Burton Albion 0-0 Blackpool: Ten-man Seasiders battle to deserved point at the Pirelli Stadium

The defender was sent his marching orders just before the hour mark, receiving a second yellow in needless fashion.

While the Seasiders had to survive an expected onslaught from the Brewers, Pool came so close to winning it at the death as Armand Gnanduillet clipped the post.

With Burton only conceding two goals at home all season, it was perhaps no surprise to see the game end goalless.

But it was the Seasiders who had the better chances, both Gnanduillet and Ben Heneghan hitting the woodwork.

While a draw was a positive result given Pool had to play more than half an hour with a man less, it means Simon Grayson’s men have now only won two of their last 12 games in League One.

Simon Grayson opted to make just one change to his side from the midweek draw against Wycombe Wanderers.

Out went top scorer Armand Gnanduillet, who dropped down to the bench, and in came Matty Virtue to bolster the midfield.

It meant Nathan Delfouneso moved up to the striker’s role with Liam Feeney and Sullay Kaikai playing either side of him.

Ryan Hardie was fit enough to travel with the squad, despite missing the game against Wycombe with a dead leg, but was left out of the 18.

Nick Anderton, meanwhile, was not involved after revealing on social media yesterday that he suffered a leg fracture in training.

The home side started the game on the front foot, winning every first ball and generally looking the hungrier of the two sides.

Ollie Turton had to be alert to head away from inside his own six-yard box early on, as Burton got in behind down the right.

Despite their lacklustre start, Blackpool almost edged ahead with just 14 minutes on the clock.

The source of so many of their chances, Liam Feeney, whipped in a delightful ball from the right that Delfouneso did well to reach ahead of goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara.

But the shot stopper managed to get the faintest of touches to Delfouneso’s flicked effort to keep it out, with Kaikai waiting to pounce inside the six-yard box.

A second presentable chance in as many minutes came Pool’s way soon after, but once again it went begging.

This time Ben Heneghan did well to nod a header down into the path of Matty Virtue, who blazed over the bar despite being well-placed in the middle.

Heneghan, the scorer of Pool’s goal against Wycombe in midweek, came close to scoring for the second time in a week as he grazed the outside of the post with a header from Jordan Thompson’s deep free kick.

After a brief lull in the game, which soon deteriorated into a midfield battle, the home side threatened through striker Lucas Akins, who looped an effort over the bar and onto the top of the Pool net.

A couple of minutes later, the Seasiders were at sixes and sevens when full back John Brayford cut the ball back into their six-yard box, but fortunately Ollie Turton was there to clear away from goal.

Pool countered well and raced up the pitch, Jordan Thompson sending a weak header straight at the keeper from Feeney’s ball in.

Burton were the first to threaten in the second half, Brayford meeting Fraser’s free kick only for his header to be blocked by a Blackpool man.

The home side’s chances were boosted just before the hour mark when Curtis Tilt was sent off for a brainless challenge.

The centre back, who picked up a booking after just three minutes, was shown a second yellow after scything down Burton’s Oliver Sarkic - giving the referee no option but to give him his marching orders.

Unsurprisingly, the dismissal saw Burton gain the ascendancy, striker Nathan Broadhead poking over the bar at the near post.

Another moment of ill-discipline from a Pool player handed Burton a presentable opportunity, Alnwick denying Sarkic’s powerful free kick after Thompson had been booked for a needless foul.

Pool were given some relief when Jay Spearing and substitute Armand Gnanduilelt combined well, the striker almost playing the midfielder through on goal as the duo drove forward at speed.

But the Burton onslaught continued, Liam Boyce almost scoring within seconds of entering the pitch as Pool somehow survived a desperate goalmouth scramble.

With six minutes remaining, Heneghan made a vital last-ditch sliding challenge to deny Broadhead as the striker raced through on goal.

The Seasiders were inches away from winning the game at the death against all the odds.

Gnanduillet burst his way past three defenders to go one-on-one with the keeper, lifting the ball over O’Hara only to see the ball graze the outside of the post.

The hosts still had time to come close in the final minute of stoppage time, Kieran Wallace heading wide from Burton’s 15th corner of the game.

TEAMS

Burton: O’Hara, Brayford, Edwards, Wallace, Quinn (Dyer), Fraser, Broadhead, Nartey (Templeton), O’Toole, Sarkic (Boyce), Akins

Subs: Garratt, Daniel, Buxton, Sbarra

Blackpool: Alnwick, Turton, Heneghan, Tilt, Husband, Spearing, Virtue (Edwards), Thompson, Feeney (Gnanduillet), Kaikai, Delfouneso

Subs not used: Sims, Bushiri, Guy, Scannell, Nuttall

Referee: Carl Boyeson

Attendance: 3,012 (575 Blackpool)