'Both boxes': Stephen Dobbie delivers his verdict on Blackpool's harsh defeat to West Brom

The Seasiders failed to convert one of their best performances of the season into a positive result as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to leave their survival hopes hanging by a thread.

Dobbie’s side were the better side for much of this crunch encounter at Bloomfield Road, especially in the first-half where they dominated.

But their poor finishing in front of goal proved costly while the Baggies’ added quality proved to be the difference as they boosted their play-off hopes.

“I’m proud of the players for the way they conducted themselves tonight, especially in the first-half” Dobbie said.

“The way we’ve set training up, we wanted to get the three ball players on the ball and get us moving and attacking quite quickly through the thirds.

“Unfortunately it comes down to both boxes and we weren’t able to put the ball in the net and they were.

“We worked on how we were going to hurt them and I thought we did that, especially in the first-half. If that first goal goes in it might have been a different story. But the players gave everything and that’s all we can ask for.

“At home we want to attack and get the fans out of their seats. We did that. Even when we were 2-0 down the fans were driving us on, which was very pleasing because they stuck with us all the way.”

The biggest disappointment for Dobbie was the soft nature of West Brom’s goals, especially the first one given it was something Blackpool were expecting.

“We watched a lot of West Brom and they score a lot from corners, from second phases like it’s an outswinger, they head it back in and they get a guy to tap it in,” Pool’s interim boss said.

“We actually did our homework on that so that was probably the most disappointing thing because we had studied and planned for it and done work out on the training pitch, but unfortunately it happened to us.

“The second goal then kills it. It’s a long throw down the line, so I’ll have to watch it back. I’m not sure if he runs off Jordan Thorniley and Andy Lyons tries to usher it out.

“It just goes past Jordan and when they’re in that situation, they’re always going to put it in.”