handball from Tom Rogic in the build-up, but their appeals fell on deaf ears.

The Seasiders didn’t look like scoring up until that point and they didn’t look like scoring after it either, even into the four minutes of stoppage time when they had nothing to lose.

While the game was a poor one, the Seasiders will be left to rue their lack of creativity and goal threat as they slumped to a disappointing defeat in the West Midlands.

TEAMS

West Brom: Palmer, Furlong, Bartley, O’Shea, Phillips (Thomas-Asante), Yokoslu, Gardner-Hickman (Molumby), Townsend, Wallace (Diangana), Swift, Grant (Rogic)

Subs not used: Button, Pieters, Livermore

Blackpool: Maxwell, Connolly, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Husband, Dougall, Carey, Wright (Lavery), Hamilton, Yates (Poveda), Madine (Corbeanu)

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Thompson, Williams

Referee: Gavin Ward