Simon Grayson reflects on a 'difficult' night for his Blackpool side following last-ditch defeat to Gillingham

The Seasiders appeared to be on track for their first back-to-back league wins since November when Armand Gnanduillet handed them a sixth-minute lead.

But Gillingham produced a stunning comeback, scoring two goals in as many second-half minutes to put themselves in the lead.

Pool still had time to equalise in the first of four minutes of stoppage time, Nathan Delfouneso heading home having come off the bench.

Yet Grayson's men still transpired to lose the game, Brandon Hanlan finding the back of the net with a header of his own from six yards out from a 94th-minute corner.

The result, which was met by boos and calls for his sacking at full-time, means Grayson has now overseen a run of seven defeats from Pool's last nine league outings.

Emerging to speak to the media after a long debrief with his coaching staff, Grayson said: “You look at the performance in the first half, I thought we were good and we were comfortable. They never really threatened too much other than set pieces.

“We got the goal, but we could have had at least another couple to make it comfortable at half time.

“We missed some good opportunities and when you play a Steve Evans side you know exactly what you’re going to come up against.

“Second half I said we needed to keep the ball slightly better but make sure we competed. But individual mistakes have cost us.

“It gave them a lift and they get back into the game and before you know it, you’re 2-1 down and you’re chasing the game when really it should have been over.

“It becomes a difficult night.

“You equalise late on and you say ‘we’ll take the point now’ and make sure you don’t lose the game.

“But there are individual mistakes for all three goals and they have cost us a point at the very least, whereas up to the first goal we were quite comfortable in the game.

“You have to defend everything Gillingham throw at you. In the first half we did that, we were compact and we dealt with second balls.

“But we went to sleep and allowed John Akinde to run through when someone should have stayed with him.

“Then for their second the lad chests it down in the box when he’s got three or four yards of space. You didn’t see us getting that sort of opportunity when we were attacking.

“Then you just do whatever is required to get the draw. After the run we’ve been on, you’ll take four points out of six after scoring an equaliser so late on and you move onto the next game.

“To concede the late goal as we did, with a free header in the six-yard box, in the 94th minute is criminal defending from individuals.”