Positive signs, late heartbreak and fan discontent: Verdict on Blackpool's cruel defeat to Swansea City

With three minutes left on the clock, that’s exactly the direction the game was heading – but that barely told half the story.

From what we know about Swansea about their penchant for utter domination of the ball at all costs, even at the expense of shots on goal on occasion, most weren’t anticipating the most rip-roaring of affairs.

Indeed, there was a general feeling around the ground that the Eurofighter Typhoon ripping through the sky half an hour or so prior to kick-off at the nearby Air Show might be providing the best entertainment of the afternoon.

How wrong we were.

Swansea, to their credit, seem to have a lot more about them than they did last season. Yes Russell Martin is still utterly obsessed with possession (they still had 64 per cent of it) but the visitors had a bit more intent and purpose to their play and, believe it or not, even attempted the odd forward pass.

It made for a tricky first-half. Blackpool appeared stuck in-between two approaches, as if they weren’t entirely sure how to proceed.

In the end, they opted to sit back and invite pressure on themselves, a dangerous tactic given how they were made to pay for a similar approach at Stoke last weekend.

While Swansea weren’t exactly battering the door down, they were peppering away and you felt the longer it continued, the more inevitable a goal would become.

Thankfully it didn’t and Michael Appleton acted swiftly, introducing Shayne Lavery off the bench and instructing his players to take the game to Swansea, rather than wait for something to happen.

The change almost paid off instantly, with Blackpool given the chance to edge their noses in front when they were awarded a penalty for a trip on Kenny Dougall.

Jerry Yates, normally so reliable from 12 yards, saw his spot kick saved by the legs of Alex Fisher.

It was a real shame because Yates deserved a goal for an excellent performance leading the line in the absence of Gary Madine.

He’s been getting some stick for his lack of goals but you can’t fault what he brought to the team on Saturday. His hold-up play was excellent and his workrate was and always is second to none.

He could easily have had a goal later in the game as well when Josh Bowler, another player who’s had some unwarranted flak, decided against slipping the ball across the face of goal, instead opting to shoot and blazing well over.

Bowler even felt the need to apologise on Twitter after the game, which is a sad indictment given he actually played well other than one or two poor moments of decision-making.

It was the winger’s magic that created two or three openings in the first place and, as he so often is, was Blackpool’s main attacking threat from start to finish, so much so it was a surprise when he was subbed off and replaced with CJ Hamilton with two minutes to go of normal time.

Unfortunately by that point the Seasiders found themselves a goal down, with Swansea netting in the 87th minute right against the run of play.

Blackpool were camped in the Swansea half, forcing a string of corners as they searched for a late winner their performance arguably deserved. Perhaps a 0-0 draw would have been fair on the balance of things, but if one team looked like winning it at the death it was certainly Appleton’s men.

But they got a bit too greedy, took one too many risks and were made to pay for it, as Swansea broke two-vs-one with three minutes remaining with Dom Thompson the only player left back on the halfway line.

Try as he might, the full-back couldn’t bring down Michael Obafemi as the last man, allowing the Swansea man to do what Bowler couldn’t and side foot the ball across for substitute Oliver Ntcham to tap home into an empty net.

All that good work completely undone. How very cruel.

Despite seven minutes being added on, the Seasiders couldn’t rescue themselves a point which was the very least their efforts deserved.

Instead, the final whistle was met with a few boos, which was a little harsh. I’d suggest it was born out of frustration more than anything else though.

Because this was a much better performance from the Seasiders, especially in the second-half. It was chalk and cheese to what we saw at the bet365 Stadium last week.

But it’s a similar story for Blackpool, being made to pay for their lack of quality in the forward areas. It was a nagging theme of last season under Neil Critchley and it’s continued into the early throes of this campaign, too.

It’s still early days of course, but it doesn’t appear that issue has been rectified in the transfer market this summer. The club are still screaming out for a number nine that can score on a regular basis (signing one of those is easier said than done, of course).

Perhaps that’s another factor in the frustration that boiled over at full-time, with even owner Simon Sadler reportedly taking it in the neck from one disgruntled supporter in the M block.

This is the last thing the club needs. For the last three years, the success on the field has been mirrored by everyone pulling in the same direction off it. But the cracks seem to be appearing.

Let’s hope those cracks can be repaired ASAP.