'It's tough at the moment': Downbeat Neil Critchley gives his verdict on Blackpool's worrying defeat to Charlton Athletic

Chuks Aneke’s late header handed Charlton Athletic a 1-0 win in a dramatic encounter at Bloomfield Road.

The result, Blackpool’s fifth defeat in just seven league games, leaves the Seasiders second from bottom in League One ahead of Saturday’s crucial encounter with MK Dons, who sit one position above them.

“We’ve found ourselves on the wrong end of a very evenly-contested game,” Critchley said.

“You’re just hoping one of those moments falls for us and that when we get a moment in and around the goal we can produce that little bit of quality they showed for their goal.

“It’s tough at the moment, but only us can change it. Only we can change what is happening on the pitch.

“There’s a long way to go. We’re not far away, that’s for certain and we have to look forward to Saturday’s game now.

“It’s a different game tonight because we’re down to 10 men after a minute, so you know you’re going to be up against it.

“Charlton are a very good team, they have some very good players, so it’s a difficult game 11 v 11.

“To have 10 men for 40 minutes was tough, but we did very well in that period of the game and reduced them to very little.

“When it was 10 v 10 we could have done a bit better with the ball. We had some moments around the box where we could have produced better quality or shown a bit more intelligence but we didn’t do that.

“We have created chances in other games, but tonight I think it’s just different I’m afraid.”

Pool got off to a nightmare start when James Husband was shown a straight red after just 58 seconds after clipping the heels of striker Omar Bogle as he surged through on goal.

The dismissal, Husband’s second of the season already, left the Seasiders with it all to do with 89 minutes still left to play.

“You know you’ve then got a mountain to climb straight away,” Critchley added.

“It was an unfortunate incident. It’s just accidental, the player just runs across him and that was it, it’s a straight red card.

“We then have to change and bring Dan Ballard on, who I thought was excellent when he came on. He competed very well and played like a man.

“So did a lot of the other players, I thought the spirit they showed was fantastic.”

Charlton, who were reduced to 10 men themselves when Ben Purrington was shown a second yellow card just before half-time, eventually stole the points seven minutes from time.

Substitute Chuks Aneke was the man to get the goal, glancing home from close range after Alfie Doughty had headed the ball back across the face of goal.

“They have some good players. The boy Alfie Doughty, who played in different positions, is an excellent player, a really good player,” Critchley said.

“I thought it was going out at the back post but he’s kept it alive and the lad has got across his man at the front post and that one moment has decided the game.

“Other than that, Maxi has had nothing to do really, but then again their keeper has had nothing to do either - so I’d say, in terms of chances, 0-0 is probably the right scoreline.”