Injury and illness takes its toll on depleted Blackpool as Luton Town snatch all three points

Michael Appleton was without eight first-team players for Blackpool’s return to Bloomfield Road for the first of back-to-back home games, while another three were forced off during the game.

With Luton also struggling with injuries of their own, especially to key players in defence, it was no surprise this was a stodgy encounter, albeit frantic at times.

The away side edged it though thanks to a scrappy goal, one forced home by Luke Berry at the start of the second-half.

Blackpool gave it everything they had though and certainly deserved something from the game, but some late heroics from Luton’s backline denied them a dramatic last-gasp leveller.

There is no time to rest for Pool though, with another game coming up in just four days against Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough before a crucial trip to fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic before the much-needed World Cup break.

This result sees the Seasiders drop down to 18th, just one point above the bottom three.

The Seasiders were handed a boost before the game with the news that Charlie Patino was well enough to feature.

The midfielder was rated as 50/50 before kick-off after missing the midweek trip to West Brom with a sickness bug.

But the Arsenal loanee recovered in time to return to the midfield three, where he was joined by Grant Ward, making his first appearance since re-signing on a free transfer.

Callum Wright and Sonny Carey were the two to drop out, while Sonny Carey, Ian Poveda and Shayne Lavery were all missing from the 18.

Keshi Anderson, meanwhile, recovered from injury to be named among the substitutes for the first time this season.

Jordan Gabriel (knee), Liam Bridcutt (hamstring), Kevin Stewart (fractured foot and calf), Lewis Fiorini (hamstring) and Jake Beesley (also a fractured foot) all remain sidelined.

After a minute’s silence for Remembrance Sunday was impeccably observed, the Hatters made the brighter start - pinning Blackpool right from the off and even winning a corner after just eight seconds.

Little else happened in the opening stages, with the flow of the game disrupted by a couple of knocks to either team.

The Hatters were forced into making a change, albeit somewhat belatedly, when captain Dan Potts was forced to hobble off after trying to play on not once not twice but on three occasions.

The highlight of the first 25 minutes was undoubtedly an ambitious attempt from Jordan Thorniley, who tried his luck from 30 yards after being encouraged to shoot by the home faithful.

He heeded that advice but his powerful low effort rifled into his teammate Jerry Yates before trickling through to the goalkpee.er

Grant Ward was the next man to have a go as he unleashed a similarly ambitious effort from range, but his low shot flew a few yards wide of the upright.

The opening half remained one lacking in any sort of quality, Charlie Patino aside who was the only calming influence and player willing to get his foot on the ball.

Three minutes before the interval, we finally witnessed a chance of sorts and it fell to that man Patino, but on this occasion he was unable to keep his shot down as ballooned well over on his weaker right foot after a spot of pinball in the Luton box.

At the other end, as the game finally began to spring into life, Marvin Ekpiteta denied Elijah Adebayo a certain goal with a superb last-ditch block, despite looking second best to reach the dangerous ball into the six-yard box.

Appleton was forced into making a change at half-time with Patino unable to continue, the midfielder seemingly still struggling through illness.

This was a big blow for the Seasiders as the Arsenal man was the only player on the pitch, for either side, capable of getting the ball down and showing a bit of quality.

The blow was softened somewhat by the return of Keshi Anderson though, who slotted into the midfield three alongside Grant Ward and Kenny Dougall, albeit in a more advanced role.

Blackpool somehow failed to break the deadlock five minutes into the second half despite having FOUR gilt-edged chances to do so inside the space of a few seconds.

Jerry Yates was denied twice before Ward and Anderson went close on the follow-up as the away side somehow managed to survive.

The game finally opened up at this stage, with both sides exchanging good chances. Luton went close through Carlton Morris, whose curling effort might well have ended up in the far corner of Chris Maxwell’s net if it wasn’t for Jordan Thorniley’s last-ditch headed block.

That proved to be Thorniley’s last action of the game because he was forced off seconds later, with Dom Thompson the man to replace him and James Husband shifting over to centre-back.

It went from bad to worse for the Seasiders as they fell behind in the next breath.

It was such a soft goal to concede from their point of view, as they failed to deal with a deep cross into the box. The ball bobbled about before Luke Perry toe-poked high into the roof of the net.

To their credit, Blackpool responded fairly well and squandered a priceless chance to level on 65 minutes.

It came after a free-kick into the Luton box was nodded down into the six-yard box by Ekpiteta, but Madine could only flick over the bar from point-blank range.

The hosts otherwise struggled to lay siege to the Luton goal, with some tired bodies out there.

To make matters even worse, Anderson - a half-time replacement for Patino - was forced off with 10 minutes remaining.

The winger, who was replaced by Theo Corbeanu, hobbled off clutching his hamstring having sprinted back to make a vital sliding tackle.

Blackpool looked to have a good shout for a penalty turned down when Gary Madine was fouled on the line of Luton’s box, but referee Tim Robinson awarded a free-kick which sub Corbeanu blazed well over.

Luton had chances to put the game to bed in the final stages, Morris curling wide on two separate occasions and Tom Lockyer having a close-range effort saved by Maxwell.

At the other end, the Luton goal lived a charmed life at the start of six minutes of stoppage-time.

Firstly, a clear handball was missed by the referee before CJ Hamilton fired a shot against the post. Pool kept the ball alive and looked to have forced it home at the back post, but the Hatters somehow managed to scramble clear off the line.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Maxwell, Connolly, Ekpiteta, Thorniley (Thompson), Husband, Ward (Wright), Dougall, Patino (Anderson, Corbeanu), Hamilton, Yates, Madine

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Williams, Garbutt

Luton: Horvath, Bree, Potts (Cornick), Lockyer, Bell, Berry (Watson), Mpanzu, Clark, Campbell, Morris, Adebayo (Jerome)

Subs not used: Isted, Pettit, Lawless, Freeman

Referee: Tim Robinson

Attendance: 11,452