Criticism was justified after Blackpool's derby defeat, but Neil Critchley's side must now ensure season doesn't fizzle out

The dust might have finally settled but the defeat still hurts, as does the manner of it.

Whatever your thoughts on the performance, the lack of chances, the post-match reaction, I’m sure we can all agree it was a thoroughly miserable night and one we’d all like to immediately banish from our memories.

As I said at the time, it wasn’t so much the result that rankled the most, although it clearly stung. It was the manner of it and how Neil Critchley appeared to defend the below-par display afterwards.

With any defeat comes an emotional reaction, one that is only magnified when it’s against your fierce rivals - especially when it was Blackpool’s first league meeting at Deepdale since 2010.

Things get said in the heat of the moment and some inevitably go too far. Whether we like it or not, that’s part and parcel of football. The sport would be incredibly dull without the pure emotion that can have us one cloud nine one week and rock bottom the next.

Of course you’d like to strike a right balance, remain level-headed and see the bigger picture, because fickleness is one of the more frustrating elements of football fandom. But I don’t think it’s fickle to question certain elements of what transpired on Tuesday night.

I penned a strongly-worded match verdict which stirred some debate. I took no joy from writing it but I felt it had to be said.

It might have made me unpopular in certain quarters but that comes with the territory unfortunately.

I’ve always been of the mindset that if you think strongly about something, then you have to say it - irrespective of whether or not it might damage a few egos or hurt some feelings. I’d like to think I’ve remained fairly consistent with that over the last six years.

Perhaps some of the language used was a little coarse, but I stand by the overarching point I was trying to make - i.e. Blackpool were poor and were deservedly beaten and it wouldn’t have hurt Critchley to admit that.

It doesn’t, however, take anything away from the incredible success Critchley and the Seasiders have had over the last two years and will continue to have in the seasons ahead.

The column in question was all about Tuesday night and nothing else. But after receiving non-stop praise for two years, and deservedly so, I’m sure Critchley can stomach a little dose of criticism, especially when it was designed to be well-intentioned and constructive.

Naturally, the best way to respond to disapproval is always through actions, not words, so fingers crossed we see a much improved display at Ewood Park tomorrow.

The last thing we want now is for the season to just fizzle out. There’s seven games to go and the Seasiders are still within touching distance of the top half of the table, which would represent an incredible achievement in their first season back in the Championship if they were able to do it.

Some have suggested that now is the right time to mix things up and give opportunities to fringe players and youngsters, to experiment and see what others are capable of.

I understand the argument, but I’m not so sure myself. I think it’s asking for trouble, especially when Blackpool are already on a run of back-to-back defeats. Critchley would inevitably get it in the neck if he took this approach but it turned out badly.

Saying that, you’d imagine Matty Virtue will get some much-needed game time between now and the end of the season after he made his long-awaited return on Tuesday night after his agonising 13-month absence.

Virtue’s a player I’ve always liked because he offers something a bit different. He’s a box-to-box man who is capable of getting a goal and he’s still only 24, so there’s plenty of scope to improve and learn under Critchley’s tutelage.

With Kevin Stewart sidelined again, Kenny Dougall a little out of sorts and Callum Connolly potentially required at right-back, chances are Virtue will be thrown in for a start at some point.

Elsewhere, Jake Beesley deserves the opportunity to show what he can do as he’s only had eight minutes since arriving from Rochdale in January.

Gary Madine has been excellent this season, but he’s virtually been starting every game and could do with a rest.

Owen Dale and Charlie Kirk are two others who haven’t had much game time, but are they going to be preferred to Keshi Anderson? We’ll have to wait and see.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to finish this week’s column without congratulating the Under-18s for reaching the Lancashire Youth Cup final.

It’s already been an impressive campaign for John Murphy’s side whatever transpires in the final against Rochdale, but a victory and a trophy would certainly top off a season that included a run to the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

The squad is clearly packed with plenty of talent and, whether it happens in these final seven games or not, it’s only a matter of time until an academy product is given a chance in the first-team.

Quite a few of them, especially the standout names, are currently out on loan so that makes it unlikely we’ll see any of the youngsters called up by Critchley between now and May.