Games rapidly running out for Blackpool as improved display goes to waste at Reading

With 12 games remaining, the outlook looks bleak. If the current trend of results continues until May, they’ll finish around the 43-point mark, which clearly won’t be enough.

But after a miserable run of one win in 17 league games, it’s remarkable the Seasiders are still in with a shout.

They began the day four points adrift of 21st and they ended it with the same gap after all the sides in and around them also lost. So from that point of view there was no harm done.

But at this point it’s almost immaterial what their relegation rivals do, because it doesn’t mean anything unless Mick McCarthy’s men can somehow find a way to put a run of results together.

Improved

It’s ironic that this performance against Reading wasn’t all that bad, particularly when you compare it to the lacklustre and uninspiring offering we witnessed at Ewood Park in midweek.

On that occasion the Seasiders failed to even register a shot on target and never looked like threatening the Blackburn goalkeeper.

Against Paul Ince’s side, Blackpool certainly carried a threat and did end up creating some good chances.

They started the game well too, the players showing a reaction after the insipid display they served up just four days prior.

For the first 20 minutes or so, the visitors were well on top and had the Royals pinned inside their own half, creating one or two half-decent openings with the main threat provided by Josh Bowler.

But, as was the running theme of the entire game, Blackpool lacked a cutting edge in the final third and weren’t able to transform their pressure into a lead.

It was sod’s law then that on one of the first occasions Reading threatened or even got anywhere near Blackpool’s box, they took the lead.

In Pool’s defence, there was a big slice of fortune involved with Tom Ince’s strike ricocheting off Jordan Thorniley’s foot and looping over Chris Maxwell. But as his Dad Paul said afterwards, if you don’t shoot, you don’t score, so sometimes you make your own luck in this game.

That inevitably sparked a spell of pressure from the home side who caused problems with the physicality of Andy Carroll and the dynamism of Ince and Yakou Meite down their right, who caused James Husband and Luke Garbutt problem after problem all afternoon.

Failing to capitalise

After getting through to the interval, the Seasiders again showed promise at the start of the second-half, putting the hosts on the back foot right from the off.

Chances followed, Thorniley seeing a close-range shot blocked and Sonny Carey firing straight at the keeper when he really ought to have picked out a space either side.

It’s no exaggeration to say Reading had barely got out of their own half, never mind venture anywhere near Blackpool’s box up until the 70th minute.

But when they did, it proved catastrophic for the Seasiders as they conceded a penalty, Curtis Nelson the guilty party for a pretty blatant foul on Meite who had got the wrong side of him.

Thankfully no card, yellow or red, followed, but Carroll sent Maxwell the wrong way to double his side’s lead.

Having been well in the game and looking to pile on the pressure one minute, Pool found themselves falling three behind just two minutes later when former Seasiders Ince – who refused to celebrate his first goal in front of the away end – completed his brace with a slotted finish beyond Maxwell.

Three goals from five shots on target, clinical stuff from the home side. Blackpool could only dream of being so prolific in front of goal.

The away side didn’t give up, they never do, in fairness, but the contest was already well over by the time Carey atoned for his earlier miss with a 93rd-minute consolation.

The same old story

So it was another day of frustration for the men in tangerine, who were left empty-handed once again despite a better display.

Performances are important, it goes without saying you’re more likely to win the better you play. But results are what Blackpool need and badly.

The poor finishing at one end and the silly mistakes at the other all point to a lack of quality, which is something we can’t get away from.

McCarthy was asked if his squad has the necessary talent after Saturday’s game, where he provided a relatively non-committal response.

“Well, we’ll find out over the next 12 games,” was the reply.

It would help if the Seasiders could keep players on the pitch and stop suffering regular injuries, particularly to hamstrings.

Shayne Lavery became the latest victim, lasting just 21 minutes on his return to the starting line-up.

Gary Madine also felt tightness in that area but managed to carry on, which hopefully indicates he was okay given Pool don’t have any other fit strikers at this moment in time.

It’s been that sort of season, where everything that possibly could go wrong has done.

But at the same time, these injuries have been so frequent over the last couple of years – and in recent weeks in particular – it’s clearly beyond bad luck at this point.

Hopefully the Seasiders can cobble together 18 players next week because the runaway league leaders Burnley are in town.

Seeing Vincent Kompany and his all-conquering side rock up at Bloomfield Road isn’t the sight you want when you can barely buy a win, but perhaps Blackpool will be able to find a way to rise to the occasion and defy the odds.