'Not happy' - Steve Bruce outlines Blackpool expectation amid play-off disappointment

The Seasiders’ top six hopes all but ended with a 2-1 defeat against Wrexham on Easter Monday, with the result leaving them nine points off both Leyton Orient and Reading after they won their respective games.

Including their a game in hand, Bruce’s side have three fixtures still to go this season, but they could already be mathematically out of the race for the final play-off spot before they take to the pitch next.

The O’s and the Royals are involved in early kick offs next Saturday, and a point for either would firmly rule the Seasiders out of the race.

Over the bank holiday, Huddersfield Town’s top six ambitions officially came to an end, while Bolton Wanderers are in the same boat as Blackpool, where they require both Orient and Reading to lose their last two games.

Bruce states his side must accept the major blow and do their best to enjoy a strong final fortnight of the campaign.

“We’re disappointed, we’ve got two weeks to go and not a lot to play for,” he said.

“We’ve got to be right and we’ve got to be professional because we’ve got three games to finish it off.

“We’ve got a local derby next week at Wigan, so we’ll see where we go.

“I’ve done all my experimenting (this season), I just want to finish as high as we possibly can, and make sure it doesn’t just fall away. We’ve got two games to play, less than two weeks, so let’s get on with it.

“I’m not happy that we’re going to finish just below halfway or whatever it is. We need to be in and around the play-offs - that’s where we want to be. Unfortunately we’ve fallen a little bit short.”

Bruce gives honest reaction

James McClean and Ollie Rathbone were both on target for Wrexham in the second half at Bloomfield Road, before a late consolation came from Rob Apter in the closing stages of stoppage time.

While Bruce accepted the Welsh outfit provided a tough challenge for his side, he was disappointed by the fact that Blackpool were nowhere near their a-game.

“If we’re being brutally honest, the better team won on the day, we have to put our hands up to that,” he said.

“I’m disappointed with the way we’ve played in a big game, but all credit to Wrexham - you can see why they’re on the cusp of going up, they were tough and resilient. They’ve got the nice carrot of wanting to get promoted again.

“The better team won on the day. All over the pitch, we didn’t play well enough. It was a struggle for us, a big struggle against a really good side.

“I was disappointed with the way we’ve played, especially with the way we’ve played of late. We huffed and puffed all afternoon, we’ve got to be honest enough to admit we were beaten by the better team on the day.

“You need to be at your a-game, and we weren’t. Rotherham a couple of weeks ago was the biggest of them all, and it what happens - it’s cost us.

“We didn’t play anywhere near where we’re capable of, and a big compliment goes to Wrexham because they came here and really did a job. They looked like a very good side, they gave us some big problems, but we didn’t play that well.

“We’re disappointed that we didn’t play well enough but they were better by a long way if we’re being honest, they were excellent.”

Your next story from the Gazette: Seasiders suffer damaging blow to play-off hopes.