QPR 2-1 Blackpool: Last minute goal sees Neil Critchley's side slump to desperate defeat against 10 men

The Seasiders looked to have savaged themselves a point when Josh Bowler equalised eight minutes from time.

Neil Critchley’s men had a man advantage for 50 minutes of the game following Dion Sanderson’s headbutt on Reece James.

But QPR, who took a first-half lead through Jimmy Dunne, snatched the win at the death courtesy of substitute Luke Amos.

It was an inexplicable end to what was a poor night from the Seasiders, who were surprisingly off colour and lackadaisical even when it was 11 v 11.

The result means Pool are still without a win on their travels since the 1-0 success against Sheffield United in October.

Tinkerman Neil Critchley struck again as he made FIVE changes to his side from Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Cardiff City.

Marvin Ekpiteta dropped out of the squad, while Kevin Stewart, Charlie Kirk, Jerry Yates and Gary Madine moved down to the bench.

Oliver Casey was handed his first start, while Jordan Gabriel, Kenny Dougall, CJ Hamilton and Shayne Lavery also came into the starting line-up.

Chris Maxwell (quad), Richard Keogh (calf), Luke Garbutt (knee), James Husband (hamstring), Matty Virtue (ACL), Grant Ward (achilles), Sonny Carey (metatarsal) and Keshi Anderson (hamstring) all remain sidelined.

In the absence of Maxwell, Ekpiteta, Keogh and Madine, Kenny Dougall wore the captain’s armband.

Arriving in the directors’ box four minutes into the game was a certain Paul Ince, accompanied by his son Tom and his assistant Alex Rae.

Blackpool, who face his Reading side at Bloomfield Road on Saturday, had to do some early defending against a QPR side that remain well positioned in the top six, despite being without a win in their last five.

Reece James, keeping his spot in the side despite a below-par display against Cardiff, almost caught out Dan Grimshaw with a weak back pass, but fortunately the keeper was off his line quickly to clear his lines.

A moment later, Grimshaw had to back track smartly to deal with Chris Willock’s deflected effort which threatened to loop over him.

The game really struggled to catch fire though, with both sides struggling to create anything of note.

Pool did have some half-hearted appeals for a penalty waved away when former QPR man Josh Bowler put the defence under pressure with a driving run, which saw the ball flick up towards the arm of Yoann Barbet.

Three minutes later, QPR took the lead with a goal that was in keeping with the game, lacklustre and incredibly soft.

A second corner in quick succession was headed past Grimshaw and into the bottom corner by former Burnley defender Jimmy Dunne, under minimal pressure from his markers.

While QPR were hardly on top form, they didn’t need to be against a Blackpool side that were far too passive and only inviting more and more pressure.

Blackpool desperately needed something to change the game in their favour and they got it five minutes before the interval, when the hosts were reduced to 10 men.

Dion Sanderson was the man shown a straight red card for a senseless headbutt on Reece James, who had brought down the QPR defender with a cynical challenge.

James, who had just wasted a promising chance to counter for the Seasiders, was given a booking for the foul that led to the melee.

The 10 men squandered a priceless chance to double their lead in first-half stoppage time, as Yoann Barbet headed wide from a teasing free-kick.

James’ booking gave Critchley the chance to switch things up at half-time, hooking off the wing-back and replacing him with striker Gary Madine, as Pool went from a 5-4-1 back to their usual 4-4-2 system.

The change, coupled with the man advantage, saw Blackpool pile on the pressure right from kick-off at the start of the second-half.

The men in tangerine came agonisingly close nine minutes into the second period, as goalkeeper Seny Dieng denied Callum Connolly from point-blank range with a flying save, after Connolly had met CJ Hamilton’s left-wing cross.

The home side resorted to time wasting early into the second period, but the man in charge nipped it in the bud as he flashed a yellow card in the direction of the goalkeeper for taking far too long over a goal kick.

On the hour mark, Grimshaw was brought back into action as he made a good save down to his right to push Ilias Chair’s volley away from goal as QPR made a rare break on the counter.

Pool, in danger of losing their momentum, turned to the bench again in search of a spark as they brought on Owen Dale for Hamilton.

The Seasiders’ attacking play was far too lackadaisical and they were making it too easy for the home side to sit in.

With his side flailing, Critchley made his final roll of the dice as he made a like-for-like replacement in attack, with Jerry Yates replacing the ineffective Shayne Lavery.

As time ticked into the final 10 minutes, we were getting to the stage where we were just hoping the ball would drop kindly for a Blackpool player in the QPR box.

Thankfully, that’s exactly what happened in the 82nd minute when a hopeful ball into the box fell to Connolly, who laid it off to Bowler who lashed home to level.

It was a fourth goal in his last six games for the 22-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at Loftus Road.

Pool went in search of a late winner and Madine came agonisingly close with two chances in quick succession, poking just wide from crosses from Dale and Jordan Gabriel.

Unbelievably, the Seasiders threw it all away by conceding an inexplicable second in the 89th minute.

A basic long ball over the top caught out the visitors, allowing George Thomas to deliver an inswinging cross which was poked home by Luke Amos at the near post.

TEAMS

QPR: Dieng, Odubajo, Sanderson, Barbet, Dunne, Johansen (Amos), Hendrick, Field, Chair, Willock (Ball), Adomah

Subs not used: Marshall, Thomas, Dozzell, Gray, Austin

Blackpool: Grimshaw, Gabriel, Sterling, Casey, Thorniley, James (Madine), Connolly, Dougall, Bowler, Hamilton (Dale), Lavery (Yates)

Subs not used: Moore, Stewart, Robson, Kirk

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 12,042 (753 Blackpool)

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