Blackpool lose to Luton Town in Stephen Dobbie's first game despite improved display

Andy Lyons had given the Seasiders hope the great escape might well have been on after all after heading his side in front.

But Luton levelled with the last kick of the first-half before taking full advantage in the second 45 by adding two more to their tally.

While Blackpool were much improved under Dobbie, with a clear game plan on show, similar patterns emerged when they conceded as heads went down and mistakes began to creep into their game.

The result, their eighth away defeat on the spin, means Blackpool remain seven points adrift of safety with just five games remaining.

Dobbie made five changes to the Blackpool line-up from Good Friday’s disastrous defeat to relegation rivals Cardiff.

Jordan Thorniley recovered from illness to reclaim his spot at centre-back, while Lewis Fiorini came in from the cold to start in midfield.

Andy Lyons, Keshi Anderson and CJ Hamilton also came into the side.

Jordan Gabriel, Dom Thompson, Callum Connolly, Charlie Patino and Ian Poveda were the five to drop out.

Top scorer Jerry Yates missed out for the second game running after injuring his hamstring prior to the game against Cardiff.

Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley and Gary Madine also remain sidelined through injury.

One of the key talking points prior to kick-off was whether Dan Grimshaw would come in for Chris Maxwell following the latter’s poor performance against Cardiff. But Dobbie opted to keep faith with the 32-year-old.

Curtis Nelson took the captain’s armband from Connolly following his demotion to the bench.

As for Luton, former Seasider Rob Edwards made one change to the side that drew with Millwall on Friday.

After an even enough start, Andy Lyons screwed an attempted cross into the side netting after Morgan Rogers’ cross had ricocheted into his path.

The Seasiders then squandered a priceless chance to capitalise on a break as, with men over, CJ Hamilton overhit his pass to Josh Bowler - otherwise the winger would have been through on goal.

Defensively, Blackpool were doing a good job of frustrating the hosts, although Cody Drameh did head wide at the back post after a couple of crosses caused some panic in Maxwell’s 18-yard box.

Not only that, Blackpool were showing some promising signs in their build-up play, albeit with one or two passes going astray. But they were trying to do the right thing and confidence began to grow as a result.

The returning Fiorini, who was orchestrating much of the play from the base of the three-man midfield, tested goalkeeper Ethan Horvath with a curling effort from the edge of the box which the Luton man was equal to.

Just before the half-hour mark, Blackpool got the goal their good start deserved and it came via Andy Lyons, who bagged for the fourth time having only arrived in January.

The full-back headed Fiorini’s pinpoint free-kick back across goal and into the far corner, giving Dobbie’s side a deserved first-half lead.

They would have been instantly pegged back weren’t it for two big, big blocks from Thorniley and Keshi Anderson, who threw their bodies on the line to maintain Blackpool’s lead.

The visitors immediately countered, Hamilton teeing up Bowler whose powerful drive was parried away by Horvath.

Drameh, meanwhile, went close again for Luton, looping a dipping volley just over Maxwell’s crossbar from the edge of the box.

Blackpool looked to be cruising towards the half-time break with their one-goal intact only for James Husband to concede a needless free-kick in first-half stoppage-time.

The Hatters took full advantage, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu levelling things up with a smart, curling finish through a sea of bodies after Blackpool had failed to clear their lines.

Conceding with literally the last kick of the opening half was a frustrating way to end what had been a hugely encouraging start to Dobbie’s reign.

Blackpool needed to show the right mentality and issue a positive reaction after the break, which is what they did - Bowler sending in a low effort which took a wicked deflection to almost wrongfoot the keeper.

Luton fans thought their side had scored a second when Carlton Morris cut in from the left only to fire a low effort into the side netting.

With a couple of needless mistakes creeping into Blackpool’s game, this handed Luton the initiative and they were only too happy to pile on the pressure.

Luton sub Luke Berry almost made an instant impact off the bench, heading just over from close range under pressure from Husband.

Having withstood Luton’s spell of pressure, Blackpool slowly but surely began to grow back into the game themselves, offering more of a threat while still defending well at the other end.

The game was anyone’s during the final 20 minutes, but Blackpool had to tread carefully. While they knew they needed to win, they couldn’t go completely gung ho and leave the back door wide open.

Luton almost took the lead in bizarre circumstances when the delightfully named Marvelous Nakama produced a teasing cross that almost beat everyone to creep in at the far post, only for Maxwell to get across his goal well and tip it around the post.

There wasn’t much Maxwell could do to stop the Hatters from taking the lead though when a cross in from the left seemed to hang in the air for an age. Husband failed to deal with it and Morris was there to slam home from close range.

Two quickly became three as Mpanzu doubled his tally with an emphatic finish high into the roof of the net after Blackpool’s backline had been undone by a pullback from the right.

To Blackpool’s credit, they didn’t give up and almost pulled one back immediately, Lyons being denied not one, but twice. First Horvath made a quick reaction stop to thwart him before the right-back’s header was cleared off the line.

Luton were all too happy to sit back on their lead during the final stages and despite Blackpool’s best attempts, they never looked like conceding again as the game fizzled out to a close.

TEAMS

Luton: Horvath, Drameh, Lockyer, Nakamba, Bell, Burke, Doughty (Freeman), Mpanzu (Bradley), Campbell (Berry), Morris, Adebayo (Woodrow)

Subs not used: Shea, Lansbury, Taylor

Blackpool: Maxwell, Lyons, Nelson, Thorniley, Husband, Carey (Dougall), Fiorini (Poveda), Anderson (Connolly), Bowler, Hamilton, Rogers

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Thompson, Gabriel, Patino

Referee: Andy Davies

Attendance: 9,772 (493 Blackpool)